Founded in 2019 with the mission of building a better future for cycling and cyclists, the Rapha Foundation now funds more than 10 organisations around the world. These are ‘committed to inspiring, empowering and supporting the next generation of riders and racers from under-represented communities in the sport.’
The organisation invests US$1.5 million a year in grassroots activities; and in July 2020, has announced five new US-based groups are being added to the list of recipients.
Starting this summer, the foundation will support:
- NICA,
- Cascade Bicycle Club’s Major Taylor Project,
- CYCLE Kids,
- Detroit Fitness Foundation, and
- Hot Tubes Development Cycling Team.
The five latest grantees join the nine other grassroots cycling organisations across the US, the UK and Europe that were part of two previous rounds of funding from the Rapha Foundation.
The Rapha Foundation funds:
- Mission-aligned institutions – applicants must be able to demonstrate their alignment with the mission and vision of the Rapha Foundation, as well as their broader commitment to advancing cycling within their work.
- Registered charities –US-based applicants must be Section 501(c)(3) public charities. Non-US organizations may apply as a project of a US-based fiscal sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) public charity, or a non-US organization that is the equivalent of a US 501(c)(3) public charity.
The foundation is unable to make grants directly to individuals. Unsolicited proposals are also not considered. Instead, Rapha Foundation staff strive to identify mission-aligned organizations. Although, nominations for qualifying organisations can be made online.
