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Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance FOR BIKING & WALKING’S GUIDE TO

Fundraising Rides

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Guide to Fundraising Rides 2nd Edition, 2009

Produced by Alliance for Biking & Walking David Hoffman Sue Knaup Kristen Steele Cover Illustration by Jim Swanson

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Editors: Jeff Miller Maggie Warren Debbie Stewart Kathleen Ewing 2nd Edition: Julie Boddorff Illustration: Jim Swanson, www.heckleandjive.com Layout: Kristen Steele (1st Edition) Copyright © 2008 by Alliance for Biking & Walking (2nd Edition) © 2009 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photographing, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of examples provided for replication and brief quotations embodied in critical articles and review.

www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org 4

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Contents Acknowledgements..............................................................3 Preface...................................................................................4 Introduction...................................................................7

What Is the Alliance for Biking & Walking?......................................................................7 Why This Guide?.............................................................................................................7 Thinking of Organizing a Fundraising Ride?.................................................................7 The Many Benefits of Fundraising Rides........................................................................8 Partnering with Other Rides............................................................................................8 Not an Advocacy Organization?...................................................................................9 Assistance Beyond This Guide......................................................................................9

1: What Is a Fundraising Ride?............................................11

What Is Not a Fundraising Ride?.................................................................................12 Using the “F” Word........................................................................................................12 Before You Start Planning............................................................................................13 How Much Could I Raise?............................................................................................14 Rides at a Glance........................................................................................................15

2: Are You Ready to Take On a Fundraising Ride?..............16

Getting Your Board on Board.......................................................................................16 Being Prepared: Roles and Responsibilities...............................................................16 A Clear Mission for Your Ride.......................................................................................18 Planning Time..............................................................................................................18

3: Budgeting, Sponsorships, and Donations.......................20 Developing a Budget...................................................................................................20 How to Get and Reward Sponsors...............................................................................23

4: Logistics............................................................................30

Choosing a Date and Start Times................................................................................30 Selecting a Location and Route................................................................................31 Facilities, Equipment, Materials, and Food...............................................................32 Reasons to “Stage” a Ride...........................................................................................33 Working with Local Officials and Others....................................................................34 Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers............................................................................36 Scheduling Tasks and Personnel................................................................................40 Covering Your Insurance.............................................................................................40 Developing Maps and Cue Sheets...........................................................................43 Crafting Markings and Marking Routes.....................................................................46 Start-Area Parking, Team Tents, Layout, Vendors, Etc..................................................47 Registration Identification: Numbers, Bracelets, Etc...................................................47 Goodie Bags................................................................................................................48 SAG Support................................................................................................................49 Rest Stops.....................................................................................................................50 Other Stops: Store, Attractions, Etc..............................................................................52 Medical Support: On-Site or On-Call..........................................................................52 Bike Mechanic Support...............................................................................................53 Luggage Support: Multi-Day Rides............................................................................54 Accommodations: Camping To Hotels.....................................................................54 Handling Day-of-Event Logistics..................................................................................55 Post Ride Activities and Meals....................................................................................56

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5: Participants.............................................................57 Who Are Your Target Groups?......................................................................................57 Registration.....................................................................................................58 Pre-Registration.................................................................................................58 Navigating Online Registration Options....................................................................59 Same-Day Check-In and Registration.......................................................................61 Fee Strategies..............................................................................................................63 Signing Up New Members, Too..................................................................................68 Waiver and Release Forms.........................................................................................68 Requiring Safe Riding and Helmet Use......................................................................68 Riders’ Meetings..........................................................................................................69

6: Publicity and Media.........................................................73

Being Unique...............................................................................................................73 Advertising and Promoting Your Event.......................................................................73 Mailing and Participant Lists......................................................................................75 Event Flyers and Posters..............................................................................................75 Press Releases.............................................................................................................81 Media at the Event......................................................................................................81 Photography......................................................................................................83 Items That Keep on Promoting....................................................................................83

7: Getting More Out of the Event..........................................85 New Members, Too!.....................................................................................................85 Mo Money, Too!............................................................................................................86 New Political Connections, Too!.................................................................................86 Community Good Will, Too!........................................................................................89

8: After the Event..................................................................90

Post Ride Surveys.........................................................................................................90 Survey Results..............................................................................................................90 Review, Analysis, and Adjustment..............................................................................94 Post-Event Report........................................................................................................94 Paid No Shows and Goodie Bags..............................................................................95 Thank You Messages..................................................................................................95 Scheduling Next Year..................................................................................................99 A Little Hard Work, a Lot of Rewards............................................................................99

Appendix 1: Real Rides’ Contacts......................................101 Appendix 2: More Fundraising Ride Resources................102

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Acknowledgements This Guide is the result of untold thousands of hours of work by countless individuals and organizations. Thanks to the following people for their assistance and input:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Becky Douglas, Adventure Cycling Association Brent Hugh, Missouri Bicycle Federation Bike Pittsburgh Charles Beristain, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance Charles Fox, Charleston Moves & Festivelo de Charleston Christine Schwartzkopff, Chicagoland Bicycle Federation Cole Portocarrero, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition David Crites, Georgia Bikes! Gayle Stallings Jeff Miller, Bicycle Coalition of Maine John Luton, Capitol Bike and Walk Society Kim Baenisch, Marin County Bicycle Coalition Mark Wyatt, Iowa Bicycle Coalition National Bicycle Dealers Association National Bicycle Tour Directors Association Nora Pena, Transportation Alternatives Texas Bicycle Coalition

This publication was made possible by the generous support of Planet Bike and the National Bicycle Dealers Association.

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Preface

he summer of 2003 I took my first bicycle ride of more than 10 miles. I joined a group of 30 cyclists, bicycling for 30 days across the states of Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio to raise awareness about genetically engineered foods. I already preferred to bike and walk places and didn’t own a car, but this experience really opened my eyes to the joys and possibilities of the bicycle. After another long-distance bike tour later that fall, I returned to Charleston, SC, where I knew there was work to be done. There wasn’t much going on in terms of bicycle advocacy in Charleston then. But a local cyclist had recently been hit and killed and the cycling community was ready to become advocates. I decided to organize an event to raise awareness of a bicycle’s right to the road. I was still finishing college and active in the local student environmental club, which gave me an organization behind the effort. This is how I got my start in fundraising rides. I began organizing a new event that would be Charleston Cycle Fest. I had no goals of raising money for a cause, and I had no idea of the opportunities that would arise. At the time I had zero connections with the “bicycle community.” I began reaching out and made some connections with leaders of the local bike club—the Coastal Cyclists. Someone recommended I talk to a man by the name of Charles Fox. I set up a meeting with Charles and I couldn’t have been more intimidated. Charles had been organizing bicycle rides and tours for years. Cycling was his passion, and he offered up advice on all the things I should be thinking of planning this event, and he also offered his help. With Charles endorsing my efforts to organize Charleston Cycle Fest, other Coastal Cyclists came on board too; in fact, the enthusiasm seemed infectious! The event got bigger and bigger as it received more interest. The schedule would include a 10-mile easy bike ride around urban Charleston, a panel discussion, a kids’ bicycle rodeo, a kids’ bike safety workshop, a workshop on bike touring and on bicycle maintenance, and a series of bicycle films. Since I wasn’t trying to make money, I simply calculated the expenses and set out to find ways to cover them. The total budget for the event was under $6,500. I was able to get a small amount of funding through a few student groups at the university, but solicited the majority of the funding from sponsors. I almost couldn’t believe it when the City of Charleston contributed $3,000 to the event! This not only made the event possible, but also gave it tremendous credibility in the public eye (As a young college student I did have a number of disbelievers that I would pull off the event I was describing to them). The rest of the budget was made up by local business sponsors. I was also able to get Whole Foods as a sponsor contributing in-kind donations of water, fruit, and energy bars for cyclists after the ride.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

In the end the event was a huge success receiving multiple write-ups in local papers, an endorsem*nt from the mayor, and even making a $1,500 profit! I decided to donate $1,000 to the Palmetto Cycling Coalition (South Carolina’s statewide bicycle advocacy organization) and save the remaining $500 as seed money for the event the next year. The momentum and energy created by this event eventually turned into a new organization to advocate year-round for bicycling and walking—Charleston Moves. It also paved the way for the 2005 Charleston Cycle Fest which brought in over $20,000 in sponsorships and $80,000 in revenue. In the second year of the event I was able to retain all of the sponsors from the first year and had new sponsors coming to me! And this time, the event media coverage included TV appearances, radio interviews, radio PSAs, features in Charleston’s newspaper, and in a number of local newsletters and magazines. The mayor even made an appearance at the event, giving the send-off speech to cyclists on the last day. Starting an event like this from scratch and watching it grow into an amazing tool for fundraising and community awareness was a great learning experience for me. And so I was excited when the Alliance’s Guide to Fundraising Rides was handed down to me to see it finished. The Guide had been in development for quite some time. David Crites of Georgia Bikes and Gale Stallings of the Texas Bicycle Coalition were involved in the early research and brainstorming. The Alliance had conducted a survey of fundraising rides organized by our member organizations. Sue Knaup, the Alliance’s former Executive Director, had spoken to the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association and rounded up some of the nation’s best experts for advice on the subject. David Hoffman later took up the guide and did most of the early writing and organizing of its chapters. And then the Guide was handed to me to complete. As I’ve sifted through files with trails of research and documents that span years, and as I’ve talked with even more ride organizers about how they do it, I’ve been overwhelmed at times by the knowledge and experience of the Alliance for Biking & Walking and with the demand for this Guide. There are 135 bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations who are members of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. Of these, many have organized and continue to organize fundraising rides that contribute a significant portion of their organization’s budget. Just as many are curious how others do it, and how they might use successful fundraising ride models to grow and sustain their organizations. My first-hand experience with fundraising rides opened my eyes to the possibilities that exist. Hearing and seeing the experiences

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of others cements in my mind the benefits of bicycle ride events to organizations everywhere. The Alliance for Biking & Walking has spent over four years on the research and development of this Guide. In it are models and advice from some of the country’s top experts on planning successful fundraising rides. I encourage you to read the words of wisdom these leaders share, and to keep an open mind. And feel free to daydream—dream about the type of fundraising ride your community would embrace and how you can apply the models in this guide. And when your fundraising ride is a smashing success, don’t forget to keep in touch with us. We hope to feature your ride and words of wisdom in the next edition of Alliance for Biking & Walking Guide to Fundraising Rides.

—Kristen Steele, Alliance for Biking & Walking

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Introduction What Is the Alliance for Biking & Walking? The Alliance for Biking & Walking is the national coalition of state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. At 140 strong in 49 states and Canada, the Alliance’s member organizations employ more than 210 full-time staff and reach a combined dues-paying membership of 100,000 people. The Alliance’s mission is to unite and strengthen these organizations as we help create new ones where they are most needed.

Why This Guide? It is rare for an advocacy organization of any type to find itself in the enviable position of having unlimited funds and resources. There is a constant need to renew an organization’s resources. Supporters often find new causes for their hard-earned cash. Grants for specific projects reach completion or there is natural organizational growth, which necessitates finding new revenue sources. Although this is a normal occurrence, it can put a constant stress on your organization to continually have to raise more money. Fundraising rides are becoming one of the most popular ways to raise funds for non-profits. Unfortunately, the vast majority of funds raised through bike rides do not go to improving the bicycling environment with its accompanying benefits of public and environmental health. This guide aims to change that paradigm by showing leaders of Alliance organizations how they, too, can net five and six figure profits from fundraising rides to use for their advocacy efforts. Chances are, if you’re a leader of an Alliance organization, you don’t have a lot of time to research how to put together a successful fundraising ride. Additionally, you probably don’t have the luxury of trying different types of fundraising rides each year or developing the necessary in-house materials and procedures. That’s where the Alliance comes in. We’ve talked to dozens of organizations and associations across the country to find and present the best materials available to help you put on your best possible fundraising ride.

Thinking of Organizing a Fundraising Ride? Whether your organization is a fledgling operation scrambling to raise start-up cash, or a long-established entity looking to add a steady and renewable source of income, we think you’ll find this Guide to be an

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invaluable resource. Hundreds of rides raise money for lots of great causes, but do not benefit bicycling. If you’ve ever wondered how these rides are able to attract and retain participants year after year, this Guide will show you how. This book was put together specifically to assist bicycle advocacy organizations in their efforts to increase renewable streams of income through fundraising rides. Much of the information in this Guide will also apply to walking events that can raise money for pedestrian advocacy organizations. Inside is a wealth of information: marketing and promotion tips, day-of-event logistics, sample forms and checklists, and staff management and responsibilities. It’s all here and ready to be tailored to the specific personality of your organization and community. The data presented in this Guide has been culled from dozens of organizations, associations, and events all across the country. Everything you’ll need to put together and host a fundraising ride is in this Guide.

The Many Benefits of Fundraising Rides Although many successful events do raise lots of money for good causes, just as many events may break even or make only a slim profit after all expenses are counted. Many organizations and event directors find that profit grows after years of organizing the same event. As participation increases, so does the profit margin from a ride. Also, as the ride gains more notoriety in the community, it may become easier to attract sponsors and support of the local government which can add to your bottom line. But even if the profit prospects of a first-year or secondyear event don’t look great, there may be other benefits that make the event worth it for your organization. Can you increase your membership through the event? If so, you may add new volunteers, donors, and supporters to your base. You may also build new relationships through your event with local government agencies and local businesses that can come in handy during your next advocacy campaign. Another benefit is the community exposure your organization will get through the local media and by having your event poster and brochures in local area shops. A fundraising ride is a perfect opportunity for getting your organization’s name out to the public and attracting new members, supporters, and partners.

Partnering with Other Rides All fundraising rides should benefit bicycling. If there are fundraising rides in your area that benefit other great causes, see how your organization can get involved. Some advocacy organizations will

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance Leaders Testify

The Multiple Benefits of Fundraising Rides Raising Funds & Giving Back

“My bike club conducted its annual century without a private promoter for the first time last year. We raised more than $30,000. We bought helmets for Safe Kids, gave money to the local Ronald McDonald House and made money for our club.” —Susan Snyder, Las Vegas

Growing Revenue, Growing Organization

“Last year we spent about $80,000 and pulled in about $188,000 from registration and sponsorship (very minimal) from 4,000 riders. This was a large increase in revenue. Obviously, the marginal cost of putting on the ride decreases as you add more riders. I think we started out with 400 or so back in 1989. I think the increase in registration has come from both better targeting our market and using the Internet and e-mail.” —Kit Hodge, Transportation Alternatives

New Relationships and Member Loyalty

“We developed positive relationships with numerous organizations throughout the city, with the city itself, and with potential funders and sponsors. And the process of relationship building has given the organization a greater acceptance within the community. We also made our members proud of CCBA, and that will reflect itself in future requests for volunteers and funds.” —Allan Williams, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

coordinate volunteers for a rest stop in exchange for a donation from event proceeds. Some organizations partner with rides to offer safety education to participants. A number of organizations have arrangements where other large rides donate one dollar per rider to their organization. It’s important to remember that all fundraising rides benefit from bicycle advocacy because more people will participate in a community that is more bike-friendly. Don’t be shy about asking how your organization can get involved and for a per rider donation.

Not an Advocacy Organization? One of the best ways to ensure your fundraising ride will benefit the bicycling environment is to invite your local Alliance organization to assist with your ride as a partner, sharing part of the income with them to help their advocacy efforts. Find your local Alliance organization at: www.peoplepoweredmovement. org/site/index.php/site/memberservices/C530

Assistance beyond This Guide Please note that this document cannot substitute for the Alliance’s on-call assistance or in-person trainings. Alliance staff are available

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at all times to assist the leaders of our member organizations in organizational development and campaign issues. We can help you find your unique path through this document to create a fundraising ride that is just right for your unique situation. And once you’ve launched your ride, we are here to help you make your next one all the better. Contact us any time. Visit www.peoplepoweredmovement.org for contact information.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

1: What Is a Fundraising Ride?

undraising rides are organized cycling events that contain a ride of some distance and generate income for an organization or cause. Fundraising rides come in many different varieties. Below is a sample list with brief explanations for each type of ride: Single-day: Entire event takes place during one day, usually starting in the morning and finishing in the afternoon or early evening. Ride lengths range from 5 miles to more than 100 miles, and may have multiple ride lengths for riders of varying abilities or desires. Individual riders and teams may participate. In rare cases, a single-day ride is spread over several days or held on consecutive weekends, allowing large numbers of riders to participate when medical, mechanical, and personal support resources are limited. Multi-day: Entire event takes place over multiple days, ranging from two days to more than a week. Rides typically begin in the morning, and will last several hours to most of the day. Ride lengths range from as little as 25 miles to more than 100 miles per day. Individual riders and teams may participate. Multi-day rides usually involve an extended support network as well as overnight accommodations for participants. These types of multi-day rides usually consist of a small, focused group of riders but can grow into big events. Car-free: A car-free fundraising ride can be either single- or multiday. As the name implies, all aspects of the ride are car-free, including lack of motorized medical or maintenance support vehicles. These rides typically take place on a rails-to-trail pathway, where motorized vehicles are normally prohibited, or within an urban environment where all motorized traffic has been banned temporarily from the streets. Ride lengths typically range from 5 to 200 miles. Time trial: Less common than the other variations, these rides are actually races where individuals or teams compete. A national group such as the USA Cycling Association or local racing associations may

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sanction time trials. Lengths typically range from 10 to 30 miles. Time trials typically last a single day. While an unusual type of fundraising ride, time trials can be lucrative with sponsorships and rider fees.

What Is Not a Fundraising Ride? As its name implies, a fundraising ride is designed to do just that—raise funds. Fundraising rides charge a participation fee, sometimes accept pledge donations from non-participants who sponsor riders, offer pre-determined routes, and are supported (for example, staffed along the route). If your ride does not charge a participation fee, or costs more to put on than you generate in revenue, you do not have a fundraising ride. Here are some examples of rides that do not qualify as a fundraising ride: • • • •

Bike club recreational rides Private tours (funding goes to individuals, not your organization) Educational or community bike rides which highlight your infrastructure, projects, or successes Educational or community benefit bike rides which highlight a particular message or cause such as anti-obesity, heart, health, women’s resources, etc., but are not intended to raise funds

Using the “F” Word Expert’s Advice

Using the “F” Word “If it were a fundraiser, people would be upsetthat we only cleared 20-30% from an event. So you can see anotherreason not to call it a fundraiser.” —Allan Williams, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

Say the word fundraising and you will automatically arouse feelings of fear and uncertainty. Fundraising is intimidating for many people. They might associate the word with begging or disturbing others. So should you call your ride a “fundraising ride”? There are different opinions on this, and it will be up to your organization to decide. The benefit of calling your ride a fundraising ride is that participants will feel their registration fee and money spent are going to a good cause. On the other hand, some ride organizers worry that they will receive more scrutiny for expenses if they call their ride a fundraising ride or that they will be under more pressure to produce a profit. It is possible to raise funds from a ride without calling it a “fundraising ride.” If you do decide to call your ride a fundraiser, then there will likely be a greater expectation for you to report profits (or funds raised) to your volunteers, partners, and the community.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Benefits and Obstacles of Fundraising Rides CASE STUDY

BikeDC

a Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) event “Wehadbeendoingasmall-scalecitytour(34miles,cuesheetsanddirectionalarrows,rest stops) that was drawing about 1,200 people and they wanted to beef it up (to expand our presenceandourinfluence).WelookedatbigcitytourslikeMontreal’sTourd’IleandtheFive Boroughs Ride in NY and decided to start closing streets to traffic to get our numbers up.We first closed a section of a parkway in 1999 and doubled our participation to 3,000.The next yearwewenttoacompletelyclosedcourseandhad6,000.Theyearafter7,000(10daysafter 9-11).Lastyear9,200.Weofferadiscountedmembership/registrationpacketthathasdoubledourmembershipinthattimeframeandwemanagetoretainalotofthosenewmembers. We charge a straight registration fee,with discounts for members,students,and children. Bearinmindthatthisisnoeasytask.BikeNYhasastaffoffivededicated3/4oftheyear to the event.WABA had only two people on staff to do the ride and all of the advocacy work thatwedo.Wedocontractouttohandlemedia,sponsorships,andsomeeventlogistics,butit is a HUGE commitment for the organization. It is taking a long time to figure out how to run the event and to actuallymakemoneyoffofit.Wedon’texpectawindfall,butwewanttobeabletofundsome otherprogramswiththeprofits.Sofarwehavenotlostmoney,buthavenotmadeasmuchas expectedeither.InDCwehavetopayforeachpoliceofficerthatclosesourridecourse.When youneed150copsforanaverageoffivehoursat$45/hritreallyaddsup,nottomentionthe timeittakestonegotiatepermits(webeginayearinadvance)andtorecruit,train,andassign 400 volunteers.”

