2-pager: Funding Equity Work
Adequate, ongoing funding is at or near the top of the list of necessary resources for bike share equity programs. Funding may be needed to subsidize riders or memberships, purchase equipment, hire staff, support community partner organizations, fund marketing campaigns, and more. Many bike share systems are struggling to find revenue sources to cover both their capital and operating costs. Further, permits and contracts can be for short periods of a year or less, making it challenging to seek funding and implement initiatives. Equity programs are rarely, if ever, viewed as driving revenue. Cities and systems are more often looking to municipal funding allocations or grant-based funding, both of which are often time- limited. As bike share programs mature, systems will need to grapple with how to secure ongoing funding streams for equity work.