SLCBC Hemingway Foundation Grant

Hemingway Foundation Grant

Section 11

Nature of the Grantee

Section Goals

• Establish who we are
• Describe our organizational goals
• Establish Credibility in the project area
• Lead logically to the problem statement

The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective was founded in 2002 to share the virtues of bicycling with our community and build the bicycling environment with a creative advocacy organization. Along with providing the gathering place, tools, education, art projects, and community services, the Collective is about having fun while helping others. The mission of the Salt Lake City is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier, and safer society. The Bicycle Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households.

Over half a decade ago five enthusiastic bicycle advocates founded the SLC Bicycle Collective initially modeling it after established community shops in Portland and Boston. Since that time the organization has expanded beyond all those initial expectations. Now hosting five comprehensive programs as well as representation in all regional advocacy and events. The Collective’s dedicated volunteers are expected to log over 2,500 hours during the next calendar year. This, in addition to the hiring of a full-time Project Coordinator will propel expansions and improvements to the Collectives core programs in 2007.

The Collective’s services include the Community Bike Shop, Bicycle Education Project, Bike Valet at the Downtown Farmer’s Market, and Earn-a-Bike courses. During the summer, upwards of 40 patrons, use the Community Bike Shop’s facilities to repair or rebuild their bicycle under the guidance of dedicated volunteers. Winter shop hours were far from quiet. Volunteers successfully renovated and reorganized the shop space making it more efficient. During its freshmen year, the Bicycle Education Project provided bicycle safety instruction to, and promoted helmet use among XXXX children and adults. The Collective showcased programs and offered free Bike Valet at the Downtown Farmer’s Market for the Xth year. Over the course of the summer, volunteers parked 1611 bicycles, assisting and encouraging an average of 81 people who chose to ride not drive weekly. This year, the Collective guided XX students through the process rebuilding a bike in Earn-a-Bike courses. Those students were able to donate XX bicycles to refugee children and adults, extending the legacy of service into the community.

The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective and has received local and nation recognition for leadership. During 2006, the Collective spearheaded the creation of the Bike Collective Network (bikecollectives.net). The network provides a forum for people involved with community bike shops nationwide to exchange information and share resources. After only six months, XX members from X community bike shops are active participants. Cycling Utah named The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective the “Road Club of the Year” and Jason Bultman, the Collective’s President, “Bicycle Advocate of the Year.”

Definition of Problem Areas

Currently, Utah ranks 11th highest in the nation for bicycle deaths per capita. Furthermore, youth are involved in the majority of bicycle/motor vehicle crashes, and account for 41% of all bicycle deaths in Utah (UDOH). This figure is far higher than the national percentage of youth bicycle deaths (18%) (NCSA). The most effective way to prevent head injury and bicycle fatalities is proper helmet use. Unfortunately, helmet use among young Utah cyclists is low, with only 5% of secondary school-age youth wearing helmets when they ride (UDOH 2004). All bicycle crashes are preventable. Although cyclists can not control their surroundings, when cyclists follow the rules of the road as other vehicle operators, they greatly reduce their risk of being involved in a crash (citation).

Bicycles remain a viable and often essential means of transportation for youth, allowing them to access to recreational activities, after school programs and part-time jobs. Providers of youth programming in Salt Lake City frequently cite the lack of transportation to and from programming as an obstacle to youth involvement, particularly among low-income youth. A bicycle solves this problem, supplying a way to get around that is independent of bus schedules, promotes health and wellness, and has little to no environmental impact.

Twenty-three percent of Utah’s K-12 youth are responsible for taking care of themselves after school, and the small but growing offering of after school programs is not meeting Utah’s demand. Youth in self-care spend an average of seven hours per week unsupervised. Of these children, 19% would be likely to participate in an after-school program if one were available to them in their community (After 3pm). After school programs have crime reduction potential because they engage youth at the time in the day when Juvenile violence peaks (US department of Justice). Additionally, students who participate in extracurricular activities achieve better grades, have lower rates of truancy, attain higher levels of achievement in college and feel more attached to their schools. (Michelle Galley. "Extra Benefits Tied to Extracurriculars" Education Week, October 18, 2000) (is this redundant and obvious?)

Earn-a-Bike Courses not only provide a safe and constructive after school environment, but also encourage safe practices on the road, community and environmental stewardship, and provide an independent means of transportation for youth.

Bicycle Deaths Utah

Afterschool Statistics

Utah Juvenile Arrest Statistics

US Department of Justice Juvenile Crime Report

Purposes of Proposed Grant

• objective
• goals

• • To provide a pre-vocational training experience, in which students learn the value of participation, productive work, punctuality and dependability.
  • To provide a safe, supportive, respective environment for all participants.
  • To teach students basic bike mechanics and bike safety skills, and the increased self-sufficiency that comes with having these skills.
  • To provide an opportunity for students to earn bicycles through their participation in the program

• benefits to achieve

Ideally this program would run year round, four days a week, and reach over 300 kids every year. With students working in teams, an instructor is able to assist two teams (4 students). This would require three instructors for each Earn-a-bike class of twelve students. While volunteer instructors are a huge asset to the program, the consistency that comes with a paid instructor creates reliable mentors for youth. Funding for these instructors is essential.

Another imperative aspect for the program is the availability of sufficient tools, workspace, and consumable supplies (see below). Each team of two students would share a work station equipped with the proper tools to rebuild their bicycle. The powder coating process aesthetically transforms someone else's old bike into their brand new bike. However, it is during the dismantling for powder coating that they gain intimate knowledge of every aspect of their bike. Powder coating would be more affordable with the ability to sandblast and prep bikes ourselves.

While certainly the highlight of the course is the completion of their bicycles, the curriculum would be incomplete without bicycle safety education. Currently, students have the option of obtaining their Road I or Kids II certification, a curriculum created by the League of American Bicycles. These courses teach the importance of riding safe with helmets, locks, lights. It is our desire to provide helmets, locks, and lights to students at this time to reinforce and encourage that education.

Impact of Approval of Grant

• The ability to provide a pre-vocational training experience, in which students learn the value of participation, productive work, punctuality and dependability.
• Financially secure and gaurantee a safe, supportive, respective environment for all participants.
• To teach students basic bike mechanics and bike safety skills, and the increased self-sufficiency that comes with having these skills.
• To provide an opportunity for students to earn bicycles through their participation in the program.

On Going Funding

While the funding for this particular grant will allow us build the infrastructure necessary to offer classes. However, we will need to continue paying our instructors, shop supplies will need to be replaced, and powder coating has a cost per frame. All of these aspects are crucial to the success of the program and will require continual funding. However, with the current success, and the support of foundations, we feel our program's funding opportunities will only increase as we seek other funding sources.

Questions for Hemingway

• What is the definition of "Nature" in section 11?
• In section 12, do Problem areas pertain to society or the existing program?