—Eric Gilliland, Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Before You Start Planning Before you decide what type of ride to develop, be sure that you’ll have adequate time, resources, and participation to make your efforts worthwhile. From start to finish, the planning and execution of a fundraising ride can take a year. In some cases, it will take several people multiple months of full-time work plus dozens of volunteers several days as the ride approaches, as well as the day of the ride. There are also post-event tasks to tend to, which can take additional days or weeks before you can finally put the event to bed. We recommend that you read this Guide completely before you embark on your fundraising ride. And, if possible, have a couple of

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representatives from your organization go on a ride or two in order to get a real-life taste of the action.

How Much Could I Raise? So how much money can you expect to raise with a fundraising ride? Well, that depends. Some small rides generate several thousand dollars after all expenses have been paid, while the larger ones (Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s “Bike the Drive” for one) attract upwards of 20,000 participants and generate as much as $350,000 in profit (see chart on page 23 for examples from real rides). Fundraising rides can generate from a few thousand to many tens of thousands of dollars for your organization, but rarely, if ever, will they be the complete answer to your ongoing funding efforts. In 2007, the Alliance completed a benchmarking study that collected data from Alliance organizations across the United States. This data shows us that on average, local Alliance organizations earn 38% of their revenue from events and program fees. Fundraising rides should be viewed as one part of a larger, well-balanced, fundraising approach. Set your expectations accordingly.

Diversified Revenue:

Revenue Sources of Local Alliance Organizations

Guide to Fundraising Rides

The chart on this page shows the typical ride length, entrance fees, participant to volunteer/staff ratio, and profit per participant of the different types of fundraising rides. Note that at first glance this chart seems to indicate that multi-day rides are the best deal for participants and your organization. However, your group should consider the region in which you plan to host a fundraising ride. For example, if you are in the Chicago metropolitan area, it is almost impossible to organize a multi-day ride, whereas less dense urban areas would be perfect for a more casually paced event. Other factors include whether you have enough staff and volunteers for a multi-day event, and whether you will have enough interested riders who are available for a ride of this length and duration.

Rides at a Glance: Type

Typical Length

Entrance Fees

Ratio*

Profit**

Single-Day

5–100 miles

$20–$100+

50:1

$10–$75+

Multi-Day

25–500 miles

$150–$1,000+

15:1

$30–$250+

Car-Free

5–200 miles

$20–$300+

50:1

$10–$100+

Time Trial

5–100 miles

$20–$50

20:1

$10–$25

*Estimated Participants: Staff/Volunteers (varies widely depending on the size of the event)

** Estimated Per Participant

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2: Are You Ready to Take On a Fundraising Ride? Getting Your Board on Board Your board of directors must actively support the organization and the event if you expect to run a successful fundraising ride. Months prior to the event, funds will need to be spent on printing materials, advertising, supplies, and staff time. These items should all be part of the organization’s budget and, as such, the board will need to approve them. Here are some things that you can do to promote board enthusiasm for setting up your own fundraising ride: •

• • •

Create a list of successful fundraising rides, complete with budget and net earnings. See Appendix 1 for contact information for rides mentioned in this Guide. Also see Appendix 2 for instructions on accessing more fundraising ride resources from the Alliance for Biking & Walking. Find a sympathetic board member and have that person talk up the idea to other board members. Remind your board that the Alliance for Biking & Walking recommends that one-third of an organization’s income should come from events, which can include galas and rides. Pass this Guide around to your board so that they can see testimonies and examples from successful rides.

Being Prepared: Roles and Responsibilities Is your organization prepared to take on a fundraising ride? We’re not just asking if you need to raise money, have a couple of dedicated

Guide to Fundraising Rides

volunteers, or perhaps even some staff that you can dedicate to the project. You need to be sure this is something to which you can commit substantial resources. You will quickly find there is significant work necessary to plan and execute a successful fundraising ride. If your event is poorly planned, it will make it much harder to get participants the next time you run the event. Here is an overview of the roles and responsibilities that you’ll need to prepare for: Ride Director: Responsible for overall operations of the event. • Fundraising Coordinator: Responsible for sponsorships (monetary and in-kind). • Media/Outreach Coordinator: Responsible for media communications. • Marketing: Responsible for developing or having someone else develop marketing materials used to promote your event and attract participants. • Volunteer/Staff Coordinator: Responsible for recruiting volunteers and scheduling volunteers and staff. • Merchandising, Sales and Goodies: Developing and procuring the goodies for the event (t-shirts, jerseys, water bottles, socks, etc.). • Location/Route Coordinator: Responsible for securing event location and working with necessary city, county, and state permitting and law enforcement officials to develop a safe event route. • Logistics Coordinator: Responsible for event materials to be used during the ride, including printing (brochures, maps, cue sheets, waivers, etc.), signs, chalk or paint, supplies, etc. On multi-day rides, the Logistics Coordinator commands the base or overnight area. Duties include operation, luggage, lost and found, and troubleshooting. • Registration Coordinator: Responsible for handling and processing event registrations.

•

If you think your organization does not currently have the resources to cover all of these roles, remember that you may be able to recruit knowledgeable and competent volunteers to handle many of these responsibilities, and the same person can take on multiple roles. For example, the tasks of your Location/Route Coordinator primarily need to be done prior to the event. On the day of the event, that same person could also be responsible for signing people in during registration. And don’t forget about your board. Utilize the connections your board members bring to the organization for potential funders, political connections, and staffing for the event.

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Expert’s Advice

Set Clear Goals “First and foremost, you should set very specific goals for your events. Are they primarily fundraisers, membership pushes, or advocacy outreach attempts? Though it’s certainly possible to craft an event that appeals to all three, you should be clear about which is most important. For example, our Century ride is primarily a fundraiser, then a member push, and then an advocacy event. This means that we downplay the advocacy aspect of the event and use a more corporate sales tone to attract riders who might not necessarily be interested in T.A.’s mission. This is different from Bike Week NYC, which we treat as primarily an advocacy event, allocating the majority of our time to reaching out to the City and targeted community groups rather than the masses.” —Kit Hodge, Transportation Alternatives

A Clear Mission for Your Ride Before you begin planning your ride, it’s important to establish a clear mission and goals. There are many benefits to organizing the fundraising rides that were mentioned in the Introduction. Your organization may want to focus on one or more of these for your event, but setting priorities for your goals will help set a clearer direction for you as you plan. For example, if your main goal for your ride is to increase your membership, your focus for promotion might shift. If your main goal is to raise as much money for your organization as possible, you will want to monitor your expenses closely and put extra effort into attracting sponsors and in-kind donations. If your main objective is to raise community awareness around your cause, you may put more focus into ensuring an educational component to your event. Whatever your goals and priorities are for your event, determining your event’s mission will help direct all your planning efforts so that you are more likely to meet your topmost goals.

Planning Time You’ll be surprised by the amount of time necessary to put on a successful fundraising ride. Most events take an entire year to plan from start to finish. Marketing for a July ride could conceivably begin as early as a year before the actual event. RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) occurs during the last week of July, but the registration period opens on November 15 the year before, and closes on April 15. Additionally, multi-day ride participants sometimes plan their rides as much as nine months in advance. Attempting to plan and run a ride in only a couple of months is usually an unrealistic time line. Any new ride will need at least six-twelve months of planning to be successful. Sufficient planning time allows you more time to recruit help, better market the event, get listed in event calendars (on-line, papers, magazines, tourism sites, etc.) and give your potential riders time to schedule it into their plans.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Planning Time & Participation of Real Rides # of Yrs Ride Has PlanningMonths Month of Ride #Volunteers Participantsat Occurred in Advance Last Ride

Fundraising Rides

Sponsoring Organization

BikeMo

Missouri Bicycle Federation

October

150

Bike the Drive

Chicagoland Bicycle Federation

May

6–8

400–500

20,000

Discover Hartford

Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

September

1,200

Festivelo de Charleston

FestiVELO, Inc.

December

127

648

Grand Illinois Trails and Parks

League of Illinois Bicyclists

June

limit of 160

Los Angeles River Ride

L.A. County Bicycle Coalition

June

150

2,000

July

625

Maine Lobster Ride & BicycleCoalitionofMaine Roll NYC Century

Transportation Alternatives

September

550

5,020

Time Trial

BicycleCoalitionofMaine

July

Tour de Brooklyn

Transportation Alternatives

early June

150

2,000

Women’s Ride for Heart Health

BicycleCoalitionofMaine

June

300+

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3: Budgeting, Sponsorships, and Donations Developing a Budget Creating a budget for a fundraising ride is not terribly different from creating a budget for your organization. You’ll need to compile a list of anticipated income and expenses. In fact, creating a rough budget is often a good way of determining if your projected participation (gross income) will be high enough to cover your projected expenses and generate a desirable amount of profit. This is just a fancy way of saying, “Can I get enough people riding to make this thing worthwhile?”

Donations Help Your Bottom Line Try to get as many of the items in the “expense” category donated as possible. Offering in-kind and cash sponsorship opportunities, and recognition for donations, are excellent ways to attract these contributions. For example, the local independent weekly newspaper may be willing to trade ad space for a banner at the event and their logo on all of the print materials. The market you frequent may be willing to donate fruit for rest stops. Does one of your volunteers work for a print shop that could donate printing for your brochures? Perhaps you have a board member whose company has a public address system or tables and chairs that can be donated for a weekend? Does one of your members have a construction business with a truck that can be borrowed? You get the idea…

Merchandise Sales

For the “income” line items, don’t count too heavily on merchandise to substantially add to your bottom line, especially if this is your first year running the event. As your event becomes more popular, you will naturally sell more items with your event and organization logo on it. Expect sales to be modest at first. These items will help advertise

Guide to Fundraising Rides

and promote your event in the future. In fact, some organizations look at merchandise development and procurement as an expense line item for marketing. Many organizations have found it useful to create two budgets— one that includes the actual expense associated with the line item, and another showing as many expenses donated as potentially feasible.

Sample Budget Income Registrations Pre Registrations On Site Registrations Sales Merchandise Sales Sponsorships & Donations Sponsorships Donations Volunteer Time (In Kind) New Memberships Total Income Expenses Marketing & Communication Printing Postage Website Other Advertising Direct Costs Insurance Permits Police Entertainment Food Supplies & Equipment Emergency Supplies Office Supplies Other Supplies Tent Rental Porta Potties Merchandise Socks Personnel Volunteer Time Staff Time Other Misc Total Expense Net Income (Profit)

Actual

$25,000 $5,000

$26,620 $8,045

$1,250

$1,855

$15,000 $150 $14,000 $150 $60,550

$9,200 $355 $12,000 $300 $58,375

$3,000 $500 $300 $3,000

$3,052 $11 $236 $2,457

$1,300 $60 $300 $100 $4,000

$1,110 $75 $320 $80 $3,943

$250 $250 $1,500 $100 $600

$0 $51 $1,248 $100 $150

$3,200

$2,772

$14,000 $4,500

$12,000 $4,200

$1,000 $37,960 $22,590

$312 $32,116 $26,259

Note: This sample is based off of the budget and actual income and expenses of a real fundraising ride.

Budget

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Develop this budget as one of the first things you do when setting up a fundraising ride. You’ll want to come back from time to time and revise it as necessary, but it will provide a good road map of the things you’ll need to obtain, set up, work out, and plan for.

Take-Away Tool: Budget Checklist

Use this checklist to help build your budget. Common income sources:

 Event participation fees.  Participant sponsored pledges.  Sponsorships (cash).  Sponsorships (in-kind) such as food,printing,radios,other equipment, etc.

 Sales of merchandise such as t-shirts, jerseys and water bottles.  Memberships (often sold onsite at a discount with event fee, or as

part of an “add-on” item when signing up for event) and donations above membership.  Volunteer time (in-kind donation).

Common expenses:

 Printing: flyers, inserts, posters, post cards, waivers, etc.  Bike racks: does your event need bike racks for cyclists to temporarily

store their bikes while eating, registering, or resting? Will you rent these or construct temporary racks?  Advertising: for print, radio, web, and television.  Staff time from prep through wrap-up.  Volunteer time (~$20 per hour for volunteers; check for most current Indepedent Sector volunteer rate).  Event insurance.  Credit card or online registration fees.  Event supplies such as pens, clipboards, tape, electrical cords, zip ties, patch kits, basic bike repair tools, first aid kits, water coolers and ice, foam core for route directional signs, marking chalk/paint, etc.  Event furniture and fixtures such as chairs, tables, tents, etc.  Public address system and stage or stage area.  Walkie-talkies: at least one for every staff member and key volunteer.  Location, equipment rental, and permit fees (if applicable).  Lodging for multi-day rides.  Ride merchandise such as t-shirts, jerseys, socks, water bottles, etc.  Food: for rest stops, event-day staff and volunteers, and any meals being provided to participants.  Rental truck to carry large items (tables, chairs, tents, etc).  Police and EMS services.  Timed events services: companies that offer to “micro-chip” participants and record their time.These services are very expensive and are usually reserved.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Revenue, Expense, & Profits of Real Rides Yrs Ride # of Total Staff Time in Total Profit from Has Participantsat Expenses Expenses? Revenue Event Occurred Last Ride

Fundraising Rides

Sponsoring Organization

Time Trial

BicycleCoalitionofMaine

$500

$2,000

$1,500

BikeMo

MissouriBicycleFederation

150

$3,000

$5,000

$2,000

Women’s Ride for BicycleCoalitionofMaine Heart Health

300+

$1,900

$5,565

$3,665

Tour de Brooklyn TransportationAlternatives

2,000

$8,000

$10,000 $2,000

Festivelo de Charleston

FestiVELO, Inc.

648

$26,421

$32,128

Maine Lobster Ride & Roll

BicycleCoalitionofMaine

625

$17,081

$46,345 $29,264

Discover Hartford

CentralConnecticutBicycle Alliance

1,200

$59,500

yes

$61,500 $2,000

Los Angeles River LosAngelesCountyBicycle Ride Coalition

2,000

$23,000

yes

$68,000 $45,000

$5,707

NYC Century

TransportationAlternatives

5,020

$90,000– $100,000

$250,000 $150,000

Bike the Drive

Chicagoland Bicycle Federation

20,000

$399,534

yes

$872,899 $473,355

How to Get and Reward Sponsors Sponsors represent money for your event. One of the hardest jobs when putting together your event may be courting potential sponsors and securing sponsorships. This is especially true if this is the first time your organization is putting together an event with sponsors. You have no track record, and the sponsor has little but faith to go on that your event will generate the numbers and types of people they wish to target. The first thing you will need to do is make a list of potential supporters in the business community. This may typically include, but will not be limited to: bike shops, health care organizations, community groups, environmentally focused businesses, local media, sporting goods stores, and businesses that have a history of supporting local causes. These are the potential sponsors that will likely be most familiar with your organization and the work that you have been doing on behalf of the community. Consider potential support from among those with whom you do business. These folks want to see you succeed. For example, ask the caterer that you use for your yearly awards ceremony, your printing company, or your accounting firm, etc. Revisit companies that have supported your

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organization in the past. And don’t forget to ask your board members, staff, and volunteers for ideas and contacts. Next, make a list of other businesses you think would likely benefit from advertising at a bicycle event, such as energy bar companies, energy drink companies, bike accessory manufacturers, or bike manufacturers. These second-tier companies are more likely to get involved with your event after you have established some success, but that shouldn’t stop you from asking them anyway. Now, create a spreadsheet of individual contacts at each of these businesses. Do you or somebody within your organization have a personal connection with someone at each of these potential sponsors? Fill in as much information about them as possible, including if you know whether they have sponsored other local events. When you approach each potential sponsor, they will expect to be offered a variety of sponsorship options, so it is important to develop a tiered sponsorship package (see pages 26-27 for a sample). In general, most fundraising rides try to generate 50% of their costs in sponsorships, so if you have a draft budget in place, it should be relatively easy to determine the number and types of sponsors you will need to achieve your goal. You can reward sponsors in the following manner: • • • • •

Provide them with “ownership” of a rest stop, including exclusive logo placement and product giveaways. Offer exclusivity for top level sponsor (for example, if one grocery store sponsors at the top level you agree not to allow other grocery stores as sponsors). Place their logo on event website (see page 29), ride posters, and t-shirts. Present recognition at the ride. Create a sponsorship certificate for display in their store or office.

Success Story

In-Kind Sponsorship a Win-Win “The Sierra Club donated the pre-ride breakfast for our 450 riders in exchange for being allowed to set up a table at the Bikefest. They did surveys on bike commuting and gave info on alternative transportation. This year, they’re going to display an electric car and electric bike.” —Susan Snyder, Las Vegas

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Finally, just like your annual appeals, you can ask your membership to help sponsor the event. These appeals can become a good source of renewable income, as individuals are likely to help fund a tangible event, such as a ride, as opposed to something less tangible, such as “bicycle advocacy.” In a sense, you’re providing an annual product that they can help fund. You can modify your annual appeal letters to suit this purpose (see sample appeal letter on page 28).

Sample Tiered Sponsor Package Level Main Tent Title Sponsor Rest Stop Sponsor Name Mentioned in Press Release Exhibit Space at Registration Area Logo on Participant Numbers 10 Free Registrations 5 Free Registrations 2 Free Registrations Logo on Route Map Logo on T-shirt Verbal Recognition at Event Logo on Event Brochure Logo and Link on Event Web Page Listed at Start Point Logo on Banners Sponsorship Certificate

$5,000

x x x x x x x x x x x x x

$1,000

$500

$200

x x x x x x x x x

x x x x x x

x x x x

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Sample Sponsor Packet (Page 1) from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMo

My business or organization would like to become a BikeMO Sponsor. Business/Organization Name_________________________________________________________ Contact Name_____________________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:___________________________________________________________________________ Email:___________________________________________________________________________ Website:_________________________________________________________________________ Please email business/organization logo or graphic in electronic format to [emailprotected]. The logo will be used publicity materials, flyers, on the MoBikeFed.org web site, etc. You may also enclose a printed copy of the logo or graphic but generally the quality of reproduction of electronic version is much higher. If we have your logo from last year we can continue to use that file unless you want to change.

