Rapha Foundation
Creating a pathway to the future of the sport.
Founded in 2019 with the mission of building a better future for cycling and cyclists, the Rapha Foundation now funds more than 20 organisations around the world committed to inspiring, empowering and supporting the next generation of riders and racers from under-represented communities in the sport. To date, the organisation has provided over $5 million of funding to 29 grantees around the world. Since its inception, 68% of funding has gone towards programs that help marginalised groups. Keep reading to find out more about each of the organisations in our growing community of grantees around the globe.
Existing Grantees
USA CYCLING
As the national governing body in the United States, USA Cycling is on a mission to develop the sport at all levels across the country and to sustain international racing success. Overseeing road, track, mountain bike, cyclocross and BMX, the organisation supports all cyclists, from enthusiasts to professionals. Previously, the Rapha Foundation funded the hiring of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion director to ensure everyone feels comfortable and included across the organisation. Now, the foundation will support the pilot year of a new talent identification programme focused on youth communities of colour in Los Angeles, ‘The search for speed’, to grow participation at a grassroots level and increase diversity in cycling.
Find out more
DETROIT FITNESS FOUNDATION
Open on all but three days of the year, DFF provides free cycling facilities and programs to under-served communities in Detroit. The organisation's summer camps at the city’s Lexus velodrome – one of only two such facilities in the US – have enrolled over 500 children, with some progressing DFF’s Elite Junior Team, and competing at the 2019 Junior National Championships. The Foundation’s first round of funding supported free programming for youth and seniors, and the elite junior development racing program. For the next year, they’ll receive support to run the Winter Track Series which will be the only of its kind in the US, as well as covering the travel and accommodation of the 80 racers in the programme over the next two years.
Find out more
BOULDER JUNIOR CYCLING
The Boulder Junior Cycling (BJC) is a year-round youth cycling program in Boulder, Colorado. Their mission is to develop, coach and inspire junior cyclists aged 8-18 in a range of disciplines. Founded in 2006, BJC has grown into one of the largest and most successful junior cycling teams in the country. The Rapha Foundation will be continuing their support over the next three years, aimed to increase female participation by 20% each year, as well as supporting high-performance athletes through training and wellness activities. Moreover, they are working to remove barriers to getting started in the sport by making it more accessible and lending coaches to similar programs in underserved areas.
Find out more
BICYCLE COALITION OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA
Dedicated to increasing access to high-quality bikes and teaching bike skills to all levels, the Bicycling Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC) programme helps Philadelphia’s low-income youths build healthy habits and independence through the sport. Providing free race entry, equipment, travel, nutrition support and more, they employ a holistic approach to youth development to build a more equitable landscape for the sport. The Rapha Foundation will support the BCYC over the next three years to help expand their work.
Find out more
GROW CYCLING FOUNDATION
Established following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the Grow Cycling Foundation aims to tear down barriers to entry into cycling and create new avenues into the sport. With support from the Rapha Foundation, Grow Cycling are developing a world-class 30,000 square foot pump track in Downtown Los Angeles.
Find out more
BLACK GIRLS DO BIKE
Founded in 2013, Black Girls Do Bike (BGDB) is a charity that believes the simple act of riding a bike can facilitate life-changing experiences for women of all ages and backgrounds. With chapters across America, the organisation builds riding communities wherever it goes, all thanks to the work of their ‘shero’ volunteers.
Find out more
BEAR NATIONAL TEAM (BEAR DEV)
A dedicated XC mountain bike development team, ‘Bear Dev’ equips U23 riders with the skills and resilience needed to compete at the highest level of the sport. With more than 30 riders now on the books, Bear Dev used their funding to expand their race programme.
Find out more
TOP CYCLIST ACADEMY
We are proud to be supporting Top Cyclist Academy, The Rapha Foundation’s newest grantee, whose mission is to develop young cyclists to compete at the highest level of the sport. Their qualified coaches have developed an off-road programme to help students develop the physical strength and technical skills required to be a professional cyclist in a fun and safe environment.
Find out more
EXPERIENCE FAYETTEVILLE
In January 2022, Experience Fayetteville hosted the UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships. An elite facility for both cyclocross and XC MTB was established at Centennial Park to host the event, which will then be a valued resource to any local aspiring future champions.
