Adventure Cycling Association

Bike Overnights empowers, inspires, and connects emerging riders to the transformational power of bike travel. Adventure Cycling partners with local BIPOC, LGTBQ, women, intersex, genderqueer and cyclists with disabilities leaders and groups across the US. With resources, technical assistance, gear, and shared expertise, we're able to collaborate and make sure beginner riders enjoy a Bike Overnight in their own backyard.

Remember! We consider a Bike Overnight to be a beginner friendly trip of NO MORE than three nights, and NO MORE than 60 miles a day. Is it kid friendly? Could someone go without a lot of gear? Is it transit accessible? We are looking for accessible and inclusive projects. 

We can't fund projects like that, unfortunately. But! There are other funding opportunities for more advanced travelers through some amazing partners and we encourage you to seek those out if you are looking to do more involved bike travel (RAR Scholarship, Bikepacking Roots, and many others!)

A stipend is for an individual ride or project leader, and the stipend total can be no more than $500 in a calendar year. So if you'd like to apply for $250, say, to host a bag making workshop for BIPOC-FTW folks, you COULD apply later on in the year (although the funding may not be available.) You are also welcome to apply for the entire $500, depending on your project. You do not need to be a part of an organization or have a fiscal sponsor to be considered for these funds. 

A minigrant is funding available for a more involved project, generally for groups and nonprofits interested in beginner bike travel. You will be required to provide 501© status or a fiscal sponsor to receive these funds. Projects mini-grants have funded in the first year of the program included youth bike trips centering BIPOC kids and adolescents, bike travel programming events, and weekend long camps focusing on bike travel for FTW-NB community members. 

NYou can apply for up to $500 as an individual for a stipend in a calendar year. 

We generally cannot provide more than $3000 for a minigrant for a group, but may consider if we can work to make that happen. 

Sure! We've had some great Bike Travel Weekend rides involving families and have resources for you to learn more about that. We'd love to hear more about your experiences engaging in bike travel as a family as well and share lessons you've learned with other parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and people who love bikes and want to share that with kiddos!

We hope to fund projects that inspire, empower, and connect emerging riders from historically marginalized communities to bike travel! That means we want to make sure we can help beginners enjoy a Bike Overnight. Funds can be used for supplies, food, lodging, fees, Support-and-Gear vehicle gas, compensation for leading rides, and generally a lot of other options. Submit us a simple budget so we can see what resources you need. It helps us figure out how to get more help out there in the future!

No, our funds cannot cover those types of needs. 

Check out Bikes not Bombs or Ghisallo Cycling Intiative or Oak City Cycling or Bikes Hikes and Everything Nice - we can't wait to see what adventures are to come! 

Generally, no, unless you are specifically working with BIPOC/LGBTQ/TWIG/Cyclist with Disabilities communities and your project or Overnight centers them. We do hope you head outside for some accessible adventures though!

Will every plan receive funding? 

If we have funds remaining, we will definitely open up a new cycle. We also may find more resources later on in 2023, but to ensure we are set on projects for our fiscal year, we will be deciding the majority of funded proposals by January 31st, 2023.