$1000 – Platinum-level BikeMO Sponsor $500 – Gold-level BikeMO Sponsor $250 – Silver-level BikeMO Sponsor $100 – Bronze-level BikeMO Sponsor $_______ other amount

I would also like to join the Missouri Bicycle Federation or renew our MoBikeFed membership: $20/individual $50/organization $75/business No, thanks for now Note to current MoBikeFed members: Renewing your MOBikeFed membership early adds a full year of membership—a full year from the your previous expiration date. Payment method:

T Check enclosed

T MasterCard

Total amount enclosed______________________________

T VISA

T Discover

Credit card number ________________________________Expiration date______________

Name (on credit card)_________________________Signature__________________________ Make checks payable to the Missouri Bicycle Federation, Inc. and return this form to: Missouri Bicycle Federation, Inc., PO Box 104871, Jefferson City, MO 65110-4871 Phone: 816-695-6736 Email: [emailprotected] Thank you for your support!

Opportunity to distribute info or items to participants

5 BikeMO ride passes

Opportunity to distribute info or items to participants 3 BikeMo ride passes

Opportunity to place banner at sag stop

Identified as gold sponsor in all publicity

Opportunity to place banner at start/end of event

Opportunity to have a display table at the BikeMO fair (in the BikeMO registration area)

Recognized on website sponsor page

Recognized on sponsor page of flyer, distributed widely to bicyclists across the state via direct mail, bike shops, etc.

2” logo on souvenir shirt going to all participants

Silver Sponsor - $250

1 BikeMO ride pass

Opportunity to distribute info or items to participants

Opportunity to place banner at sag stop

Opportunity to have a display table at the BikeMO fair (in the BikeMO registration area)

Recognized on website sponsor page

Recognized on sponsor page of flyer, distributed widely to bicyclists across the state via direct mail, bike shops, etc.

1” logo on souvenir shirt going to all participants

Bronze Sponsor - $100

Questions-comments? Email [emailprotected] or call 816-695-6736. More info at BikeMO at BikeMo.org

from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMo

Sample Sponsor Packet (Page 2)

Remember that when you support BikeMo you are not only supporting a great event and getting your name out to thousands of bicyclists across the state as part of the promotion of BikeMO, but also supporting the Missouri Bicycle Federation in its efforts to make more, better, safer bicycling in Missouri.

Less than 3 years ago, the Missouri Bicycle Federation numbered less than 100 members. We are now 1000+ strong and continue to grow rapidly.

MoBikeFed uses our statewide network to market BikeMO to bicyclists across the state and region. Over 10,000 bicyclists from all corners of Missouri will be mailed information and the entry form for this event; in addition, countless others will see the flyer in bike stores and other venues, event information and sponsors will go several times to our statewide email contact list of 3500+, sponsors will be listed in statewide press releases, etc.

BikeMO had over 150 participants in the past two years. We plan to continue to market and grow BikeMO so that it becomes become a premier bicycling event in the Midwest.

BikeMo Facts BikeMo is a yearly bicycle ride organized by the Missouri Bicycle Federation. It is a statewide event, attracting riders from across Missouri.

10 BikeMO ride passes

Opportunity to distribute info or items to participants

Identified as platinum sponsor in all publicity

Opportunity to place banner in more prominent location at start/end of event

Opportunity to have a display table at the BikeMO fair (in the BikeMO registration area)

More prominently recognized on main page of website and sponsor page

Prominently recognized on main page of website and sponsor page

Recognized on front and sponsor page of flyer, distributed widely to bicyclists across the state via direct mail, bike shops, etc.

Larger logo displayed on souvenir shirt going to all participants

Larger logo most prominently displayed on souvenir shirt going to all participants

Recognized and prominently displayed on front and sponsor page of flyer, distributed widely to bicyclists across the state via direct mail, bike shops, etc.

Gold Sponsor - $500

Platinum Sponsor - $1000

BikeMO 2008 Sponsorship Program

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Appeal Letter to Membership from Friends of Pathways’ Old Bill’s Fun Run

Dear Pathway Supporter,

August 14, 2003

For more than eight years, Friends of Pathways has been working to increase non-motorized transportation and recreation options in Jackson Hole. Our advocacy and private fund-raising efforts have been instrumental to the expansion of the Jackson Hole Community Pathways system and our successful programs and events mean that more people are leaving their cars at home and doing it more safely, frequently and enjoyably. As Teton County and the Town of Jackson’s best financial friend and, at times, their most harsh critic, we are here to make sure that high-quality bicycle and pedestrian facilities are being built in Jackson Hole. We need your financial help so that we may continue to advocate and lobby for non-motorized transportation and recreation in Teton County and provide private funds for pathway and pedestrian projects to facilitate their occurrence. Your financial contribution to Friends of Pathways via Old Bill’s Fun Run for Charities is an excellent way to contribute to Friends of Pathways because your donation will be matched. The match amount will depend on the ratio of sponsorship donations to match donations. Recently, you may have received an Old Bill’s Fun Run donation form and race entry in the mail. Please use these forms to register, to participate, and to make your contribution to Friends of Pathways. Gifts, which are fully taxdeductible, should be made directly to the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole. You may also use the form to donate to multiple organizations at the same time. You can also help us by walking or running in the Fun Run on behalf of Friends of Pathways and collecting sponsorships from family, friends and coworkers. If you did not receive an Old Bill’s donation form, you can find them at the Library and at all commercial banks. If you prefer, please contact Friends of Pathways at 733-4534 or e-mail us at [emailprotected] and I will send a form to you directly. Your past support has been crucial. Please continue to support us during Old Bill's Fun Run on Saturday, September 13 as we work to make Jackson Hole’s streets, sidewalks and trails safe and friendly for all users. Best regards,

David Vandenberg Executive Director

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Web Page Acknowledging Event Sponsors from Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s Bike the Drive

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4: Logistics Choosing a Date and Start Times Are you aware of all the upcoming fundraising rides in your area? Here’s how to choose a good event date, registration timeline, and event starting times:

Choosing a Date:

•

• •

•

Start Times:

• • • • •

Conduct a survey of known rides during the year. These include all of the charity rides (MS, Diabetes, Leukemia, etc.) Mark their dates on a calendar. Be sure to consider other events which may increase traffic in your area, such as a local football game. Check with the local college schedule. Note your area’s cycling season. For example, in the east, it typically runs May through October. Warmer or colder parts of the country will have longer or shorter cycling seasons. If possible, pick a time of the year which will be comfortable for most cyclists, such as late spring or early fall, when the weather tends to be mild and you don’t need to worry about the extreme heat and humidity of summer. Take advantage of what your community offers. For example, Festivelo de Charleston, a multi-day ride, takes place in December. This is a time when most other places are cold, but Charleston, SC, is relatively warmer. The ride is also scheduled to coincide with the Charleston holiday boat parade and Christmas tree lighting, two annual local events that offer participants even more of a reason to make the trip.

Most events begin between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m., before the heat of the day takes a toll on participants, and so that the rest of the afternoon can be spent reliving the event and relaxing. If you are staging your ride, be sure to stagger your departure times by at least 30 minutes, with the longer rides departing earlier in the day. For extremely long rides, you may want to start as early as 6:30 a.m., as riders may be on the road all day and will need to take breaks and pace themselves. Registration should be available before the start time. Have food, maps, supplies, and merchandise available early. Consider holding pre-registration the night before your event.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Selecting a Location and Route Selecting a location and route are two of the most important decisions you will make for your ride. This cannot be overstated. Consider these questions as they relate to your ride: • • • • • • •

• • • • •

Are the ride’s start and finish locations easy to get to? (In some cases, start and finish may not be in the same location.) Is there access to public transit, and does it accept bicycles? Will there be ample parking for participants if this is not a car-free event? Do your start and finish locations have areas for staging riders, if necessary? Does your location have an area for public announcements, such as a stage or platform? Does your route take participants into high-traffic areas or areas in which inexperienced riders may become confused? Does your route contain potential difficulties for participants, such as steep hills—unless this is a feature of your ride—construction zones, uneven pavement, or dangerous sections of road? Does your route require road permits? Do you need police assistance for traffic, crowd control, or road closures? Do you have different route options (shorter and longer) you can offer? Does your route mesh well with your ride’s mission and theme? Have you tested your route on the same day of the week as your ride? If your ride will take place on a weekday, don’t assume the traffic is the same on Saturday and Sunday!

Expert’s Advice

Round Trip Routes “Out and back rides’

bottom line is a great deal more than point to point rides. They are easier on the organizers, law enforcement, participants, and … cost a great deal less.” —Charles Fox, Charleston Moves

Many ride planners find it useful to work with local bicycle clubs for events that will take place on-road. These clubs regularly ride the roads, and can help you plan a route that will contain streets that are appropriate for all levels of participants, as well as routes that are bicycle friendly. Some clubs maintain a list of regular ride routes and may be willing to share these with your organization as part of the planning process. Minimize left-hand turns; they’re more dangerous for cyclists than right turns.

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Expert’s Advice

Selecting a Route “Make very sure that some-

one who is an experienced cyclist, who both rides and volunteers for these kinds of rides, advises you on your route selection AND on how to mark it properly.”

—Lucinda Means, League of Michigan Bicyclists

Once you’ve selected the route, be sure to test it by bike prior to the ride. Have volunteers scout the route. Look for potential problems and pay attention to how the ride will be experienced by participants. Will cars be parked along the roadway during the day? Are there storm grates along the curbs that might be hidden by the parked cars? Make note of roadway conditions. Look for cracks and other hazards. On larger rides, anticipate that riders may be riding nearer to or across the centerline if the ride is heavily attended. Make careful notes and forward any concerns to the appropriate officials so precautionary measures might be taken or route adjustments made, if necessary.

Facilities, Equipment, Materials and Food Facilities Most locations that are large enough to host a large group of bicyclists will be located on public, rather than private, property. Events on public spaces require you to obtain an event permit from the proper authorities. Almost all cities have a special department for permits. Call City Hall and ask. Event permits can range in price from less than $20 to several hundred dollars. If you’ll be traveling through public land, including National Parks, National Forests, State Parks, State Forests, and Bureau of Land Management, you will need to contact the proper office as far in advance as possible about your intended route. They often have only a limited number of “commercial” permits per region, and if your ride has net proceeds, you may be considered a commercial venture. You must contact each of the groups whose land you will be traveling through as they each have different guidelines—even within the same land designation. They may ask for a portion of your fee, or ask to be co-insured. They may also control your use of their facility and intended route. To allow adequate time to obtain necessary approval and permits, you should schedule your event as far in advance as necessary for local authorities. In the case of private property (including land and facilities such as an amphitheater, velodrome, campground, etc.), you’ll need to contact the owner or manager and begin the process

Guide to Fundraising Rides

of obtaining permission, or reserving and renting the facilities. See Working with Local Officials and Others on page 34. Some cities require you to provide proof of insurance, too. Be prepared for this. See the section entitled Covering Your … Insurance on page 40.

Equipment and Materials Generate a list of the equipment that you’ll need for the event such as tables, chairs, bike racks, barriers, supplies for SAG (see page 49) etc. Here are some common questions that should be answered fairly early on: • • • • • • • •

Can these items be rented locally? Does the renter offer a non-profit rate? How will these materials make it to the event? Can the renter deliver and pick up? If so, at what cost? If you are renting equipment, do you have the resources to return it promptly (within a day or two) after the event? This is a critical and often forgotten detail. Do you need to rent or borrow a truck(s)? Will the event location be available the day before and day after for event set-up and tear-down? Is there a second supplier or vendor for event-day equipment in case the first one does not come through?

Materials such as tape, rope, markers, scissors, etc., can all be obtained at office stores. Get these items at least a month prior to the event because as the event draws nearer, you’re likely to be distracted by more immediate needs, such as those of your participants.

Buying Food in Advance Non-perishable food to be handed out during the event, such as energy bars or bottled drinks, can be obtained from warehouse clubs. Buy these items at least a month in advance for the same reasons that you would obtain event supplies early. Participant needs will quickly monopolize your time as you get closer to the event.

Reasons to “Stage” a Ride Can you imagine hundreds, or even thousands, of cyclists all starting a ride at the same time? How would you line up and hold all of these

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cyclists in one place? What happens at the end of the ride when the majority of participants arrive within minutes of each other? Here are some good reasons to stage your ride: • • •

Spreading your start times over a period of time (usually a couple of hours) will help reduce congestion when starting, while on the course, and when returning. Your longer-distance riders will want to get out on the road early, before heat and sun can become a serious problem. Schedule these riders to go first. Your event will “feel” longer; even those participants who may only bike 10 or 15 miles will get the sense that this is an “event” that they’re participating in. You will also distribute the work for your support staff more evenly throughout the day. For example, if you are providing lunch for returning riders, it takes fewer volunteers to help feed riders as they come back over a longer period of time, rather than all at once.

To stage or not to stage? Consider this: • • • •

“Mass start” rides are visually appealing, exciting, and allow riders to ride together on rides with lower participation levels. “Mass start” rides have a greater impact on traffic which may require more police and/or volunteers. “Staggered starts” are safer, especially for inexperienced riders. “Staggered starts” require longer volunteer time commitments.

Working with Local Officials and Others Start Early with Permitting When an event is taking place on-road, the city, county, or state may need to know. If your event is on public land, your local land manager needs to know. It is very important to approach your municipality early in the process, and definitely at the point when you’ve determined your route. If at all possible, contact your local officials at least six months prior to the event, as the permitting process can sometimes be slow and require negotiating. Sharing your route and communicating your intent with local officials will help reduce any conflicts with events that may be taking place around the same time as yours, and demonstrates good will. The appropriate government agency will help you navigate the process of obtaining permits, especially if you need to have streets closed as part of your event.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Police and EMS Involvement Many local jurisdictions require a certain number of police for large events. Check with your local police department to see what their policy is. This should be done well in advance of your event date. Once you have a date, notify your local police and emergency medical services (EMS). This will help them have adequate staffing on hand during the event. This is especially important if you expect large numbers of participants or will require assistance with traffic direction. In some cases, your local police will require you to hire officers during the event to cover the extra staffing their department will need during your event. Be prepared to answer questions about event routing and size when you talk to the police. This information does not have to be set in stone, but it will allow you to get a good idea of the funding that may be required to have the police staff your event, if required, so you can add it to your budget. You can contact your local EMS, too, before the event, with questions of staffing and costs. In some cases, EMS will simply “hang out” at your event instead of at the local station at no extra charge. Check with your local community officials to see if they have emergency plans for weather, heat, deaths, or road closures. If they don’t already have their own plans in place, add this as an item to be completed before your ride so you can inform local officials and EMS services about your plans if any of these situations should occur. Some events (such as RAGBRAI) actually present a handbook about the communities where participants will be staying overnight. It details plans and checklists of what to request from the community.

Partnering with the Local Government Partnering with the local government for your fundraising ride can have multiple benefits. Often, the permitting process will go a lot smoother if the city, county, or state is a partner. Also, they may be willing to donate things such as police service or waive permit fees if they are an official sponsor of the event. Chicago’s Bike the Drive Success Story

Getting the Local Government on Board “It was critical that we had a person in the city as our advocate... I might add that the City joining us as a sponsor later on in the process made all the difference in the world to us, both in reducing costs and increasing services. The City of Hartford saved us $30,000 by becoming a partner in the event.” —Allan Williams, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

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is co-presented by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and the City of Chicago. Other events that engage the local government as a top sponsor find many benefits including relationship building with local officials, and significant cost savings. Consider approaching your local government with a sponsorship or partnership proposal as early as possible when planning your ride.

Recruiting and Keeping Volunteers Let’s face it. You can’t design, staff, and execute a fundraising ride all by yourself. It takes dozens of people in all capacities. If you’re a staffed organization, your staff is a captive audience. They can be held accountable for any tasks assigned to them. Volunteers are not bound by any contract and, by definition, are giving their time to the event and cause as a gift. One of the keys to keeping volunteers happy is to make sure they know how important they are to the success of the event. Your board members will also likely volunteer. Remember that these folks are no different from any other volunteers. They likely will also have some other full-time job or responsibilities. Work into your budget approximately $20 an hour for each volunteer. (Check for the current Independent Sector dollar value of volunteer time). This represents the time it will take for you or your staff to manage the volunteers. This amount is also a guide to how much it would cost to put on the event if some of your help were not donating their time. Remember, your volunteers could be doing something else besides volunteering for your organization. Here are some tips for getting and keeping volunteers: • •

• • •

Once your board has agreed to a fundraising ride and the most basic elements of the event (such as type of ride and approximate date), begin looking for your volunteers. Hold regular event planning meetings. As the event draws closer, the frequency of meetings will necessarily increase, but during the first several months of planning, meetings once or twice a month are usually sufficient. As you get closer to the event, you may need to meet more frequently. Publish a tentative schedule of these meetings if possible. See a sample timeline in Scheduling Tasks and Personnel on page 41. Make sure that every volunteer who participates has specific, tangible tasks. This will get easier to do as the event draws closer and specific needs are identified. Put out a call for volunteers on your website and in your newsletter. Call some of your key supporters and ask them to volunteer. Many people want to help, but may not know how to engage with your organization.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Volunteer Job Descriptions (Page 1) from Transportation Alternatives’ New York City Century Century Volunteer Descriptions Pre-Event Volunteer Opportunities It takes a lot of work to get ready for the NYC Century Bike Tour, and it can’t happen without the generous help of our volunteers. The positions listed below pave the way for a successful and organized bike ride.

• Route Markers Route markers spray paint all the arrows and directions that our 5500 riders will follow on the Century. We’ll be riding throughout August on small group rides of 7-15 miles. This is a perfect opportunity for people who want to get a sneak preview of the Century Route, but avoid the crowds on ride day.

• Brochure Distribution in Your Neighborhood Help us tell the world about the NYC Century Bike Tour by putting brochures out in community spaces in your neighborhood, like bike shops, gyms, coffee shops and the library. We’ll mail you brochures to pass out on your own time.

• Plumb Beach Cleanup Crew Every year, a group of dedicated volunteers heads to the Plumb Beach section of the Shore Parkway Greenway and shovels sand, clears brush, and makes the bike path perfect for our riders. This opportunity takes place the week before the NYC Century Bike Tour with the date to be determined. We’ll be in touch with you as to the best time to schedule the event.

• Day-Before Prep Crew There’s a lot to do at the office to prepare for the tour the day before it happens! Strong volunteers can load up our vans with tour supplies at our office, while the personable make reminder calls.

• Day-Before Ride Through If you wanted to volunteer as a marshal on the tour and can’t make Sunday, or just want to ride the route with fewer people, this opportunity is a great fit for you. Join a small team of people who ride through the route, making sure there are no last- minute road closures, street fairs, or other problems. Spray paint some worn- out markings or add markings if they are worn away. This is a very important position.

Event Day Volunteer Opportunities (non-bicycling), Sunday, September 9th Volunteering for the NYC Century Bike Tour isn’t just for bike riders: hundreds of people volunteer to staff our rest stops across the city, register riders at our start line and do lots of other activities throughout the day. For all the jobs below, feel free to bring friends or a group along with you – the more the merrier!