Find out more
RAYNER FOUNDATION
Formerly known as the Dave Rayner Fund, this foundation was set up in 1995 to support young cyclists at the beginning of their careers. Former beneficiaires include many of Britain’s best-known cyclists such as Adam Yates, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Hannah Barnes and Dan Mclay.
Find out more
Ride Nation
The organisation’s school programs break down barriers to provide cycle training to underserved students. The funding, provided by the Rapha Foundation, will enable the charity to implement 30 donated bike libraries giving young people much-needed access to bicycles.
Find out more
NICA
NICA builds strong minds, bodies and communities through cycling. With support from Rapha in 2019, the association’s GRiT (Girls Riding Together) program has accomplished an incredible amount to engage women in cycling with 52 coordinators in 31 leagues around the country supported by Libba Moravac, their full-time GRiT Program Manager.
Find out more
MAJOR TAYLOR PROJECT
Founded upon the idea that our lives and communities can be made better by cycling, Cascade is the largest cycling organisation in Washington state. Named after Marshall Taylor, the first African-American to win a world title, the club’s internationally-renowned Major Taylor Project improves access of minority ethnic communities to cycling resources.
Find out more
STAR TRACK
Since 2004, the Star Track has aspired to improve the lives of New York City children by introducing them to the joys and benefits of track cycling. Most of Star Track participants come from the Outer Boroughs of New York and under-resourced areas of Queens and Brooklyn.
Find out more
BRITISH CYCLING CITY ACADEMIES
British Cycling is striving to sustainably change the face of the sport and make cycling more accessible through their new City Academy Hubs. The Rapha Foundation is supporting the three-year pilot project that works to increase participation in under-represented groups and communities in the sport, bringing in-person cycling inspiration and motivation to the heart of communities.
Find out more
HOT TUBES
A development team with a difference, Hot Tubes has helped 120 young, elite-level athletes develop since 1991. Over twenty alumni have competed professionally but the programme is about more than racing bikes, with equal focus on the key elements of character that underpin personal and athletic success.
Find out more
HELEN100
The Helen100 foundation was created to provide opportunities for young women in cyclocross. In 2019, Helen Wyman appealed to young riders, teams, coaches and parents to come together on social media and together they removed a financial barrier that had kept 140 young riders from racing.
Find out more
MUDFUND AT USA CYCLING FOUNDATION
The USA Cycling Foundation’s mission is to assist USA Cycling in its efforts to create and implement consistent, sustained development programs for young American bike racers. The MudFund specifically supports cyclocross programming and was the dedicated fund for the grant.
Find out more
THE CYCLISTS' ALLIANCE
Established by former pro cyclists Iris Slappendel, Carmen Small and Gracie Elvin to protect the interests of female professionals, the Cyclists’ Alliance is based in the Netherlands and lobbies for fairness and equality in the sport as well as better support for riders once they finish their careers.
Find out moreABOUT THE RAPHA FOUNDATION
Rapha was established in 2004 to celebrate and promote cycling. Initially we did this by producing high quality road cycling clothing showcased in inspiring photography and stories. Since then, the company has expanded into many more product categories and established a thriving global community of cyclists. Rapha is fiercely ambitious about cycling, and we strive to see it become the most popular sport in the world. At the start of 2018, Rapha published the Roadmap following a two-year research project that investigated how the 'shop window' of cycling – that is, the professional sport – could be made more exciting and more valuable. The recommendations in the Roadmap guide all of Rapha's investments, starting with a new approach to team sponsorship and leading to the launch of our charitable foundation focused on the grassroots of the sport.
MORE INFORMATION ON FUNDING
WE FUND
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.
WE DO NOT FUND
Individuals – The foundation is unable to make grants directly to individuals. Unsolicited proposals - Staff strive to identify mission-aligned organizations, and thus do not accept unsolicited proposals.
WHERE WE FUND
Acknowledging the global footprint of cycling, the Rapha Foundation will support eligible charitable organizations based in and supporting communities in Asia/Pacific, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.
LEGAL OVERVIEW
The Rapha Foundation is a donor advised fund at an independent US-based charitable organization. All grants are subject to the organization’s grantmaking guidelines and US rules and regulations for charitable donations (which apply to both domestic and international organizations.