How Community Spark Grants Boosted Local Biking Initiatives in 2024

Big changes can start small. That’s the idea behind the League’s Community Spark Grants—to give local leaders the catalyst they need for bite-sized projects that make biking safer, easier, and more fun for everyone. These mini-grants, recently upped from $1,500 to $2,000, help kickstart ideas that bring real improvements to communities. In this blog, we’ll share some of the spark-tacular projects from the latest round of grants and how they’re making a difference.

From teaching about mobility justice to helping kids learn to bike safely, Community Spark Grant projects show how creativity and dedication can translate one small grant into big waves for better biking. Keep reading to explore our favorite Community Spark Grant projects from 2024.

OutSpoken Teens Youth Bike Initiatives — Bike Library

• Location: Iowa City, Iowa
• This year, the OutSpoken Teens program empowered 75 youth to develop practical life skills through bicycle mechanics, safe riding practices, and environmental stewardship. Participants gained hands-on experience repairing bikes, fostering independence and problem-solving abilities while earning their own bicycles. The program not only provided transportation solutions but also built confidence, teamwork, and a sense of community among the teens. They received helmets, locks, and lights after completing their bikes. “One student named Regis earned a bike, became a volunteer, and now races with World of Bikes. His teachers tell us how much he has opened up and how much more outgoing he is now that he has biking and the Bike Library community. This summer, Regis led rides for Mujeres en Bicis, a program for Latinx women learning to ride for the first time, mentored other teens in bike maintenance, and even got a job building bikes at our local bike shop, World of Bikes. Your [Community Spark Grant] helps empower teens like Regis to thrive on and off the bike.”

Skidmore Park Re-Opening Day Celebration

• Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota
• This big event brought around 350 people together to celebrate the park’s reopening. Families played games and learned about biking safely. The celebration encouraged more people to think about biking as a way to get around and stay active, and allowed organizers to collect community feedback about the safety of local roads and intersections. “We customized a Safe Routes to School Board game so that youths were challenged to learn pedestrian terms and explore their own concepts of what would ‘nudge’ them to bike or walk to school. One six-year-old learned to pronounce the word ‘pedestrian’ while playing the board game and then walked over to another tent where citizens were meeting with their council representatives so that the youth could ask their ward representative to play a round of the pedestrian game with them. We’re particularly proud of all the young people who played our board game and learned more terminology to speak out for their own peace of mind and personal freedom of movement in our city!”

Disability Pride Ride

• Location: Portland, Oregon
• This ride celebrated inclusion and showcased the joy of bicycling for people of all abilities and disabilities. Over 100 participants joined the event, which featured accessible cycling options and raised awareness about adaptive biking. One event organizer shares, “A young man who has a traumatic brain injury from a rock-climbing accident seven years ago came with his own adaptive recumbent trike, joined by his father on a regular bike. The young man has participated in a few events hosted by Adaptive Sports Northwest and enjoyed them, but they didn’t provide an opportunity for him to ride with his father and they were very excited about that! They had both heard of Adaptive BIKETOWN through Adaptive Sports Northwest, but they were floored to learn that the fleet is so extensive and that there is so much hands-on help available at the facility. They are eager to share detailed information about the Adaptive BIKETOWN and future Disability Pride rides with the TBI community.”

BikeWalkBG Youth Cycling Education

• Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky
• This program reached over 500 kids, teaching them how to ride safely and confidently. By bringing bike lessons into schools, it helped kids discover how fun and useful biking can be. Many students now feel more comfortable exploring their city on two wheels. The project leader shared, “The bikes purchased through this grant will serve our youth cycling education efforts for years to come (until the bikes fall apart!). We will be able to get more kids on bikes for a longer time during our classes.” Learn more about this program by watching our “How to Get a K-12 Cycling Education Program Started” webinar, featuring Natasha Smith of BikeWalkBG.

Pedal & Play

• Location: Menasha, Wisconsin
• As a result of this project, bike racks were obtained and installed in 9 neighborhood parks and trails. These installations provided otherwise unavailable secure parking for bikes, making physical transportation to parks safe, and parks more accessible. “The corresponding introduction event allowed us to highlight the neighborhood park and trail in which it was held, increasing foot traffic and awareness of this park. A mix of fun and fitness, this event brought over 300 people together for organized bike rides and interactive activities. The event emphasized the health benefits of biking and encouraged more residents to adopt cycling as a part of their lifestyle.”

Bike Lockport!

• Location: Lockport, New York
• Project: This project focused on improving bike access and creating safer routes for riders throughout Lockport. Bike Lockport’s project leader says, “We were able to buy portable bike racks, yard signs, and a-frame panels with this year’s grant funds and we are able to use these items year after year! 2025 marks the Bicentennial of the Eire Canal and the City of Lockport is planning to celebrate with many community events. Lockport Main Street will continue to use the items purchased this year to promote and connect cyclists with events and information in the City of Lockport.”

Whittier Bike Club

• Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Project: This grant allowed Whittier to provide bikes to students, along with helmets, and locks. These bikes will stay with the school until students meet certain benchmarks, and then bikes will be given as a reward for meeting their goals. About 12 students joined the club regularly, and 25 others took part in rides and events. One parent shared, “It’s so wonderful to see my child outdoors and active. The bike club has been a game-changer for our family.” 

Get Involved

Do these stories inspire you? The next round of Community Spark Grants is open now through Tuesday, January 21^st, 2025! If you have an idea to make biking better in your community, we’d love for you to apply. Visit bikeleague.org/spark  to learn more and apply today.

Let’s work together to create a Bicycle Friendly America where everyone can enjoy the freedom and joy of biking. Together, we can spark a brighter future!

In 2024, support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded 8 Spark grant awards, as part of the CDC’s Active People, Healthy Nation℠ Initiative, which aims to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. Separately, support from General Motors is funded 7 awards in 2024.