• Rest Stop Crew Join us at one of our six rest stops, setting up tables and signs, preparing and serving food and drinks. If you cannot make the exact time listed, please let us know and we will

from Transportation Alternatives’ New York City Century

Sample Volunteer Job Descriptions (Page 2)

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work around your schedule. Groups are welcome! Times and locations available are as follows: Astoria Park 8:00am-1pm Astoria Park 1pm-5pm Empire Fulton Ferry 7am-10:30am Canarsie Pier 6:30am-11am Canarsie Pier 10am-1pm Kissena Park 8:30am-1pm Kissena Park 12pm-4pm Prospect Park 5:15am-10am Prospect Park 10am-1pm Van Cortlandt Park 8:30am-1pm Van Cortlandt Park 1pm-6pm

• Start and Finish Crew in Central Park Be where all the action is - at our bustling Central Park start and finish area. Many hands are needed at all times, so groups are welcome! Early morning setup crew unloads our truck, sets up barricades, tables and caution tape. A light breakfast will be provided for you. This shift is from 2:30am-5:30am. The start crew directs riders to the start, takes registration forms, hands out and makes sure people wear bibs. This is when we need the most volunteers. This shift is from 5am-9am. The finish crew welcomes people back from the tour, helps hand out t-shirts and water bottles, serves food and drink to the riders, and cleans up the area. There are three finish crew shifts: 10am-2pm, 1pm-6pm, and 3pm-8pm.

• Unloading Crew Meet us at our office on 127 West 26th St #1002 to unload our truck and bring materials back into our space after the tour. You can meet us at Central Park at 7:00pm to help load the trucks, or meet us at our office at 8:30pm.

• Surprise Me! In recruiting volunteers, there will be places where we need more help than others, or a key position will be left unfilled. Sign up to help anywhere, and we’ll place you where we need the most help.

Event Day Volunteer Opportunities for People with Bikes, Sunday, September 9th

• Lead Team Ride ahead of the tour and be at the Triboro Bridge in Astoria, Queens by 9:30am. Regulate the flow of bicyclists on the bridge and help some riders with their bikes on stairs. If there are any problems along the route, report them to the Event Director. Report to the marshal check-in by 5am.

• Sweep Team Sleep in and then join the elite team of sweep riders for either the 55-mile or 100- mile route. You will be responsible for helping lost, injured or slow cyclists. 100-mile team meets at Central Park at 7:30am, 55-mile team meets at 9:30am.

• Brooklyn Bridge Team Be a part of our fantastic Brooklyn Bridge Team and regulate the flow of riders on the Brooklyn Bridge. This is a very important position. After your duties, you may ride the rest of the tour, if you like.

• Triboro Bridge Team Almost all of the riders on the tour go over the Triboro Bridge. Due to construction, we need this year to regulate the flow of cyclists, make sure they know stairs are coming up, and occasionally assist people with their bikes up the stairs. We also need 4 people to volunteer at a key split on Ward’s Island. If you choose either of these positions, you can ride as far as you like along the tour before your assignment. Your help is greatly appreciated here.

• Prospect Park Team Help direct riders at a key route split at Prospect Park. Enjoy the greenery of the Prospect Park. This is a great opportunity for marshals who live in Brooklyn and would rather start the tour there. Afterwards, ride the route of your choice or call it a day!

• Regular Riding Marshal Ride with the ride and help out with flat tires, minor mechanical problems and injuries. For a complete list of duties and instructions please see our marshal instructions page. Marshals should attend our fun training ride on Sunday, August 27th. In order of priority, the positions are as follows:

• Anywhere! We’ll assign you to where we need the most help. This is the best position to sign up for.

from Transportation Alternatives’ New York City Century

Sample Volunteer Job Descriptions (Page 3)

Guide to Fundraising Rides

15-mile marshal: Central Park to Prospect Park. Arrive Central Park at 7:30am. 35-mile marshal: Central Park along Brooklyn and Queens Waterfront. Arrive at Central Park at 7am. 55-mile marshal: See the 35-mile route plus extended Brooklyn section. Arrive at Central Park between 6:30-7am. 75-mile marshal: Help on the extended Brooklyn and Queens portion. Arrive at Central Park between 6-6:30am. 100-mile marshal: Assist riders on the extended Brooklyn, Queens and exclusive Bronx section. Arrive at Central Park between 5:30-6am.

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•

Your volunteers are a gift to the organization. Remember to thank them early and often. They need to know how important they are to the success of your event and your organization. Your volunteer needs will change over time. The initial planning group may only consist of a halfdozen people; however, in the days leading up to the event you may need many dozens of volunteers. Remember that you’ll need to be engaging your volunteers over many months, and that you will be continually looking for more folks to help out as the event day approaches. Invite all volunteers to bring a friend, coworker, family member, or cycling buddy. This adds a very social and fun feel to the event which will keep them coming back for more, year after year. It will also increase your volunteer recruitment with little effort. Some rides even offer the opportunity for entire rest stations to be staffed by a specific group of volunteers like the local librarians, or a team of architects.

Scheduling Tasks and Personnel The easiest way to schedule tasks and personnel is to use project management software. To develop a comprehensive schedule including tasks and needed human resources, list each of the jobs (see Being Prepared: Roles and Responsibilities, page 16) and then create an individual timeline for each person who will be performing the job. You can combine all jobs and timelines into project management software (such as Microsoft Project). For Macintosh users, there are many options for free and low-cost project management software such as OmniPlan and OpenOffice.

Expert’s Advice

Get Insured!

“Rule—have more than adequate insurance coverage. And if you cannot afford it, stop now. This is a priority and a major ingredient in hoping for the best and planning for the worst.” —Charles Fox Charleston Moves

Covering Your … Insurance If you’re running a fundraising ride, you need event insurance. Fortunately, this is a relatively simple item. There are several companies that specialize in event insurance. Most policies run a minimum of $200 per event, and will typically cover the first 100 or so riders for this amount. Each additional rider adds an additional $2 or so to your policy. Note that these rates were approximate as of 2008, and should be used for rough budgeting purposes only.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Task Timeline Week

Task

Assigned to

Done

7/30

Begin ride planning

Charlie

9/24

Complete budget; Prepare timetable; organize core planning team

Charlie

10/1

Obtain permits

Patty

2/16

Set up online registration

Howard

2/23

Save the Date notice drafted

Charlie

3/2

Determine volunteers needed and duties; Recruit bike shops to provide mechanics and SAG

Charlie

3/9

Save the Date notices mailed; Set sponsorship levels;Identify prospects;Prepare sponsorship pitches;Begin sponsor outreach

Charlie & Jimmy

3/16

Prepare press releases; Place calendar listings

Julie

3/23

Art design finalized; event posted to org web site Prepare program mock-up

Julie

3/30

Registration brochure drafted

Julie

4/6

Obtain mailing lists (postal and e-mail)

Jimmy

4/13

Organize volunteers for mailing

Charlie

4/20

Registration brochures mailed

Charlie

4/27

E-mail and post registration announcement; Final t-shirt design including sponsor logos

Julie

4/4

Arrange for in-kind food donations; Arrange for water donations; Finalize route; Get delivery vehicles donated

Patty

5/11

Prepare checklist of items and people needed at event; Final deadline for ad copy

Charlie

5/18

Ads to run; Posters to partner events and sponsors

Julie

5/25

Finish map and cue sheets (and post online)

Howard

6/1

Push for final press mentions; Mail programs; Final number for t-shirts

Julie

6/8

E-mail final registration announcement; Final posters, etc., to partner events and sponsors

Julie

6/9

Registration packet stuffing/volunteer night

Charlie

6/10

Final volunteer training/dress rehearsal

Charlie

6/14

Mark route

Howard

6/15

Event set-up and signage for major turns; THE RIDE; Tear down and clean up

Charlie & Jimmy

6/22

Acknowledgements and thank you’s; Volunteer party; Start planning next year’s ride!

Charlie

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Sample Insurance Package

1000399514

American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services, Inc. 142 North Main Street Roanoke, Indiana 46783 Phone: 260-672-8800 Fax: 260-672-8835

DATE: 04/07/2006 TO: MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION BOB TRIGG P.O.BOX 1115

FAIRFAX, CA 94978

FROM: Tony Harris Account Representative

RE: 2006 League of American Bicyclists Club Insurance Program Thank you for selecting American Specialty and the League of American Bicyclists Insurance Program for your insurance needs. I have enclosed a Certificate of Insurance evidencing your club's coverage through the period ending January 31, 2007 . I have also enclosed any certificates you may have requested for additional certificateholders or events. In addition, you have received a package of the following forms: -Incident Report Forms

-Incident Report Form Directions ..

-American Specialty Emergency Service Cards

-Release and Waiver of Liability forms

-Premium Submission Form for Special Event - due within two (2) weeks after the Special Event

-Request for Certificate of Insurance

Please review these materials and distribute to the appropriate certificateholders, if necessary. Feel free to make copies of the Release and Waiver of Liability forms, as needed. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 800-245-2744, ext. 252. Have a safe cycling season.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Get an actual quote from an agency that covers ride events. Here are a few to get you started: •

•

If you are a member of the League of American Bicyclists, you can get affiliate member insurance where you will pay a per-rider premium. Call 202.822.1333 or see www.bikeleague.org for details. McKay Insurance are the pros in non-motorized events. Phone: 641.842.2135; E-mail: [emailprotected]; or www.mckayinsagency.com. If weather is a concern, you can get insured for losses due to bad weather through Global Weather Insurance Agency. Call 516.466.3138 or check out www.globalweatherinsurance.com and click on “Special Events” for a free quote and application. For racing events, USA Cycling offers insurance programs. See usacycling.org and click on Event Organizers and then Insurance Information. You need to start no less than 18 months out, and there are complex guidelines to follow.

Developing Maps and Cue Sheets A cue or “route” sheet is a piece of paper that prompts the participant along the route. Cue sheets are almost always included in participant registration packets and on the day of the event. Nothing angers participants more than poorly designed or unreadable cue sheets. Many club riders live and die by cue sheets, and the quality of your available maps and cue sheets often go hand-in-hand with the quality of the event being staged.

Here are some tips for creating good maps and cue sheets: • • • •

Try to limit your maps and cue sheets to one sheet if possible (map on one side and cue sheet on the other). Participants don’t want to fumble with multiple pages while riding. Good maps and cue sheets include turns (right, left, etc.), as well as mileage and important landmarks. Be sure to include information on getting help, including phone numbers, in case participants become lost. Many riders now carry cell phones with them. Work with your local bike club to develop a good map and cue sheet.

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Good maps and cue sheets include: • • • • • • • •

Turn-by-turn instructions, including mileage between turns Street names and landmarks Indication of start, finish, rest stops, and bathrooms Descriptions of tricky areas Cumulative miles Cross streets Elevation Legend with scale and north orientation

For more detailed information on mapping and topographic data, visit www.bikely.com.

Sample Map from Georgia Bikes! Gear Up for Acworth

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Cue Sheet from Transportation Alternatives’ New York City Century 2006 NYC Century Bike Tour ALL RIDERS

12 1

3-5 6-9

BL - Bear Left BR - Bear Right LR - Left-Right Jog RL - Right-Left Jog

Next Turn Onto Leg 0.1 R TILLARY ST. (Downtown Brooklyn) 0.1 R CADMAN PLAZA WEST - 15-MILE RIDERS GO TO 17–––> 0.1 L CLARK ST. 1.0 L HENRY ST.(Brooklyn Heights) 0.5 L UNION ST. (Carroll Gardens) 0.1 R HOYT ST. 12 1.3 L CARROLL ST. (Park Slope) Caution - No street sign 0.3 TR PROSPECT PARK WEST 13 Caution - No street sign L PROSPECT PARK LOOP ROAD Enter at 3rd ST. 2.3 R PROSPECT PARK LOOP ROAD 0.1 R Road to Carousel & Rest Stop Stop PROSPECT PARK REST STOP - 35-MILE RIDERS GO TO 21–––> - All other Riders Continue Below 0.1 R FLATBUSH AVE. (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)

55, 75 & 100-MILE RIDERS

Next Turn Onto Leg 0.8 R OCEAN AVE. 15 1.0 R CATON AVE. (Ditmas Park) 16 0.6 S FT. HAMILTON PKWY. (Kensington) 0.3 R 39th ST. 0.1 L 9th AVE. 17 0.3 R 41st ST. 18 1.3 L 7th AVE. (Sunset Park) 19 0.3 R 67th ST. Cross highway 0.1 L 5th AVE. 0.9 R 68th ST. 20 S 68th ST. (Bay Ridge) Caution 0.1 L SHORE RD. R 69th ST PIER / BAY RIDGE AVE. 5.4 L SHORE PARKWAY BIKE PATH 21 0.1 BL SHORE PARKWAY BIKE PATH 1.2 S SHORE PARKWAY SVC. RD. 22-23 Past Wendy's

Legend: L - Left Turn R - Right Turn 1L, 2L - 1st Left, Etc. 1R, 2R - 1st Right, Etc.

Trains & Shops

So Far 17

55, 75 & 100-MILE RIDERS

3 Miles Miles

So Far 11

Trains & Shops

Next Turn Onto Leg 0.0 - From 110th ST & LENOX AVE: 0.3 S LENOX AVE. (Harlem) 0.2 L 119th ST. 0.2 R ST. NICHOLAS AVE. 0.3 L 123rd ST. (caution, construction) 0.6 L AMSTERDAM AVE. (St. John the Divine Cathedral) 0.3 R 110th ST. 2.0 L RIVERSIDE DRIVE (Upper West Side) 0.4 L 72nd ST. R COLUMBUS AVE. 2.3 S 9th AVE. 0.9 L 14th ST. (Union Square) 1.5 R BROADWAY (SoHo) 0.1 L WORTH ST. 0.1 R LAFAYETTE ST. (Brooklyn Bridge / City Hall) 1.5 L BROOKLYN BRIDGE Caution - Stay Left

2 Miles Miles

4 Miles Miles

TL - T Intersection, Turn Left TR - T Intersection, Turn Right YL - Y Intersection, Bear Left YR - Y Intersection, Bear Right

So Far 29

Next Turn Onto Leg 0.4 R CROPSEY AVE. 0.3 S WEST 17th ST. - Caution 0.6 L SURF AVE. (Coney Island) 0.4 L WEST 5th ST. 0.3 R NEPTUNE AVE (Brighton Beach) S EMMONS AV.(Sheepshead Bay) R KNAPP ST. Looks like motel parking lot 1.5 L SHORE PKWY BIKE PATH X FLATBUSH AVE. at Traffic Light. Use button to change light. 2.9 L SHORE PKWY BIKE PATH Stop CANARSIE PIER REST STOP - 55-MILE RIDERS GO TO 25–––> - 75-MILE RIDERS GO TO 29–––> - 100-Mile Riders Continue Below 3.0 S SHORE PKWY BIKE PATH Stay right of guard rail 0.1 R 84th ST. Caution - Sidewalk

Trains & Shops

So Far 0

Trains & Shops

ALL RIDERS

1 Miles Miles

24 25

S - Straight X - Cross P - Pass

2 of 10

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Crafting Markings and Marking Routes Creating good route signage is critical, especially if your event takes place on-road. Here are some tips: • • •

• • •

• • • • • •

Spray chalk or paint are popular on many rides and use arrows or symbols to advise, indicate, and confirm turns. Corrugated plastic (more expensive, but waterproof) can be made with painted stencils. You can put these signs up with reusable metal stakes that are good for many years. Paper signs are cheap, but can quickly disintegrate if the weather turns wet. In addition, they are much more difficult to recycle from year to year. Lamination helps paper signs to last longer. Foam core signs are also popular. They can be put up on poles with zip ties and quickly removed once your ride is over. These signs can be reused from year to year. Some groups use A-frames, but they can be heavy and cumbersome as well as difficult to store. In addition, A-frames can also be moved easily either accidentally or on purpose. Regardless of the materials you use, make sure the signs are large enough to be seen from several hundred feet away. This gives riders enough time to anticipate route changes. Make directional arrows large. If your ride contains routes of varying lengths, be sure to clearly note which route the sign is for. Example: if your event has a 25-mile and 50-mile ride, mark each sign for each route: “25” and “50”. Color-coding your signs will also help keep riders on the correct route. Consider marking the route for significant bumps and cracks, as well as railroad tracks. If you are using signs, mark the route a day in advance. If you use spray chalk or paint to mark your route, this can be done up to a week in advance. Consider marking the street crossings to alert vehicle traffic. If you are running an on-road ride, it is best to put up signs the night before to minimize early morning work. Budget for fuel to reimburse the people marking the route. All turns should be marked three times: once well before the turn, once at the turn, and once after the turn to confirm that riders are on the correct route. Mark your route in as many places as possible. If running an on-road event, place signs every mile or less. This will help keep riders on route. This becomes increasingly important as the ride is coming to an end and slower riders may be spaced too far apart to follow the pack.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Start-Area Parking, Team Tents, Layout, Vendors, Etc. Although it may not be the first thing you think of when planning an event, the layout and accessibility of your event is critical to your participants’ enjoyment and comfort. •

• • •

• •

Most events are set up in a combination of both linear and group arrangements. For example, participants should be able to see the start area or see how to get to the start area for the event. Many riders want to warm up prior to the event or test out their bike, and can be found riding small circuits in the parking lot or in the starting area. Prior to arriving at the event start area, participants should be funneled to a point where they pick up goodies, register, and get event information. Once they pass beyond this pinch point, the set-up is often arranged in a series of tables and tents placed in a semicircle so that participants can take in as much information from vendors, other organizations, and your organization as possible. If teams are part of the event, tents or team areas are set up and marked so participants can easily find their teammates. If vendors for food, merchandise, etc., are part of your event, they may provide their own display table and chairs, but may need power connections. Ask what they need, at least a month prior to the event, so that you can plan accordingly. These requirements, as well as information about what you can provide, should be part of a vendor agreement form.

Registration Identification: Numbers, Bracelets, Etc. Some larger events and all timed events use various items to identify and track participants. For timed events, you will need a large, legible, pin-on number for each rider. You should prepare these several weeks before the event for inclusion in registration packets, and collect them at the end of the event. If your event includes rider identification as part of the ride, create a spreadsheet that matches the rider’s number with identifying information obtained from the participant’s registration. This may help

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Expert’s Advice

Recycle Supplies “Ask the riders to recycle the (ride number) pins by dropping them in a box for next year!” -Lucinda Means League of Michigan Bicyclists

to resolve any conflict that might arise from mistakes made during the heat of the event. Mistakes are often made, as participants are generating more results than the timer can sometimes keep up with. This is why event results are often unofficial for many hours. The delay allows all mistakes to be discovered and resolved. Some rides use different numbering series for individuals and teams, as well as for the different ride lengths.

Goodie Bags Everyone loves goodies. You can include free stuff like sport gels, sport bars, special offers from local merchants, etc., in the goodie bag. When you’re asking for event sponsors, be sure to ask if they would like to include any goodies. (When developing sponsor levels, you may consider limiting goodie bag inserts to top sponsors). Be sure to have these items in your hands several weeks before the event, as volunteers will be needed to create and stuff the goodie bags that you may hand out. Here are some typical contents of a goodie bag: • • • • • • •

Organization information Membership form Sample energy bars or gels Water bottles Coupons for discounts at local sponsoring bike shops or sponsoring businesses Safety information including rider etiquette Information on next event (if you have other things planned, like a fundraising awards dinner)

For multi-day rides, some of these materials can be shared at the end of each day. There are a number of sources of free bags. Bicycling Magazine (Rodale) will supply your ride with bags if you agree to supply them registrant information. If one of your sponsors is a retailer, chances are they will be more than happy to supply you with bags since they will receive an extra marketing benefit.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

SAG Support SAG stands for support and gear. It is a necessary component of all longer and multi-day rides. Rides that have SAG onroad have what is called the “SAG Wagon.” Essentially, it is a vehicle that can pick up riders and bikes that may be in trouble, in addition to carrying gear for overnight trips. The SAG Wagon follows at the end of the ride where the slowest riders may need the most help. If resources permit, SAG Wagons should also be interspersed at several points along the ride. Remember, flat tires, participants in distress, road construction, major weather events, and other unforeseen issues don’t occur only at the end of the ride. SAG drivers should have walkie-talkies or cell phones to stay in touch with event coordinators, as well as a list of cell phone numbers for event staff and key volunteers. For car-free and off-road (rails-to-trails) rides, a chase vehicle can be a bike with a flat trailer, while the SAG Wagon can still meet up with riders at trailheads.

