Better Bike Share Partnership Awards $200,000+ in Grants

These 13 projects will connect traditionally underserved populations to shared micromobility.

The Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) made its annual mini-grant project selections, awarding $202,500 in grants to 13 projects that will connect traditionally underserved populations to shared micromobility by breaking down common barriers to access.

Grantees will use their mini-grants to carry out projects involving integrating transportation networks, community ambassador programs, and more to engage Spanish-speaking community members, young people, and adults living with disabilities. 

“BBSP is investing in community-based organizations and nonprofits that are setting an example for how to lead with equity, whether they are building on or refining existing community initiatives or launching brand new ones,” says Tangier Barnes Wright, deputy director of shared micromobility. “These organizations are successfully breaking down barriers to using shared micromobility.”

The following projects were selected to receive funding:

South LA E-Bikes: $15,500

T.R.U.S.T. South LA | Los Angeles, CA

T.R.U.S.T. South LA will implement a community-centered activation and outreach initiative to increase access to and use of Metro Bike Share along the Metro Rail to Rail (R2R) corridor in South Los Angeles. 

Unlock Mobility in Cleveland: $16,000

Bike Cleveland | Cleveland, OH

Bike Cleveland will connect residents to Bird’s shared e-bike and e-scooter system through hands-on learning, trusted community leadership, and targeted equity outreach.

PikeRide Community Ambassador Program: $15,000

Pike Ride Inc. | Colorado Springs, CO

PikeRide will launch its first Community Ambassador Program to ensure equitable outreach and engagement ahead of its planned system expansion into disproportionately impacted areas. Ambassadors will come from the same areas, which include low-income neighborhoods, communities of color, mobile home communities, and tribal areas.

Community Ride Rituals: Share the Magic of Biking: $15,500

POGOH | Pittsburgh, PA

POGOH will implement a series of rides prioritizing bike safety, neighborhood pride, and outlets that empower the people of Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood while sharing the joy, connection, and magic of riding bikes as a community. This work builds on lessons learned from their BBSP Living Lab project.

¡Dame Mas! Mobility + Visibility in the Desert: $15,500 

Sunnyside Unified School District Foundation, Inc. | Tucson, AZ

FUGA (Families United Gaining Accessibility) will work to connect primarily Spanish-speaking parents with the Sunnyside School District bike club’s students on monthly rides. The mini-grant will support FUGA’s partnership with TUGO Bike Share. FUGA will engage older populations on the south and west side of Tucson by partnering with the El Rio and El Pueblo Neighborhood Senior Centers and Su Vida Health Care to reconnect elders through mobility and community. 

Kona Bike Day: $5,000

PATH-People for Active Transportation Hawaii | Kailua Kona, HI

PATH will hold a Bike Day event in Kailua Kona, closing down a portion of the road in Kailua Village so people of all ages can ride bikes on the closed road. PATH will bring out its fleet of bike education bicycles for children, along with HIBIKE bike share bicycles for adults to ride with their children or simply try out the bikes in a safe, traffic-free environment. 

LA Metro Bike Share Ambassador Pilot: $15,500

BikeLA | Los Angeles, CA

BikeLA will launch a Bike Share Ambassador Pilot to expand equitable access to shared micromobility in underserved Los Angeles neighborhoods. Six ambassadors representing Culver City, Mid City, Leimert Park, West Adams, and Inglewood will participate in a six-month leadership cohort. In partnership with Reciclos, Biking While Black, and LA Walks, ambassadors will deepen skills in storytelling, cooperative models, multimodal safety, and mobility justice. 

Divvy for Everyone: Mobility is Power: $15,500

Equiticity | Chicago, IL

Equiticity will carry out a Divvy 101 ride leader training program designed to grow use of bike share and active mobility among low-to-moderate-income, predominantly Black and Brown residents on Chicago’s south and west sides.

Nuestro Canal, Nuestras Bicicletas: $20,000

Canal Alliance | San Rafael, CA

The Canal Alliance will partner with Redwood Bikeshare and Marin Clean Energy (MCE) to increase access to and use of shared micromobility in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood through:

• Advancing the neighborhood vision
• Generating resident‑informed input
• Convening two work groups
• Hosting a community ride series

Heartland Free Rides: $20,000

Heartland Bike Share | Omaha, NE

Heartland Bike Share will launch its Free Rides program. To help ensure success, a robust awareness campaign will include:

• E-bike education
• Branding and partnerships to produce visual content
• PR services
• Partnerships with 30+ local nonprofit organizations and agencies to get bike share passes into the hands of residents who need them most.

Inspire SD Ride Leaders: $13,500

Inspire SD | San Diego, CA

Inspire SD will carry out a youth-powered, mobility access initiative designed to expand awareness and use of shared scooter and bike systems in San Diego neighborhoods where transportation options are limited. 

West Side Mobility Access Initiative: $20,000

GREENbike Utah | Salt Lake City, UT

GREENbike will reduce barriers to bike share access by focusing on awareness, education, and community trust. Key efforts include:

• Spanish-language outreach and translated materials
• Community ambassador program to build local trust
• Bike share demo days to introduce the system
• Awareness campaign promoting discounted memberships

YoGo R.Y.D.E.S.: $10,500

Bike Share Youngstown, Inc (YoGo) | Youngstown, OH

YoGo will carry out their Redefining Youth Development, Elevating Success initiative in Youngstown’s low-income and predominantly BIPOC neighborhoods through e-bike and safety training alongside structured ride experiences, including guided neighborhood rides and educational site visits to community institutions.

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The Better Bike Share Partnership is funded by Freedom Together Foundation as a collaboration between the City of Philadelphia, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), and the PeopleForBikes Foundation to build equitable and replicable bike share systems. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or sign up for our weekly newsletter.

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