BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
The cycle industry is making £100, 000 available to help finance new projects that will get more people, both young and old, on their bikes.
Bike Hub – the levy scheme created by cycling trade associations, the Bicycle Association and the Association of Cycle Traders to help safeguard the future of the cycle industry – is inviting bids for the new pot of cash.
UK cycle campaign groups, bicycle organisations, bike shops, and any others who have bright ideas to get more people cycling but need money to put their ideas into action, are being encouraged to apply for the funding.
The £100,000 is being offered thanks to Bike Hub’s ‘New Ideas Fund’, created as a result of an increase in contributions from Bike Hub’s partners, which include independent cycle retailers together with companies who make and sell bikes, parts and accessories. Launched in 2004, Bike Hub has far exceeded its original target of generating funds of £250,000 a year, raising £400,000 in 2008. As a result, Bike Hub can now offer new projects a chance to access its cash.
Bike Hub already pays for the webportal bikeforall.net and supports the annual Bike Week campaign. It also funds the hugely successful Bike It scheme. Managed by Sustrans, a team of Bike It officers works directly with schools, getting thousands of children on their bikes and cycling to school every day. In 2004, Bike It started out with a team of just four officers. Today the project boasts a 43 strong team working across England and Wales.
The search is now on for new schemes that can replicate the success of Bike It. While projects can be based locally or regionally, Bike Hub is looking for initiatives, much like Bike It, that can be scaled up nationally in the future. Bike Hub is also especially interested in schemes that can be managed independently as a not-for-profit activity and those offering value for money.
Depending on the ideas submitted, the funding could be split between five projects getting £20,000 each, or the whole £100,000 allocated to one scheme. It is also hoped that prospective applicants will be able to match fund their grant, at least in part.
The application form is now online here.