Expert’s Advice

How much SAG? “For a 600 person ride, have three to four vehicles. One with a six rider capacity and the others with three and four. We really only have a high SAG rate when the ride is very hot and/or very hilly. Most problems happen early or late on the route so a van near the start/finish is helpful.” —Steve Sleet TrailNet

Here is a list of items that should be in the SAG vehicle: • • • • • • •

First aid kit Water or sports drinks Food or energy bars Tubes, patch kits, basic bike repair tools, and floor pump Cell phones and/or short wave radios Extra maps and cue sheets If the chase vehicle is on-road, a place for several bikes and several riders

SAG is one of the most important components of your ride, and good or bad SAG can make or break your event. In addition to the checklist above, SAG should also include:

• Two people per SAG vehicle if possible. One

should be able to operate a short wave radio (with GPS tracking if possible) and one should be able to fix bikes.

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• A calculated distance between SAG vehicles depending on the length of your ride; a distance of approximately 15 miles allows for both SAG vehicles to quickly reach a rider in need and keep the number of SAG vehicles reasonable. • If your route is less linear and more concentrated, calculate for the number of SAG vehicles within a square area.

Keep a list of riders who rode SAG. Give the list with arrival times to the headquarters area, so lost riders can be located.

Rest Stops Does your event need a rest stop? It comes highly recommended if your event is a medium-length ride of 25—35 miles, and should be required for any event over 35 miles. Rest stops provide riders the opportunity to rehydrate, refuel, rest, and do minor repairs and adjustments. You should plan on providing water, sports drinks, and fruit, as well as high-carb and salty snacks options, for riders at these stops. If your event is held during a particularly hot time of the year, pay special attention to the riders as they come in for a stop. If possible, have your EMS or knowledgeable medical people at these rest stops to help spot riders who may be in trouble but who may not realize it. For longer or multi-day rides, plan a rest stop for every 10–20 miles.

Take-Away Tool: Rest Stop Food Shopping List (Based on 1,600 cyclists in the afternoon)  496 Banana Nut Bread Slices-24 loaves x 12 slices x 2 (cut in half)  800 Oatmeal Raisin Cookies  400 Rice Crispy Squares 2 x 2 square  768 Bagels Pieces :16 dozen = 192 x 4 (quartered)  864 Apples Slices: 12 dozen = 144 x 6 (six slices)  576 Oranges Slices: 12 dozen = 144 x 4 (quartered)  500 Trail Mix baggies (purchase in bulk)  360 Pretzels served in a bowl (40 bags)  600 Fig Newtons  288 Muffin Halves (144 assorted cut in half)  300 Peanut Butter/Jelly/Wheat Bread (20 jars each/20 loaves bread) Cyclistswilleatlessinthemorningthanintheafternoon.Thequantitiesabovearebasedonahungry afternoonrider.Youcanusetheabovequantitiestohelpyouplanforyourreststopneeds.Anddon’tforget to get adequate water and sports drinks for your rest stops.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance Experts’ Advice

Rest Stop Success

The Importance of Good Grub!

“Feed the hungry and they will return. Offering selections of salty items when it is hot and sweet items when it is cold is an understood rule. But homemade treats will score large. The easiest way to promoteyoureventforfutureyearsiswordofmouthandGREATreststopswillhaveriderssingingyourpraises.Local treats? Crayfish, oysters, a soup or pie, will bring `em back.” —Charles Fox, Charleston Moves “If your food is bad your ride will dwindle! Word of mouth on your food can help sell your ride for the following year. Have lots of water, esp. a place where riders can fill their water bottles at the beginning of the ride. Carbs, carbs and more carbs: pasta, cookies, peanut butter, bagels, sub sandwiches, pizza, bananas and other fruit, carrots, sport drinks, lemonade, (ice tea at the end of ride only, where you have lots of restroom facilities) pancakes, ice cream (a big, biggie favorite!) pie, pretty much anything that is carbs or sweet. Watermelon is good and popular.” -—Lucinda Means, League of Michigan Bicyclists

Don’t Run Out!

“Give each rest stop an envelope with 20-50 dollars in case of a food emergency. The idea is that they could slip over to a store and buy some needed chow.” -—Dave Schieffer, Missouri Bicycle Federation “A cyclist who weighs 150 lbs.burns about 600 calories an hour at 14 miles an hour on the flat. A slice of NY cheesecake is 600 calories. We are talking a LOT of food here, easily 4-5,000 calories in a day. Riders eat like a teenage football player at the training table (not his or her manners, just the food quantity!)” -—Lucinda Means, League of Michigan Bicyclists “Have food and drinks at the start/finish for the folks who need a little something after they have finished the ride. They tend to think they are your responsibility until they are all the way back home!” —Dave Schieffer, Missouri Bicycle Federation

Sanitation is a Must!

“If at all possible your volunteers should dispense food, beverages and ice to the riders rather than taking a chance that a rider with less than perfect hygiene could contaminate the supplies. This is NO JOKE as two-thirds of the riders on a multi-day ride in another state came down with the trots from contaminated ice in a soda pop cooler. Have a scoop and make the riders use it!” —Lucinda Means, League of Michigan Bicyclists

Request that participants carry ample water, a bag for snacks or even lunch, and their own basic repair kit. This information must be clearly laid out online when they’re researching the ride. Be aware that on multi-day events, some riders may want to start very early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day, or to complete a large number of miles. You will need to adjust both the meals and rest stops accordingly. The previous page has some suggestions of items that you can provide at rest stops. Cyclists will often want to try a couple different items at a rest stop. Consider offering plastic bags so that riders can take some snacks with them for an energy boost while they ride. The quantities listed to the left are based on feeding 1,600 cyclists assuming

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each cyclist will want a combination of 3 to 4 items. Kim may want an oatmeal raisin cookie, two apple slices, and a small baggie of trail mix. Jim may want the peanut butter and jelly, a fig newton, and an orange slice. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your rest stops. Participants in the Charleston, SC Festivelo ride come back year after year for the exciting food options at rest stops which have included a `50s themed rest stop and a shrimp and grits rest stop. Cyclists will always appreciate homemade items and fun alternatives to the traditional peanut butter and jelly offered at many rest stops. When planning your rest stops, also think about opportunities for in-kind donations from local businesses. The Charleston Cycle Fest received in-kind food donations including organic fruits and energy bars from Whole Foods, bread from a local bakery, and ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s. Many businesses are happy to donate products in exchange for recognition and product placement in your riders’ hands.

Other Stops: Stores, Attractions, Etc. Multi-day rides often take riders through quaint towns and past breathtaking scenery. These events are usually slower paced with the idea of enjoying as much of the scenery as possible. Give your participants the chance to stop and enjoy the local attractions. You can even work this into the marketing materials for the ride. Note the places the riders will be stopping, such as a farmer’s market, old-fashioned malt shop, or antique shops. Regardless of the length of your ride, plan to have it end early enough in the day to let participants enjoy at least a couple of hours of sunlight and attractions. You will need to decide if attractions that cost money will be paid for by your organization or by the participants. If you are paying for them, you may be able to get a discounted rate. Make sure to advertise that this stop is included in their registration fee. You can often negotiate free admission or a discounted group rate at museums, parks, etc. For multi-day trips, it is helpful to review the next day’s itinerary with the participants each night so they can plan their ride accordingly.

Medical Support: On-Site or On-Call For larger events of several hundreds of riders or more, an on-site EMS makes sense. For smaller events, the local EMS may be on-call from home as volunteers, so it is very important to notify your local EMS well in advance of your event so they can have staff standing by

Guide to Fundraising Rides

if needed. Always have EMS and emergency phone numbers handy for all key volunteers and staff. Print “911” emergency numbers on maps and cue sheets for emergencies, as some riders may not know to call 911 in an emergency. Also, take inventory of your staff and volunteers to see which ones have medical experience, especially for longer rides. Some multi-day trips require all leaders to have CPR and Advanced First Aid Certification, and more extensive trainings such as Wilderness First Responder (WFR) or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for some leaders. In addition, each leader should carry a basic first-aid kit, and the sweep and support vehicles should be equipped with a full medical kit. These kits can be created by you or purchased from an outdoor store, pharmacy, or bicycle shop. Make sure to check your kit before each trip to replace consumed and expired supplies. Some remote areas do not get cell phone reception. Be sure to check this ahead of time. Cue sheets should always have the address and phone number of the nearest hospital.

Bike Mechanic Support Unless your event consists only of bike shop mechanics, you’ll want to have on-site bike support. Participants expect this. You will be amazed at the level of disrepair of some participants’ bikes! •

•

• • • •

You can often get a local shop to provide free support in exchange for a banner, logo, or promotion in conjunction with your event. Some shops may have a mobile support unit (van or truck) that can be set up at events, and will bring everything necessary to do basic repairs. Place floor pumps in a separate area from the mechanics’ area—many riders will be using their bike for the first time in months and will need air. Air is the number one support need at events. Fixing flats is the second most requested support requirement, followed by brake and derailleur adjustments. If you’re putting on a multi-day ride, be sure to have a competent bike mechanic as part of key staff, as well as necessary tools and supplies with the SAG vehicle or trailer. Allow shops to sell goods that don’t compete with your merchandise. If necessary, train volunteers in basic repair skills. This will increase your ability to deal with riders’ breakdowns, and the training is a nice perk for volunteering. If you can get extra mechanics for SAG vehicles, do so.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Luggage Support: Multi-Day Rides For multi-day rides, luggage is typically driven to the final destination (or towed on a trailer for rails-to-trails). Plan to have some extra basic comfort supplies in the SAG vehicle to replace items that are forgotten or lost. Such items should include: • • • • •

Toothbrush and toothpaste Feminine supplies Soap and shampoo Aspirin Rain gear

You will want to have a policy on luggage that tells participants how much they can bring. One large bag or two small bags is standard. You should also create a policy on laptop computers. More and more participants want to bring along their laptops so they can maintain communication with work or update their websites or blogs, etc. Participants must package their laptops very carefully, and should not expect staff to be able to protect them against damage. Make sure participants carry a day’s worth of necessary items in a saddle, handlebar, or CamelBak bag. Included in this bag are basic tools, tubes and patch kits, rain gear, camera, cue sheet, snacks, etc. Consider using a numbered wristband and luggage tag system. When luggage is claimed, match the wristband number and luggage tag. Fence off the luggage area and provide staff to supervise pick-up. Keep large tarps handy in case of rain. Carefully supervise the luggage loading, so people stack their luggage high enough. Otherwise, you won’t be able to fit it all into your luggage vehicle. Use the portaging of luggage for sponsorship opportunities. For example, a delivery company, or a trucking company, or a realtor with a moving truck can sponsor your luggage vehicle.

Accommodations: Camping to Hotels Here are some tips for making sure your participants can enjoy multiday events that include camping or hotels: •

• •

Make plans as far in advance as possible. Campgrounds and lodging along bike paths are often reserved months or years in advance. Don’t just show up and expect to find accommodations. You can often get group discounts at hotels and camping sites, so be sure to ask for them. Most riders don’t want to rough it when camping. Make sure there are adequate shower and restroom facilities. If there aren’t, note this clearly on the registration materials.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

•

• • •

Look for secure bike parking, indoors if at all possible. Bring a thick, long cable to secure bikes overnight. For large rides, have volunteers posted as bike guards. Tennis courts work well as bike security compounds. Consider high school gyms or college dorms for camping. Riders will pay a premium for tent rental and set-up service. Portable shower trucks are available from sources across the country. Maui Shower (www.mauishower.com) and OK’s Cascade Company (www.oks.com) are two examples.

Handling Day-of-Event Logistics On the day of the event, be prepared for one more participant than you anticipated—Murphy. Murphy will not only bring his or her bike, but also some unanticipated requests or challenges. Having a good dayof-event plan is critical, but so is having a person in charge who can handle a wide variety of unexpected incidents. If you can find a person within your organization who has dayof-event experience, as well as crisis management experience, that person is priceless. Appoint this person to be in charge of the overall day-of-event logistics. Have a second-in-command back-up person ready in case your primary day-of-event person becomes unavailable. This person should not be the same person who handles media or is in a public-facing role, but instead should be someone equipped to make decisions on behalf of your organization—typically a key staffer or board member. Of course, good planning will help prevent many crises, but no event is without risk or unforeseen problems. Other duties and tasks required for the day of the event: • • • • • • • •

Double-check that you have everything on your checklist. Move tables, chairs, tents, and bike racks to the event start and end areas. (This should be done the day before if possible.) Set up banners, tables, racks, tents. As early as possible on the day of the event, distribute equipment and materials to all rest stops. Volunteers and staffers should be on site at least two hours before registration on the day of the event. Give your key staffers and volunteers walkie-talkies or cell phones and a list of everyone’s phone numbers and roles. Be sure they know who to call for various forms of assistance. Participants begin showing up as early as one hour before the event, so make sure the volunteers and staff who will be handling registration and packets are ready to go. Set up your public address system and make frequent announcements regarding ride departure times, safety information, sponsor plugs, thanking participants, etc.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Post Ride Activities and Meals As with all aspects of event planning, meals should be planned as far in advance as possible. Here are some tips for making sure your participants are adequately fed: • •

•

• •

•

Be sure to plan the cost of meals into event fees. Food can account for a large portion of your expenses. If you’re running a multi-day event, you can either bring meals along or plan to have meals waiting when your participants arrive at their destination. For large numbers of riders, this can be very daunting because you will need a place to keep meals cold and to cook them. There are caterers who will host a day, or even travel with you on a longer trip, and set up all of the meals and snacks. If you have multiple caterers, you should make sure the menus vary from day to day, and that you communicate riders’ dietary needs to each caterer. If you will have a local service club, such as Kiwanis or Rotary, host your ride, be aware that your participants may be eating spaghetti multiple days in a row. You must manage this by either asking the cooks to alter the menu (being sensitive to their timeline and costs), or communicate this clearly to your participants. A better plan for multi-day rides is to find a local restaurant and make reservations as far in advance as possible. This reduces the amount of food that you need to take with you, and puts the burden of the cost of meals on the participants. Cyclists eat a lot of food, so you must convey this to whoever is coordinating food. A well-fed cyclist is a happy cyclist. Running out of fuel will leave a bad taste in a participant’s mouth. For events that provide meals, be sure to have some food options that take into account the wide range of dietary preferences. Vegetarian and vegan are the top two dietary requests. If you are leading a multi-day ride, be sure to ask on the registration form about any dietary restrictions, including diabetes, food allergies, or special needs. Contact and work closely with your state Health Department. They have rules that must be followed for food safety, such as hand washing stations, no off-site cooking, gloves for meal preparation, etc. Take food safety very seriously. One bad incident will cause years of problems.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

5: Participants Who Are Your Target Groups? Who will attend your fundraising ride? What skill levels are needed to participate? Who will your ride appeal to, and do you have enough people who will want to participate in your area to make it worthwhile? Here are three types of cyclists you may want to consider when planning your ride: •

•

Recreational cyclists: These riders prefer flat terrain, low traffic, rails-to-trails settings, and they’re not typically good at making on-road repairs. This group will require the most support and services. Occasional cyclists: These participants are more comfortable in traffic and can handle simple onroad repairs (but usually aren’t equipped to do so). For longer rides, this group considers water and food stops along the route as a bonus. This group requires slightly less support than recreational cyclists. Experienced cyclists: This is the most independent group of cyclists. Your hard-core commuters and club riders are usually good with on-road repairs. They will require water and food stops along the way, as they’ll be moving quickly and expending a lot of energy.

Other considerations when determining your target group: •

•

Determine if your ride is narrowly focused. For example, a 100-mile ride is not for weekend cyclists. Is your target group large enough to make this event possible? The widest possible group will include everyone with a bicycle. These rides typically offer multiple length options—from weekend warrior (5–15 miles), to moderate cyclist (25–35 miles), to hardcore cyclist (50 miles and up). Structure your low mileage rides to have the least number of hills, the lightest traffic, the most straightforward route, etc.

Expert’s Advice

Attracting Cyclists “Why do participants ride in your event? There are many reasons, but two that are high on the list and should be taken into consideration in your planning are that folks ride to make new friends, so offer this opportunity. Folks that cycle multi-day events enjoy socializing. Keep this in mind when planning your event. Folks that cycle also ride so they can burn calories and so they can EAT calories. If you skimp on the eats your ride will die a slow death. Feed them often and with quantity and quality. —Charles Fox Charleston Moves

Alliance for Biking and Walking

•

Although more experienced cyclists can handle varied terrain and more complex traffic patterns, try to keep the route simple enough that providing assistance to participants on longer rides is not hampered by large expanses of wilderness, difficult terrain, etc.

Registration It’s important to have a solid plan for registration. Here are some things you may want to consider: •

•

Ideally, you should open registration several months before your event. If you have been planning for some time, all of the materials should be ready for your website and print communications. (See the sample timeline under Scheduling Tasks and Personnel, page 41, for more details.) Many organizations offer early registration discounts before the event. The more people you can entice to register early, the more able you will be to plan and the chance of canceling the event due to weather will decrease. The cutoff for early registration is usually about two weeks prior to the event. Be sure to have registration forms available at the event, as you may get up to 10% of your participants registering the day of the event (or many more, this varies dramatically from event to event). Provide a maximum cap on the number of participants. You could still be flexible, but it may help to provide a sense of urgency for registration.

Pre-Registration Pre-registration can be done three ways: • • •

Via mail with a check, money order, or credit card. Online through a registration service or your own customized system with a credit card (see chart page 60 ). Via phone or fax with credit card.

Most participants will choose to register online (if this is an option) and mail in registration. Services like Active.com take a small percentage of the registration fee as part of their service. Online credit card payment acceptance services such as PayPal also take a fee, which is typically 3–4% of the registration cost. Offer pre-registration as early as possible, with a discount (usually no more than 10–15% of the event fee) for registering early. Early registration will not only help your planning, but will also help

Guide to Fundraising Rides

avoid losses due to weather. Participants that pre-register have made a commitment to be at your ride and are more likely to attend, even if the weather isn’t ideal, than someone who hasn’t yet registered. End pre-registration no later than two weeks before your event. Some organizations end it as much as one month before the event. One way to encourage early registration is to offer numerous cut-off dates. You may want to provide an earlybird cut-off date that includes an incentive gift, followed by a regular cut-off date with a higher cost and no gift, followed by a final cut-off date at the highest cost. The idea is to encourage early registration so you can get a good idea of participant numbers as far ahead of time as possible. When determining cut-off dates for early registration discounts, be sure to take into consideration the necessary lead-time for ordering any merchandise you might be giving away. For example, if you are giving away socks as an early discount incentive, you might need to place your order six weeks in advance. Expect late registrations past the cut-off date as well. If you need to put a cap on the maximum number of riders, including this cap number in the registration materials may encourage riders to register early rather than waiting until the last minute and risk being left out.

