This is one of the reasons that I think blogging is so cool… A few weeks ago, I posted something here about a community bike riding campaign being kicked off as part of Growing Hope’s “Healthy Markets Initiative,” and today I get an email from a grant-writer in Detroit who reads my site, letting me know about a possible funding opportunity to grow the program. I don’t know that anything will come of it, but wouldn’t it be cool if MM.com played a small role in securing funding for a worthwhile local endeavor (instead of just disseminating hairless testicle humor)? Anyway, here’s a blurb about the program:
Bikes Belong Coalition makes grants that support their vision of a network of communities throughout the United States where people of all ages will have the accommodation and ability to bicycle for recreation and transportation. Bikes Belong accepts requests for funding of up to $10,000 for facility, capacity, and education projects. All proposals must address the goals of the grants program strategic plan, encourage ridership growth, promote bicycling, build political support, leverage funding, and support bicycle advocacy. Grant applications must propose a specific program or project that is measurable. Bikes Belong will not fund general operating costs. Priority is given to bicycle organizations, coalitions, and associations – particularly those that have not received Bikes Belong funding in the past and projects that build coalitions for bicycling by collaborating the efforts of bicycle industry and advocacy. Deadlines the end of August and November in 2006 for grants.
If you know of any groups other than Growing Hope that are doing local work involving bicycles, please feel free to forward this along. (I’m not aware of any local groups rebuilding bikes for those that can’t afford them, but maybe there are. And, if not, maybe this is an opportunity to get one started.)
Thanks for the tip, Charlie.
6 Comments
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rock on, mark. i’m gonna pass along to our bike-enthusiast partners!
hey, and maybe this could be the source for two of the bike-related activities i’ve long dreamed of– bike-powered veggie delivery from the farmer’s market throughout the community, and bike powered generators in the gardens…
I was thinking more along the lines of starting a collective to aquire and refurbish bikes in the community, perhaps training local at-risk kids to do the work, but I like the way you think, Muppster. And there’s no reason why a few different ideas couldn’t be combined in one proposal.
And, yes, my priorities are out of whack… I’m supposed to be outside, mowing the lawn right now.
I think activists should note Texas law in reference to their demand for constitutionally guaranteed equal protection under the law
a. Texans now must change to the far lane or slow considerably in the closest lane when passing a police car that has stopped a motorist while displaying flashing lights
b. Summer or 2005 in Houston, bicyclists were ticketed for passing cars at intersections because this violated the one-vehicle-per-lane law
… good idea having only one vehicle per lane … don
Just read geno’s comments.
The exact same thing happened to me.
“The police sent a small-time drug dealer and experienced drunk driver up to me at walmart to imply he was coming to my house.”
As he’s from Midland, Texas, one wonders what year this happened and whether or not the man at WalMart could have been our current President.