Navigating Online Registration Options More and more services are now available for managing online registration for events. While it’s great to have options, navigating these options can be quite a task. To help you out we conducted a survey of five different companies offering online registration services. Of these, all five send automatic confirmation e-mails to people who register and allow the event organizer to e-mail participants at any time. All five also allow the option to include a field for a discount code and allow organizations the ability to add off-line registrants’ information to the data set of all registrants. The table on page 60 gives a comparison of the fees and options offered by these services and compares them to a custom database solution. Usually, the more services and options offered the higher the fees assessed. Although many organizations choose to go with one of these services, some organizations host online registrations internally by investing in customized software and databases. New organizations or events

Expert’s Advice

Develop It Yourself “A few years ago we spent $5,000 for a software developer to develop an online registration program for us that interfaces with our credit card service provider and our database. It was money very well spent. We easily paid for the cost in the first year of use. Our receipts used to be 100% paper check, which created a tremendous amount of staff time to manage (posting receipt, entering data in system, depositing receipt, etc.) We currently are at 95% credit cards from online. We use online for everything from membership to merchandise sales to registration for tours. The participant pays NO EXTRA LOAD for using this system. In fact we charge extra for paper registrations for our tours. It has cut staff time down considerably, as the information is dumped into our database with “one click” and data entry is a thing of the past. If your budget is such that you do a substantial amount of activity from receipts, I would highly recommend you look into developing your own online system.” —Rich Moeller, League of Michigan Bicyclists

60 $3 (2)

$0.99 (1) $9.95 (1) $0 $0 (1)

Minimum fee per ticket

Maximum fee per ticket

Setup fee

Fee for free events

Payment Management Fee

Acteva www.acteva.com

2.5% (Visa/MC) 3.5% (Am. Exp.) included

$0 (8)

$1.50

None

6.5% plus $1.00 per transaction (7)

Depends on services selected

None

SignMeUp.com www.signmeup.com

Bikereg.com

included

None

sliding scale; 2.4%-4.6% for $10-$100 tickets

www.bikereg.com

Custom Software

Fee assessed by your merchant solution

Significant costs usually involved with setup

None

yourorganization.org

Check every 2 weeks

None Deducts fees from registration income No

Any time you want through your PayPal or Google Checkout

NA Sendsmonthlyinvoicesto collect their fees Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes

How you get paid

Minimum before they send you payment?

How they get paid

Pay by check option

Mail-in Registration option

Phone registration option

Fax registration option

Membership sales option?

Option to enter off-line registrations?

Option to publish event page on your own website

Yes

Yes (5)

Yes (3)

Deducts fees from registration income

None

Yes

Deducts fees from registration income

None: electronic funds; $250: check remittance

No (9)

Yes

Deducts fees from registration income

$250

Necessary

Yes

Yes (10)

Merchant solution will deduct fees

They mail you a check Daily or monthly electronic They mail you a check Usually direct deposit into monthly or every two funds transfer or monthly monthlyoryoucanrequest youraccount;dependson weeks(6) check payment option a disbursem*nt anytime. merchant solution

Yes (4)

Comparing Online Registration Options

Notes: (1) Payments are made through PayPal or Google Checkout which will deduct additional fees; (2) In some cases this fee could be waived if other transactions are being handles, such as an event where registrants are required to do fundraising online; (3) These services cost $250 annually and extra per transaction fees will apply; (4) Option to use your own merchant account costs a one-time setup fee of $500; (5) Membership sales option costs a one-time setup fee of $250; (6) You receive funds instantly if using your own merchant account; (7) Service Fee is discounted to 5.5% +$1.00 if it is paid by your organization; (8) If you have paid events there is no fee, if all your events are free they will work out some deal with you such as $1/transaction plus an annual fee; (9) The secure online registration portion must be on BikeReg.com but can be customized to look like your site; (10) These options are up to you dependent on staff/volunteer time to process

Yes

Paid by attendees or Paid by attendees or Paid by attendees or Paid by attendees or Paid by attendees or Creditcardprocessingfees included in ticket price included in ticket price included in ticket price included in ticket price included in ticket price paid by org.

included

None

6.5% +$1/transaction ~6-4% depending on cost (below $150),3.5% +$5.50 of ticket ($150-$500)

Option to use your own merchant account?

Options for fees

2.50% (1)

Fee (% of ticket price)

Active.com www.active.com

EventBrite www.eventbrite.com

Name

Website

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance Leaders Testify

On Online Registration Services “Eventbrite is free to setup and use for free events; the charge is just about 2.8 % for fee-based events. This is very reasonable, I think. Of course PayPal and Google get their share if that’s how the individual chooses to pay. I find it easy to admin. It exports everything right to an Excel spreadsheet which I can then import into Giftworks or what have you, and also allows us to handle our membership payments online by setting up an event called "Membership" and utilizing various "ticket" types for the different membership levels. Perfect if you ask me—and we didn’t have to pay for a developer—although we do have ongoing fees, and a homegrown application would not have that.” —Michelle Holcomb, BikeDFW “We use Active.com. I’d definitely recommend them. The interface is easy to use, the people I’ve worked with are very knowledgeable and helpful, and it’s easy and transparent for the user. Active. com does charge the user a fee, so your organization wouldn’t have to take a hit on the membership money. We do get some people who don’t want to pay the extra fee through Active, but we just have them send us a check instead.” —Kathy Keehan, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition “We’ve used Active.com for our event registration services. It’s fairly easy to set up as well as easy to download registration information.” —Eric Gilliland, Washington Area Bicyclist Association “I do a bit of racing and everyone uses Bikereg.com and everyone placed the fee burden on the individual.” —Charlie Beristain, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

will probably want to use a ready-made service like one of the five companies surveyed. Creating a customized solution generally requires contracting with a software developer or technology consultant and can take a tremendous amount of time and money to implement. However, once you have invested in your custom solution, you get to keep all the profits from your event sales (minus credit card processing fees) from then on. If your organization is large enough to handle such a project, or your event brings in enough revenue to justify it, you may want to research this possibility more. There is also software you can purchase or subscribe to that will manage your membership database and will integrate with online membership and event registration (eTapestry and DemocracyInAction are two examples, but there are many others). These will still be costly up front but will likely be easier to implement since they are already designed for common non-profits needs.

Same-Day Check-In and Registration Same-day check-in and registration is a headache, but it can account for 10% or more of your participants.

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What You Might Expect from Registrations CASE STUDY

Discover Hartford a Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance (CCBA) event Discover Hartford was a first-year event in 2007 and the event organizers used Acteva.comtoprocessonlineeventregistrations.Therewasatotalof1,221peoplewhor*gisteredforthe event. Through their tracking of registrations they were able to report the following statistics:

Registration Method mail in or in person: 34% online: 66%

Tour Choice

Walking Tours 12%

Bike Route Choice 10 mile route 27%

walking

tour: 12%

10 mile route: 27%

bike tour: 88%

25 mile route: 73% 25 mile route 73%

Bike Tours 88%

When Participants Registered

Registered in Teams 19%

Last few days of early pricing 12%

In the last week 9% Before last few days of early pricing 8%

Day of event 15% Regular fee period 37%

Collectingtheseregistrationstatistics allows the Central Connecticut Bicycle Coalition to see who their primaryaudienceis.Theyalsogeta glimpse of participant preference by seeing how many peopleuseonlineeventregistration versus mail in registrationandwalk-ups.Knowing when people register is also helpful for planning future events, especially for estimating day-of registrations.Knowing what route participants tend to choose can help for planning rest stops and volunteer support. Other registration statistics they collected include: • 4% of registrants were youth • 1% of registrants donated to CCBA • 8% of registrants joined CCBA

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Here are some tips for reducing problems associated with same-day check-in event registration: • • • •

Consider ending the early registration discount 10-14 days before the event. Participants will begin showing up more than an hour before the event. Make sure your volunteers and staffers are ready. As part of the pre-event planning, you will need to make packets up for each participant. Make up at least 10% more than you need for pre-event registrations. Make sure that you have a way to take cash, checks, and credit cards. You will need a cash box and petty cash to make change.

Fee Strategies Most events offer an early or late registration pricing structure. Early pricing serves as an incentive to participants, but should be no more than a 10 to 15% discount from the regular or late pricing. Group pricing is also popular, and a good way to get more people to participate who might not want to go solo. Group pricing also introduces the concept of teams. Pricing must also cover your individual costs per rider. For example, if giving a t-shirt with registration, be sure to include the price of the t-shirt when determining per rider costs. Most events start at about $30, with very few being less than that per individual. More typically, it’s $35—$65 per individual for a single-day event (see page 15 for typical ride fees). A sample pricing strategy is listed below.

Sample Fee Strategy

from Transportation Alternative’s New York City Century

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Registration Form: Single-Day Ride

from the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Los Angeles River Ride

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Registration Form: Car-Free Ride from Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s Bike the Drive

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Registration Form: Multi-Day Ride (Page 1) from One Less Car’s Cycle Across Maryland

CYCLE ACROSS MARYLAND REGISTRATION FORM Registration fee and separate form are required for each rider. Forms may be duplicated. All participants must sign the waiver on page three. First Name __________________ Last Name ___________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City ______________________________ State _______ Zip ______________ Daytime phone _______________________ Evening phone _______________ Mobile phone _____________________________________________________ Email address ____________________________________________________ If applicant is under 18 years, name of adult who will accompany minor at CAM ________________________________________________________________ Emergency contact (non-participant)

Name _____________________ Phone _______________________________

Registration dates On-line registration ends at midnight on June 29, 2007. Mail registrations must be postmarked by June 27, 2007 to avoid the late fee of $30. Walk-in registration will be accepted with a late fee of $30. Meals and dorm rooms are subject to availability. Refunds Refund requests must be made in writing by June 18, 2007. No refund requests will be honored after that date. There will be a $30 per application processing fee for refunds. Returned checks will be subject to a $30 fee. There will be no refunds for the optional nature tours. Children Please bring children to CAM but be aware that the rides are on public roads. It is strongly advised that children under 12 use a trail-a-bike, a tandem, or a trailer to allow the adult to make traffic decisions. Those younger than 16 must be under adult supervision at all times. Those younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have the consent of a parent or guardian to participate. Please complete and mail to: One Less Car – CAM P.O. Box 19987, Baltimore, MD 21211

Meal plan Dorm room – double (per person) I would like to room with:

Dorm room – single CAM T-shirt

Cost $150 – adult $90 – 13-17 $55 – under 13 $45 – non-rider $40 $100

Amount included

$125 Included with registration

Please circle size

XXL t-shirt Women’s fitted CAM t-shirt Please circle size

Chincoteague Bay Paddle Tour (Saturday) Nassawango Creek Preserve Paddle (Friday) Behind-the-Scenes Tour (Saturday) Night Birds of the Marsh (Saturday) Dark Forests of Newport (Friday) One Less Car membership Late fee (after June 27)

Small Medium Large Extra large $3 $3 Small Medium Large Extra large $20 $20 $15 $20 $20 $15 $30

from One Less Car’s Cycle Across Maryland

Registration CAM registration

Sample Registration Form: Multi-Day Ride (Page 2)

Guide to Fundraising Rides

TOTAL Please let us know about any other special requirements you may have. We will contact you to make sure that we can make your CAM tour a terrific experience!

Payment: Please make checks or money orders payable to One Less Car. To pay with your VISA, Mastercard or Discover card, please complete the following: Card number: ___________________________________________________________ Expiration date: _________________________________________________________

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Success Story

Growing Membership Through the Event “We reached our goal of 100 new members, and with donations took in about $1,300 that does not show up in the tour budget. We effectively doubled CCBA membership in the process of planning the event and through registrations.” —Allan Williams, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance

Signing Up New Members, Too As an incentive for prospective members to join and a benefit for existing members, many rides offer a discounted registration price for members. You can also offer the option of a combination discounted membership/registration fee. For example, if your ride has a $40 entrance fee and your yearly organization membership dues are $25, you can offer a discounted rate of $55 or $60 to include the event fee plus membership. This strategy may generate more event participants and, thus, more event revenue. It will also help grow your membership. Include this offer as part of the registration process for the event. And have membership forms handy at event check-in and during the event as well. Many organizations actively plug membership on the public address system during the event. This helps to reinforce the idea that not only is your event fun, but the participants are helping support an important effort in the community.

Waiver and Release Forms Waiver and release forms are absolutely necessary for all events. Although the form can’t prevent a lawsuit, it does help to discourage them and sets riders’ expectations that the ride is very much at their own risk. These forms should be part of the registration process, and can be included as part of the online registration process with some online registration services. They should also be included as part of any registration form that is filled out by hand.

Requiring Safe Riding and Helmet Use Although some people enjoy daredevil riding and choose not to ride with a helmet during their usual bicycling routine, cycling in a group ride creates additional risks and you can (and should) require safe riding and helmet use for all participants. Liability issues and the likely

Guide to Fundraising Rides

requirement from your insurance company are additional reasons to require helmets. Make sure to state clearly that the safety rules you communicate apply to everyone. You should include language in your Waiver/Release forms that states that safe riding and helmet use during the event are mandatory.

Sample language for your Waiver/Release Form: I understand that my participation in this event requires me to ride safely and predictably around other riders and to wear an approved bicycle helmet. Unsafe riding and failure to wear a helmet while participating in this event may result in my removal from this event. My participation fees will not be refunded if I am asked to leave this event for these reasons. I have read these terms and agree to these conditions by signing and printing my name here. sign: ___________________________________________ print: ________________________, date: __________________

In addition to the language above, you should contact your insurance agent for proper language that matches the policy if the above language is insufficient for your policy. For example, McKay Insurance will often supply language (see page 43 for their contact information). Consult an attorney (do you have one on your board?) to see if laws and language have changed from year to year.

Riders’ Meetings There are good reasons to offer meetings to riders before the event. For events such as races or time trials, the chance to preview the route and road conditions before the event is appreciated. At these meetings, cue sheets are handed out (see Developing Maps and Cue Sheets page 43) and riders knowledgeable about the route can brief newer participants on what to expect. This may help reduce the event-day logistics that would otherwise need to be handled if the meetings were held just prior to the event itself. A riders’ meeting is especially important for events that have many new riders inexperienced with group rides. RAGBRAI holds a safety meeting prior to their event. They give away a bike to attendees of the meeting as part of a method to attract people. This is possible due to the sheer number of participants and

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Waiver: Online

from Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s Bike the Drive

SignMeUp.com - Register - The Bank of America Bike the Drive

01/08/2008 01:29 PM

"I understand and agree to the waiver and release" box below for his or her respective registration. Who are you registering?

Yourself

Waiver and Release By clicking below, I hereby acknowledge that bicycle riding, bicycle racing and bicycling events (“Bicycling”) are strenuous activities beyond the capability of some people, and may cause minor, severe and/or permanent injuries or death to people who are not in sufficient physical fitness, training and/or experience. I have made my own determination as to whether I am able to safely participate in Bicycling. I recognize that the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (“CBF”) has not evaluated my ability to participate in Bicycling. I also recognize that advice dispensed through CBF may not be appropriate for me, and it is my responsibility to make this determination. I acknowledge that some Bicycling is a test of a person’s physical and mental limits and carries with it, regardless of physical fitness or experience, the potential for death, serious injury and property loss. I assume the risks of participating in Bicycling. I certify that my level of fitness is appropriate to participate in Bicycling which I am voluntarily undertaking. I certify that I have sufficiently trained or prepared for the Bicycling I am undertaking and I have not been advised against participation in such activity by a health care professional. I, for myself, my past, present and future agents, attorneys, representatives, predecessors, successors, assigns, heirs and executors, do waive, release and discharge CBF, its past, present and future officers, directors, agents, employees, volunteers (including any individual giving a presentation, advice or information in conjunction with Bicycling), attorneys, any CBF members or event participants other than myself, parents, subsidiaries, predecessors, successors, affiliates, assigns, sponsors, and representatives (the “CBF Parties”) from any and all manner of liability, claims for damages, causes of action, proceedings, compensation, attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses of suits, claims and demands whatsoever, which may arise in the future from my participation in Bicycling through or involving CBF, including, but not limited to, any and all claims, losses or liabilities for death, injury, disability, property damage, medical bills, theft or damage of any kind, including economic losses, which may in the future arise out of or relate to my participation in or traveling to and from Bicycling through or involving CBF. I acknowledge that there may be mode of transportation, persons, dangerous or adverse road or path conditions, hazards, wildlife or hidden objects present during Bicycling through or involving CBF, and assume the risk related thereto of participating in Bicycling through or involving CBF. I assume all other risks associated with participating in Bicycling through or involving CBF, including contact or effects of other participants and effects of weather. I AGREE NOT TO SUE any of the CBF Parties for any and all claims made or liabilities assessed against them as discharged herein. I INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS the CBF Parties from any and all claims made or liabilities assessed against them as a result of (i) my actions, inactions or negligence, (ii) the actions, inactions or negligence of the CBF Parties and others hereby indemnified, (iii) the conditions of the facilities, equipment or areas where the Bicycling is being conducted and (iv) any other harm, injury or damage caused by an occurrence related to or during Bicycling through or involving CBF. I GRANT PERMISSION for the use of my name and/or likeness relating to my participation in Bicycling of the CBF and I WAIVE all rights to any future compensation to which I may be entitled as a result of the use of my name or likeness. IF REGISTERING A MINOR, I represent that I am the custodial parent or legal guardian of the minor. I consent to the terms of the foregoing application form, including the waiver and release of claims, on his/her behalf. I affirm I have the authority to grant such consent. I AFFIRM THAT I AM EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, I HAVE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENTS. I understand and agree to the waiver and release *

https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=3J2VHK7

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Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Waiver: Print

from Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance’s Discover Hartford

Release Of Liability. This Must Be Signed. Please Read Carefully. I realize that the Discover Hartford Bicycling And Walking Tour (the “Tour”) requires physical conditioning, and I represent that I am in sound medical condition, and that I have no physical or medical condition that would endanger myself or others. I accept responsibility for the condition of my bicycle and agree to abide by all rules of the Tour, especially the wearing of an ANSI, SNELL, or ASTM approved bicycle helmet at all times while riding my bicycle on the Tour. I agree to follow all instructions of leaders and volunteers. I understand this is not a race, and I will abide by all traffic and pedestrian laws and requirements. I understand that bicyclists may ride two abreast, unless conditions warrant otherwise. I understand and am aware that there are a variety of specific risks and dangers inherent in a voluntary bicycling and walking event, including, falls, collisions with other bicyclists, motor vehicles or stationary objects; adverse weather conditions; and those caused by conditions of the road. I also understand that by bicycling in the Discover Hartford Bicycling and Walking Tour I will be riding my bicycle on public roads with many other bicyclists, some of which may be inexperienced at riding in groups. I understand that bicycling and walking involve a risk of injury, and that injuries are an ordinary occurrence of the an event like the Tour, and while particular rules, equipment, safety instruction, and personal discipline may reduce this risk, the risk of injury does exist. I accept the fact that bicycling and walking can be hazardous, and in rare cases, include serious injury. I agree, for myself and on the behalf of my heirs and anyone authorized to act on behalf of either, to freely and expressly assume and accept any and all risks relating to this event. I agree to release the sponsors and promoters of the Tour, including the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance, its officers, officials, agents and/or employees, volunteers and its Affiliated Parties for injuries or damages, which result, either directly or otherwise, from my participation in the Tour. I understand that the term Affiliated Parties as used in this waiver includes partners, sponsors, volunteers, property owners or lessors, government agencies, and others endorsing, planning, or carrying out any component of the Tour. I agree not to make a claim against or sue the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance or its Affiliated Parties for injuries or damages related to the Tour. I am aware that this is a release of liability. I am signing it freely and of my own accord and I recognize and agree that it is binding upon myself, my heirs and assigns, and in the event that I am signing it on behalf of any minors, I have full legal authority to do so, and realize the binding effect of this contract on them, as well as on myself. I agree to allow the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance to use photographs, videos, or sound recordings of me for promotional purposes. If I am under 18 years of age I must participate on the Tour with an adult registrant who will accompany me on the ride or walk. Print Participant Name ______________________________________________ Signature

______________________________________________ Date __________________

MINOR RELEASE: In addition to the above agreement, I, the minor’s parent and/or legal guardian, understand the nature of bicycling activities and the minor’s experience and capabilities and believe the minor to be qualified, in good health, and in proper physical condition to participate in such activity. Parent/Guardian Signature: __________________________________________ Date ____________ If parent/Guardian is not the accompanying adult, please note the name of the adult registering for the Tour who will accompany the minor ________________________________________________________

Alliance for Biking and Walking

income that the event creates. Consider some sort of giveaway if you do hold a riders’ meeting. (For more information on this, check out RIDE RIGHT at www.ragbrai.org.) For multi-day rides, if meetings are not possible prior to the event, pack lists and detailed logistics should be sent out in participants’ confirmation mailings. Some logistics to include are starting and ending locations, transportation options, food options, luggage service, attractions along the route, overnight accommodations information, etc.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

6: Publicity and Media Being Unique Define what is unique about your ride. What sets it apart from all of the competing events? This can become one of the key selling points for your event in the sea of fundraising rides that wash across riders each year. • • •

•

Does your ride raise funds for a cause that tugs at people’s heartstrings? Does your ride raise money for your youth bicycling programs that address youth diabetes? At-risk youth programs? Public bike parking facilities? Is your route thematic? Will riders visit quaint historic villages along a canal that is three centuries old? Will participants get a taste of local wines and cheeses? What else makes your ride unique? Does it cross all of the covered bridges in your county? Does it traverse the 12 steepest hills in the city? Does it offer three lengths of rides for all levels of riders?

Promoting Your Event One of the jobs necessary for your event is the Media or Outreach Coordinator. This person is responsible for all communications with the media, and should write or approve any press releases that are sent to the media. How do you get the word out prior to your event? Where do questions from participants get funneled prior to the event? What about day-of-event communications? Here are some tips: •

Expert’s Advice

Think Theme

“With so many great rides out there to choose from, having a fun or cool theme for your ride can help set it apart and be a great marketing tool. It can even inspire your volunteers to have more fun with the event and this always translates into participants having more fun too. Here in Maine picking on our world famous crustacean was the way we did it—even the name plays with rock-nroll—“Maine Lobster Ride & Roll.” Known as the Lobster Ride for short, we are exploiting the Maine destination brand, appealing to bicyclists’ appetite and the “Roll” isn’t just rolling along the coast of Maine, each rider gets a yummy fresh lobster roll dinner at the end of their ride.” —Jeff Miller, Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Advertise as a public service announcement on radio: “Come join [your organization] for a great ride around the tidal basin on June 23. [Your organization] is working to create healthy communities through increased bicycling and

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Alliance Experts’ Advice

Promoting Your Event Target Retailers

“Flyers or registration forms should be hand delivered to all bicycle, sporting goods, exercise, tennis, and other shops and locations where bicyclists might pick up a flyer or registration form.” —Charles Fox, Charleston Moves

The Tried and True Tri-fold Brochure

“The brochure should be in a tri-fold format to fit bike shop racks and other places. Flat sheets of paper often get tossed as they take up too much room.” —Lucinda Means, League of Michigan Bicyclists

On Event Displays

“I have found that event displays have a very low return. It is easier to send your materials (membership brochures, newsletters, etc.) to the event promoter and either have them put them on the registration table or put in each registration packet. I prefer the registration table—requires less materials to ship and greater rate of return on something that someone took the time to pick up and take. I’ve had very low return on stuff in registration packets.” —Connie Szabo Schmucker, Indiana Bicycle Coalition

Creating Promoters from Board Members

“For all my board members, I bought them “pencil case” type plastic boxes, stocked them with our membership brochures & other lit. These can be used to either carry around in the car, or strapped on the back rack of a bicycle for a portable outreach vehicle!” —Becka Roolf, Vermont Bike/Ped Coalition

• • • • • • • • • • •

walking access for everyone. More information at our website: www.[yourorganization.org].” If they won’t sponsor you for cash, get in-kind support from local media in exchange for logo or mention of support for your event. Advertise in local club newsletters and in your newsletter. Send e-mails to other groups or local and state magazines asking them to promote your event. Provide information to your Chamber of Commerce and local or state tourism bureaus. Create banner ads to put on club websites and your website. Create a special e-mail address to handle all incoming requests and registrations for your event. Make graphics and text available on your website. Create a web icon and request that your sponsors and partners place it on their site. Post information on sites which sell bikes and equipment as well as those which promote sporting events. Use your website or an online service for registration. Be sure to send out press releases to all media outlets, including print, radio, and television. This serves two purposes: It alerts media that there will be lots of cyclists on the road, and it provides an excellent human interest story.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

• • • • •

•

Get photos, surveys, and testimonials to put into sponsorship packets for next year’s event. Participate with a display table at appropriate events, festivals, and farmers markets. Encourage your supporters, staff, board members, and volunteers to add a tag line to their e-mail and letter signatures that gives a quick one-sentence plug for your event. Have a contact standing by to handle those last-minute calls from the media. Take advantage of opportunities to participate in local or regional radio and television shows. In addition to using your news releases or public service announcements, there are also talk shows where you can bring one or more people involved with the event. Some are taped in advance, while others air live. Make sure your guests are comfortable with the format. Invite the media to attend the event. Let them know the best time to show up, for example, start time, the arrival of dignitaries, etc. Provide a fact sheet with key info about the ride and background information about your organization.

Mailing and Participant Lists How do you reach potential participants who don’t already know about your organization? You can obtain lists of local cyclists by trading mailing lists with bike shops, local cycling groups, and with groups like the League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org) and Adventure Cycling Association (www.adventurecycling.org). Be sure to keep all registration information for next year; you’ll want to send a registration flyer to those participants the following year. If you collect an e-mail address as part of your registration form, you can also e-mail those participants the following year to notify them of the upcoming event. Encourage your members and supporters to send an e-invite to friends by creating a template for them.

Event Flyers and Posters A picture is worth a thousand words, and a good event poster can be worth a thousand participants. Here are some tips for getting your event flyers and posters seen: • •

Flyers generally come in two sizes—81/2 * 11 and 11 * 17. This makes printing them at a local Kinkos or copy center easy and cheap. Post flyers everywhere—libraries, bike shops, sporting goods stores, grocery stores, any public meeting space that allows it.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Poster 1

Illustrated by Jim Swanson, www.heckleandjive.com

from San Francisco’s Bike Summer

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Poster 2

Illustrated by Nathan Durfee, www.nathandurfee.com

from Charleston Moves’ Charleston Cycle Fest

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Brochure 1 (Page 1)

from Transportation Alternatives’ New York City Century

Sample Brochure 1 (Page 2)

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Brochure 2

from Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin’s Bike For Wisconsin

Guide to Fundraising Rides

• •

Ask volunteers to check these often to make sure they are still posted. Create flyers that have tear-off slips with the vital event info printed on them so people can take the contact information with them. Send your poster or flyer electronically to your media contacts and mailing lists, and make it available on your website’s event and media pages.

You can often get a local artist or graphic designer to create event artwork pro-bono in exchange for recognition. Local art schools are a good place to find student artists. Some organizations decide to host poster/t-shirt design contests as a way to get a creative design and create some excitement around the event beforehand. A good t-shirt or poster design can go a long way toward helping to promote your event. If you give away t-shirts that are a good fit with a nice design, people will wear them all year creating year-round promotion for the event. The same goes with posters. An attractive design by a local artist could earn your poster a spot framed on locals’ walls. What better way to promote your event than to have it branded in living rooms and t-shirts throughout the year?

Press Releases Press releases are a great way to get your event in the media. To attract and retain the media’s attention, here are some tips: • • • • • • •

Limit your press release to one page. Include the who, what, when, why, where. Make it interesting and unique. Consider telling a story with a participant’s memorable experience from the event. Include contact, website, phone, and e-mail information. Follow up with your media contacts to make sure they received your press release. You can send your press release to a variety of departments, including community events, sports, health, local news, etc. Visit the Alliance’s online Bike and Ped Advocacy Resources Library for more tips on successful press releases (see Appendix 2 for details).

Media at the Event Having the media at your event won’t attract any more participants on the day of the event, but it can help to cement your event in the community’s mind as something to do next year, fortify more support for your organization, and create more satisfaction among your sponsors.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Press Release

from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMO

Press Releases PRESS RELEASE For immediate release Contacts: Brent Hugh, Executive Director Missouri Bicycle Federation, Inc. 5916 Arlington Ave Raytown, MO 64133 816-695-6736 [emailprotected] Caryn Giarratano 4904 Sharon Dr Jefferson City, MO 65109 573-636-4488 [emailprotected] BikeMO A Celebration Ride for the Missouri Bicycle Federation's Successes of 2005 Who: Bicyclists from around the state Where: Holt's Summit, MO, 5 miles north of Jefferson City on Hwy 54 When: 9 a.m., Sat., Oct. 15, 2005 What: Bicycle ride with 35, 62 & 100 mile routes Web: http://MoBikeFed.org/BikeMO (including route map) Pre-registration is encouraged--riders can pre-register online starting August 30th. Bicyclists from around Missouri are invited to celebrate the Missouri Bicycle Federation's recent successes with us on BikeMO, a new ride that features the fall foliage and beautiful roads of central Missouri. BikeMO starts at Holt's Summit Plaza, Holt's Summit, MO (north of Jefferson City) and follows routes in Callaway County. The ride is fully supported with periodic rest stops and sag vehicles. "One of MoBikeFed's biggest successes this year is the Bicycle Safety Bill," says Executive Director Brent Hugh. The bill, recently signed into law by Governor Matt Blunt, "makes it crystal clear that bicyclists have the right to use public roadways and that motorists must pass bicyclists safely." Motorists who pass bicyclists dangerously can be convicted of a Class C misdemeanor. Ride pre-registration is only $20, ride day registration $25. Participants can pre-register online at mobikefed.org/bikemo or by sending name, address, phone, email, and $20 to Missouri Bicycle Federation, P.O. Box 104871, Jefferson City, MO 65110-4871 BikeMO details: http://MoBikeFed.org/BikeMO Bicycle safety bill details: http://www.mobikefed.org/2005/07/governor-signs-missouri-bicycle-safety.html

###

Guide to Fundraising Rides

• • •

• •

Appoint a point-person for media on the day of the event. Make sure that all media questions are directed to this person. You can invite local dignitaries to speak at your event, too. This will almost always generate media interest. Prepare for photo opportunities and sound bites. If you can get a local celebrity to participate, you can always inform the media ahead of time. For example: “The mayor will be riding along with Congressperson….” In the event of a serious problem, you should develop a standard message that can be delivered to the media. Be sure to have a single source for the media in emergencies. Also, be sure to advise staff to refer media inquiries to this designated contact, in the event of an emergency.

Photography Many professional photography services will come and shoot your event for free. They then sell the pictures directly to the participants. As technology has improved, most setups are now digital with the ability to preview photos before buying them. You might be able to arrange a deal with the photographer to get a portion of photograph sales. Also, make sure to ask the photographer for the rights to use any photos taken in future promotion for the event. Have at least one volunteer assigned to taking photos. If possible, have extra digital cameras handy and in the hands of your key supporters, volunteers, and staff. These can be used for promotional materials for next year’s event, and also to stroke the egos of volunteers and board members who would like a souvenir of all of their hard work. Some organizations take advantage of free or low-cost online photo-sharing such as flickr.com to share photos with volunteers and participants. For examples check out the online photo albums from the Missouri Bicycle Federation’s Tour of Missouri 2007 (http://tiny.cc/tourdemo) and Transportation Alternative’s Tour de Brooklyn (http:// tiny.cc/tourdebrooklyn).

Expert’s Advice

Photographers “A good volunteer photographer is a key role few can fulfill, so if you can find a good one (photography clubs can be a good source) treasure them! Encourage your photographer to check out the route weeks in advance (give them your cue sheet and map) so they can select four or five great vistas or angles to strategically capture the riders. If they can get you some good high quality photos, they will be worth more than gold as you promote your event next year in brochures, web photo galleries, posters, etc.” —Jeff Miller, Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Photo Gallery

from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMO

Items That Keep on Promoting Many fundraising rides offer some sort of give-away to all participants, or to those who register by the early deadline. With the right intention and the right item, this is a gift that can keep on promoting your event for throughout the year. Many events print t-shirts, jerseys, or sweatshirts with the event or organization name on them. If the apparel is a good fit and a good color with an attractive design, you can count on participants putting it into their wardrobe rotation. The benefit for you: free yearround advertising! This can also be promoted as a sponsor benefit if you choose to include sponsor logos on the item. Other items that can help get your organization or event’s name out there are water bottles, bags, and anything that is actually useful to participants. Besides helping to attract people to register early and making them feel like they are getting something for their money, you can also count this investment toward promotion for next year’s event. 84

Guide to Fundraising Rides

7: Getting More Out of the Event New Members, Too! Your fundraising ride is a great opportunity to attract new members to your organization. By offering the option to join when people are registering, you may increase your membership before your event has even begun. But after the event is also a great opportunity to try to engage new people in your organization. So, now that you have participants and their registration information, how do you continue to engage them once your event is over? You will have many opportunities to inform participants—your constituents and potential constituents—of your local action items and needs. Here are a few ideas to get you started: • •

•

If you have extra goodies during an event, you can hold door prizes and drawings for those people who sign up on your mailing list. If you have a local petition for which you are collecting signatures, this is a great captive audience. For example, collecting 10,000 signatures to put a 1% transportation tax on the next ballot. Do you have a fun listserv that will let them be the first to be in-the-know about next year’s route and important campaigns?

What to Do with the Names (After the Event) It’s simple: • • • •

Keep them at all costs. Put them on your e-mail and mailing lists. Put them on your annual appeal list. Put them on your membership development list.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Mo Money, Too! Asking for Advocacy Donations Don’t be shy about promoting the hard work that your organization does on a daily basis. You are more than just an organization putting on a great local ride. Have advocacy donation forms in all goodie bags and available near petitions, membership forms, etc. Also, be sure to ask for advocacy donations and memberships regularly via your public address system.

Items for Sale If you have collected in-kind support items, you can sell or raffle these at your event. Let participants know about these opportunities in advance so they can come prepared. Have a display table set up to sell the following types of items: • • • •

Event and organization t-shirts or jerseys Water bottles Memberships Extra donated goodies

New Political Connections, Too!

Large public events are great opportunities to engage local elected officials in your organization. What politician can resist a big crowd of voters? Some events request a letter from the mayor or governor welcoming participants to the city/state and include the letter in communication with participants. Some rides send special VIP invitations to local elected officials. Others invite a local official to address the participants with a send-off speech to start the ride. All of these can be great ways to build relationships with the decision makers

Success Story

Making New Connections on the Ride “Congressman John Baldacci —now Governor of Maine—joined us for a Maine Bike Rally ride back in ‘99. Being a runner in good shape, he took off at a good clip. Most were working to keep up with him, but I fortunately was in good enough shape that I rode right beside him most of the time and talked his ear off ;-) We’ve been on a first name basis ever since.” —Jeff Miller, Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Invitation Letter

from Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s North-South Greenway Bicycle Ride

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Invitation Letter

from Charleston Moves’ Charleston Cycle Fest

Charleston Cycle Fest October 31st – November 6th 2005

Historic Charleston, SC Charleston CycleFest P.O. Box 21625 Charleston, SC 29413

July 21, 2005 Mr. Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Mayor City of Charleston P. O. Box 652 Charleston, SC 29402

www.charlestoncyclefest.org A Benefit for bicycling in Charleston and SC

Dear Mayor Riley, I hope this note finds you and your family doing well and finding time to enjoy the summer. I am writing to see if you would be able to participate in the first ever Tour de Sprawl Charleston during Charleston Cycle Fest 2005. We appreciate the support yourself and the City of Charleston have given to this event last year and currently and would love to have you involved in this specific part of the event. The Tour de Sprawl is a concept used by other cities of a tour of presentations throughout the community that highlight the good and the bad elements of design and growth issues in their communities. This is meant to be a community education event to raise awareness in Charleston of issues affecting our area and to pose the question: Which way do we grow? The tour will be ~20 miles by bicycle with a bus option for those unable to bicycle. (The idea to host the Tour de Sprawl actually came from your Planning Department!). We would love to have you participate and share your knowledge and passion for urbanism. We would like to invite you to be the kick-off speaker to the tour that will begin in Brittlebank Park at 11am on Sunday, November 6th. Of course, we would have a stage, tent, podium, sound, and appropriate production so all could clearly hear your message. Your participation would be very important to the Tour de Sprawl. Thank you again for the support from all the very hard working staff with the City of Charleston. Sincerely,

Charles Fox

Event Director, Kristen Steele, 843.568.6313 or [emailprotected] Ride Director, Charles Fox 843.303.3334 or [emailprotected] For more details see www.charlestoncyclefest.org

Guide to Fundraising Rides

in your community. Engaging local officials also helps remind them of your cause and how many people in the community are behind it.

Community Good Will, Too!

Your fundraising ride is also a great time to get your organization’s name out to the community in a positive way. Think about how you might engage local community groups with your event. Here are a few ideas: • • •

•

Invite community groups to organize a rest stop and allow them to promote their cause in exchange for their volunteer time. Coordinate rest stops near local businesses that cyclists might be interested in. The local businesses will be pleased when the ride helps draw new customers into their store. Find a local teacher who is willing to engage his or her class in some community service painting “Share the Road” and “Look out for Cyclists” signs you can post along your route. Make sure to acknowledge the class at the event and send them a nice thank-you. Can you find a sponsor to pay for helmets you can give away at your event to people in the community? Then you can promote that you will be giving away free helmets at your event.

If you can think of ways to give back to the community with your fundraising ride, and support other local community groups at the same time, you are sure to foster lasting good will. Make sure to thank all your partners in the community and recognize them at the event if possible. You might also consider getting a sponsor to donate pizza for a volunteer appreciation pizza night where you can give your volunteers and supporters a wrap-up of the event and thank those involved. This sort of appreciation goes a long way to ensuring your volunteers and community partners will return to help out again for next year’s event.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

8. After the Event Is Over Post Ride Surveys So your event is over. Congratulations! Now it’s time to get some feedback from your participants, volunteers and staff so that you can make next year’s event even better. Here are some tips for getting those surveys filled out and back in a timely manner:

Participant Surveys • • • •

Post-event surveys for the riders should be short and take no more than five minutes to fill out. Announce on your public address system that you’re collecting surveys as riders return. Include them in the goodie bag so they can be mailed later if participants do not want to fill them out on the spot. Be sure to include your mailing address. You can offer an extra prize (drawing) or goodie for each survey that is returned.

Staff and Volunteer Surveys Staff and volunteers will view the event from a different perspective than the riders. Their surveys should include questions about what they heard and learned from the riders, as well as questions about the logistics of the event. You want to get their input about what might be done differently to make things run more smoothly the next time, both for the riders and for themselves. Be sure to ask them, “will you be willing to volunteer again next year?”

Survey Results Have your staff or a volunteer compile the survey results. Do this as soon as reasonably possible after the event. Most organizations compile the results in a simple spreadsheet or text document, with sections for tallied numerical rankings and selections of informative comments.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Sample Post-Ride Survey (Page 1) MoBikeFed Surveys

Page 1 of 4

from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMo BikeMO Survey

Help us make BikeMO even better next year! The Ride Length: Which route did you ride at BikeMO? Please choose *only one* of the following: Zero - didn't ride. 32 - Half Metric 62 - Metric Century 100 - Century Other Ride comparison: Compared to other rides you know about or have participated in, how would you rate these features of BikeMO? Please choose the appropriate response for each item: The route? Sag stops/food/water/convenience stores? Sag vehicles/emergency pickup/on-road help? Overall ride?

Better than average

Average

Lower than average

Among the worst

Among the best

date: What date would you prefer for next year's BikeMO? Please choose *only one* of the following: Saturday, October 11th, 2008 Saturday, October 18th, 2008 Either is fine Some other date short route: SHORT ROUTE OPTION? Do you know a friend or family member who would come and ride BikeMO with you if there were a shorter route option available--say, a 17 mile route? Our current route Please choose *only one* of the following: options are 32, 61, Yes, definitely. and 100 miles. We are considering Yes, maybe. adding a 17 mile option. No. Don't know. Your trip Knowing about you and your trip helps us find more sponsors for BikeMO. That way we can keep ride fees low and raise more funds to move bicycle advocacy forward in Missouri. Your answers MoBikeFed areSurveys held strictly anonymous and no identifying information about is you kept. Page 2 of

nights: NIGHTS SPENT: How many nights did you spend on the BikeMO trip? (From the time you left home until you returned home again.) Please choose *only one* of the following: No overnight stay One night http://mobikefed.org/survey/admin/admin.php?action=showprintablesurvey&sid=72331 Two nights Three nights More than 3 nights

1/8/2008

Sample Post-Ride Survey (Page 2)

from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMo

Alliance for Biking and

Please choose *only one* of the following: No overnight stay One night Walking Two nights Three nights More than 3 nights

spending: MONEY SPENT: About how much total did you spend during BikeMO trip? Include all expenses such as: ride fee, fuel cost, lodging, meals, shopping, entertainment, etc. Please include your entire trip from the time you left home until you returned again--even if BikeMO was just one part of a longer trip for you. Please write your answer here: friends: LONG-LOST FRIENDS? Did you meet a friend from another city or another part of the state to ride BikeMO together? Please choose *only one* of the following: Yes No About you Knowing about you helps us plan BikeMO better--and helps us show our political leaders what a fine group of upstanding citizens bicyclists are.

education: What is your highest degree of education reached? Please choose *only one* of the following: Junior high Some high school High school diploma Some college College degree Some graduate work beyond a bachelor's degree Master's degree or other graduate degree below doctorate Doctorate degree or higher income: What is your approximate household income? This info is Please choose *only one* of the following: anonymized and can't $20,000 or under be traced back to you individually. $20,000 to $40,000 $40,000 to $60,000 $60,000 to $80,000 $80,000 to $120,000 $120,000 to $160,000 $160,000 to $200,000 MoBikeFed Surveys Over $200,000

Page 3 of 4

bicyclist: Thinking of this past summer, did you ride your bicycle: Please choose *only one* of the following: Not at all Once or twice all summer http://mobikefed.org/survey/admin/admin.php?action=showprintablesurvey&sid=72331 Once or twice a month Once or twice a week Several times a week Pretty much every day

1/8/2008

tour of mo: TOUR OF MISSOURI: Are you a fan? How many stages of the Tour of Missouri did you watch live or on TV? The Tour of Missouri Please choose *all* that apply: professional bicycle No Tour of Missouri stages race was held September 11-16, Stage 1: Kansas City 2007. Stage 2: Clinton to Springfield Stage 3: Branson Stage 4: Lebanon to Columbia Stage 5: Jefferson City to St. Charles Stage 6: St. Louis

vote: Did you vote in the last presidential election? Please choose *only one* of the following: Yes No

Guide to Fundraising Rides from Missouri Bicycle Federation’s BikeMo

Tour of Missouri stages 1: Kansas City Stage 2: Clinton to Springfield Stage 3: Branson Stage 4: Lebanon to Columbia Stage 5: Jefferson City to St. Charles Stage 6: St. Louis Stage

Sample Post-Ride Survey (Page 3)

race was held September 11-16, 2007.

vote: Did you vote in the last presidential election? Please choose *only one* of the following: Yes No Suggestions How can we make BikeMO even better?

likes: What did you like about BikeMO? What worked well? Please write your answer here:

improvements: What could we improve about BikeMO? What needs to be better next time? Please write your answer here:

MoBikeFed Surveys

Page 4 of 4

role: Your role(s) at BikeMO?

Please choose *all* that apply: Rider Volunteer http://mobikefed.org/survey/admin/admin.php?action=showprintablesurvey&sid=72331 MoBikeFed board member

1/8/2008

hear: How did you hear about BikeMO 2007? Please choose *all* that apply: BikeMO web site Email message Online ride or bicycle events calendar BikeMO postcard in the mail MoBikeFed newsletter or other mailing Bike Club newsletter (other than MoBikeFed) Newspaper Television Friend/word of mouth BikeMO brochure/card in bicycle shop Other: Submit Your Survey. Thank you for completing this survey. Please fax your completed survey to: 1-309-414-2607.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Review, Analysis, and Adjustment Review of survey results can be done with your event staff and volunteers. You should gather your key staffers and volunteers for the review session. Smaller groups can better focus on the praise and criticism without getting mired in large-group dynamics. It is important to remember that the review meeting should remain neutral. If there were problems with specific individuals during the event, the survey review meeting is not the place to air them or work them out. This should be done privately. Use the meeting to gather suggestions for improvements for next year’s event. Keep a list of suggestions in a file that can be revisited when you begin planning the next event. Compile the suggestions and prepare a short report for your board detailing the things that went smoothly, and those that did not. Your survey results can be a gold mine of information as well as a source of potential new volunteers. If you come across any comments in which a participant has had a particularly unpleasant experience, see if there is a way to contact them. Acknowledging that there may have been a problem and listening to their comments will help to keep that participant from discouraging others from participating in the future. If you find comments from participants indicating that this was one of the best experiences they’ve had, ask them if they would like to help with the planning and execution of next year’s event. If your event is a multi-day adventure, you should have a format in which feedback can be given as the event is in progress. Leader meetings should also happen at least once a day during the event so that you can strategize how to address any complaints. Finally, don’t be afraid to make changes based on the suggestions you receive from your participants, staff, and volunteers. Each fundraising ride is unique. While the logistics of this Guide may be transferable among individual events, there is no way to incorporate all of the local variables, personalities, and unforeseen challenges that you will encounter during the planning, execution, and wrap-up of your event.

Post-Event Report After you have finished counting all your receipts, downloaded or developed your photos, and have a minute to breathe, you should consider writing a post-event report. Even though you are likely exhausted, it is important to post a post-event report to your website as soon as possible. The purpose of the post-event report is to wrap up communications with your partners, volunteers, and participants and share the highlights and accomplishments from the ride. This wraps up the event and brings some closure to the cycle of the event for all

Guide to Fundraising Rides

involved. It can also be a great chance to thank your sponsors again and to brag about how much money you raised, what a great turnout you had, or the fantastic weather and most memorable moments from the event. This task can be as simple as a letter and a few photos posted to your webpage, an article in your organization’s e-newsletter, or a special e-mail sent to everyone involved with the event. Online photo galleries are a great way to showcase the highlights of your event (see page 83–84 for more and a sample online photo gallery).

Paid No Shows and Goodie Bags Almost without exception, fundraising rides do not offer refunds to participants once the event has taken place. Some events explicitly state on the sign-up materials that participants will not receive a refund if they do not show up, but usually provide the ability to cancel with a full refund more than one week from the event, and cancel with partial refund with less than one week before the event. After the event is over, you’ll likely have a couple of boxes of participant packets or goodie bags left over. Take these back to the office. Some no-show participants will still want the goodies. Keep the bags for a couple of weeks after the event so that these no-show participants can come in and claim their goodies if they please. Don’t waste your time contacting each no-show and offering to get their goodies to them. If they really want the goodie bags, they’ll get in touch with you. Once a sufficient amount of time has gone by, you have several options regarding what to do with leftover goodie bags: • •

•

Recycle any paper goods that are time-specific or timesensitive. Collect any goodies that are branded for your organization (such as water bottles, t-shirts, etc.) and set them aside. You can use them for membership premiums in the future, or for next year’s event, assuming they do not have yearspecific markings on them. Collect any food-type items such as energy bars or performance gels and offer them to your local cycling club. Chances are you’ll rapidly get tired of eating energy bars and performance gels as meal substitutes in the office. This stuff doesn’t stay fresh forever, so you might as well spread the good cheer to others.

Thank You Messages Whew! You made it! Now there are only two things left—sending thank you notes to your sponsors, key staffers, and volunteers, and setting a date for next year.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Post-Event Report (Page 1) from Charleston Moves’ Charleston Cycle Fest

from Charleston Moves’ Charleston Cycle Fest

Sample Post-Event Report (Page 2)

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Alliance for Biking and Walking

Sample Post-Ride Wrap-Up

Yarmouth Time Trial Turnout Great Despite Rain

Page 1 of 2

from Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Yarmouth Time Trial

Search Sponsored By Join Now About BCM Events Calendar Where to Ride Visit Maine Press Room Help BCM Bike Links Safety Education Access Take Action Forums BCM Store Home

Yarmouth Time Trial Turnout Great Despite Rain The 2007 Yarmouth Time Trial sponsored by Back Bay Bicycle and Subway was a great success despite the rain. The Yarmouth Time Trial was part of the Maine Bike Rally, which included over 300 participants over three days enjoying a total of 40 different bike rides in the Yarmouth area. The Sunday, July 8th event brought out 91 racers, a record for any time trial the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has organized. As part of the Maine Bike Rally, it also brought out lots of local racers, folks from across Maine as well as 6 other states including New Hampshire, Massacusetts, Rhode Island, Ohio, and California! The race also involved well over a dozen wonderful volunteers. Let us start by thanking our fabulous volunteers Bob Bruce, Catherine Kimball, Rhonda Locsin, Greg Locsin, Scott Jenney Louise Rideout, Steve Shapiro, Lotte Schlegel, Ketra Crosson, Ed Roberts, Bill Richards, Sue Ellen Bordwell, and Jill Weybrant. From tracking times to directing racers, to monitoring RR crossing, you all did a superb job! Our thanks also goes to Maine State Trooper Ross, who helped keep things safe and smooth. And Terry Dewan and Associates were very generous in letting us use their property for the start while Scott Dugan Construction was very kind in letting us use their property for the finish. A light rain was pretty persistent all morning with a few spells where it would stop. There was no wind and temperatures were in the low to mid 60's. The pavement remained wet and we were very grateful that everyone raced safely and there were no crashes. The 12mile course started from the corner of Sligo Rd and Route 115 (Main St in Yarmouth). It headed out with a fairly straight shot out Routes 115 and 231 to North Yarmouth where at mile 7 it made a sharp turn back on North Road to a finish on East Elm Street in Yarmouth. Morgan Macleod of Orrs Island won the race with a time of 26:47. Don Mills of Exeter, NH was only 15 seconds behind. Indeed there were 6 racers within 60 seconds of Morgan's winning time making for a very competitive and fast field. In fact, 25 racers did the course in less than 30 minutes (averaging over 24 miles per hour)! Among them was Erin Brennan of Portland, the fastest woman whose time of 29:38 minutes set a woman's course record. George Reynolds of Derry, NH raced one of his own recumbents with a time of 31:33. Three tandems also competed in the race with Peter and Michaela Hall of Campton, NH winning their division with a time of 36:07. The youngest racer of the event was Evan Kesel of Portsmouth, NH who is 9 years old and was recognized and awarded a medal for his participation. A total of 12 racers were in their first ever time trial and Chip Noble of Gray was the fastest of the first timers with a blazing speed of 30:41! Thanks to the Yarmouth Time Trial sponsors, Back Bay Bicycle and Subway, for underwriting this fun, all-inclusive, yet wonderfully competitive event. Aegis Racing Bicycles is the sponsor of the Maine Time Trail Series and will be awarding a beautiful Maine-made, carbon fiber frame to the top male and female racers of the 16 race series. They will also award a third frame to a random racer of the series (each racer gets their name in the hat each time they do a time trial in the series!). Again thanks to all our volunteers who made it all come together and thanks to all our wonderful racers who made the event such a success.

Guide to Fundraising Rides

By this time, you will have already compiled your survey results and should have some good photos from the event. It is important to take the time to write thank you notes to your sponsors, key staffers, and volunteers, thanking them for their efforts. Include a couple of photos of the event as well as some choice quotes. If your handwriting is reasonably legible, handwrite your thank you notes. Another option is to add a hand-written note at the bottom of a form letter where you can personally thank individual sponsors and volunteers. This last step in thanking them shows that you are taking the time to give them personal attention and will go a long way when you approach them for sponsorship or volunteering the next year. It is easy to forget an e-mail, but everyone remembers a handwritten note.

Scheduling Next Year Now you know what planning your next Fundraising Ride will take for next year. Was six months too short a time to go from planning to running the event? Would you have been better prepared with eight months of work? Did you approach your sponsors too early in the process, before you even knew what your ride was going to look like or how many participants you expected would attend? Or was it so late in the process that you were scrambling to get last-minute sponsorships? All of this will have been covered in your post-event analysis. You should be able to immediately set at least one date—the first planning meeting for the next year’s event. In the case where your event was too early in the season, crowded by too many competing events, or planned during a less-than-optimal time of the year for reasons such as bad weather, you can better set the date for your next event. After your ride becomes established, setting next year’s date before this year’s event is a good idea. This will allow you to promote next year’s date at your ride. Giving your participants a one-year notice will allow them to plan for your event far in advance and also shows your sponsors, volunteers, and partners that you are committed to continuing this ride into the future.

A Little Hard Work, a Lot of Rewards With a little bit of hard work, your Fundraising Ride can become a cornerstone event in the cycling community and the community atlarge. Fundraising Rides have the ability to provide a good amount of support for your organization, act as a great marketing tool for your group, and provide hundreds, if not thousands of cyclists of all abilities an opportunity to enjoy the hard work that your organization has undertaken on behalf of improving their community.

Alliance for Biking and Walking

We hope we have inspired you to take on a fundraising ride to help support your bicycle advocacy efforts. Remember, the Alliance for Biking & Walking offers many resources to support your fundraising ride planning beyond this Guide. Alliance staff are available as coaches and consultants for specialized trainings. Also, Alliance’s online Bike and Ped Advocacy Resource Library offers a wealth of information and examples beyond this Guide. If you have questions or suggestions for future updates of this guide, or if you need further help planning your event, please contact us at [emailprotected].

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Philadelphia, PA

MD Hartford, CT

WABA Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia Chicagoland Bicycle Federation BikeWalk Virginia Missouri Bicycle Federation One Less Car CentralConnecticutBicycleAlliance FestiVELO, Inc. Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia League of Illinois Bicyclists Bicycle Victoria

Bike DC

Bike Philly

Bike the Drive

Bike Virginia

BikeMo

Cycle Across Maryland

Discover Hartford

Festivelo de Charleston

Freedom Valley Bike Ride

Grand Illinois Trails and Parks

Great Victorian Bike Ride

www.festivelo.org

www.hartfordbiketour.org

www.onelesscar.org/CAM/2007/index.php

www.bikemo.org

www.bikevirginia.org/tours/2007.htm

www.bikethedrive.org

bikephilly.blogspot.com

Website

MI IA

L.A. County Bicycle Coalition Bicycle Coalition of Maine Transportation Alternatives League of Michigan Bicyclists Independent BikeMaine Transportation Alternatives BikeWalk Virginia Bike Athens Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Los Angeles River Ride

Maine Lobster Ride & Roll

NYC Century

One Day Ride Across Michigan

RAGBRAI

Time Trial

Tour de Brooklyn

Tour de Chesapeake

Tour de Sprawl

Women’s Ride for Heart Health

bicycleindiana.org

www.hbl.org/?q=node/164

www.bv.com.au/great-rides/20004

www.bikelib.org/gitap/2008/index.htm

Athens, GA

New York, NY

Contact

[emailprotected].

[emailprotected]

[emailprotected],

[emailprotected]

www.bikemaine.org/womensride/index.html

[emailprotected]

www.bikeathens.com/activities/tds/tdsprawl_2004/ [emailprotected] index.html

www.bikechesapeake.org

www.tourdebrooklyn.org

www.bikemaine.org/maine_ttseries.htm

www.ragbrai.org

www.lmb.org/pages/Events/ShorelinePages/odram. htm

www.nyccentury.org

www.bikemaine.org/lobsterride/index.html

Los Angeles, CA la-bike.org/events/los_angeles_river_ride.html

Indiana Bike Fest

Honolulu, HI

Hawaii Bicycle League Indiana Bicycle Coalition

Honolulu Century Ride

Victoria, BC

Northern IL

Philadelphia and www.bicyclecoalition.org/bikefreedomvalley.htm Valley Forge

Charleston, SC

Chicago, IL

Location Washington, DC

Organization

Ride Name

Guide to Fundraising Rides

Appendix 1:

Real Rides’ Contacts

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Appendix 2:

More Fundraising Ride Resources Accessing More Resources Online Would you like to see even more resources for planning fundraising rides, including more samples from real rides? The Alliance for Biking & Walking’s online Bike and Ped Advocacy Resource Library contains numerous resources on planning successful fundraising rides. In it you will find the files for the resources selected for this book, plus additional resources. We couldn’t fit everything in here! In order to access these valuable resources, you must be a leader from an Alliance member organization. For information on joining the Alliance, see www. peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/membership/ welcome. Below are instructions for how to access more resources on fundraising rides from the Alliance’s library.

Step 1:

Visit www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/members/. Choose “Fundraising Rides” from the “Events” drop down menu.

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Guide to Fundraising Rides

Step 2:

Choose the “Fundraising Rides” sub-category that most interests you. This is as far as you can go without logging into the system.

Step 3:

Enter your unique username and password to access the library resources. If you have not set up a user name or password choose “Click here to REGISTER for an account.” If you have created a username and password but don’t remember one or the other, choose “Forgot your username or password???” and you will be given instructions for resetting your password.

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Alliance for Biking and Walking

Step 4:

Browse the resource descriptions and choose the resources that most interest you.

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Guide to Fundraising Rides

105

Alliance for Biking and Walking This publication was made possible by:

How do those other rides make so much money andhave people coming back year after year? Can a bike ride make money for my organization? From rural communities to big cities, organizations are planning fundraising bike rides that are bringing them new members, new partners, new political connections, and funds to help their organizations thrive. What better way for a bicycle or pedestrian advocacy organization to show off their success in the community and raise awareness for their cause than to organize a fundraising walk/ride. But how does an organization get started organizing such an event? The Alliance for Biking & Walking’s Guide to Fundraising Rides is the first book to bring you the ins and outs of organizing fundraising rides that benefi t bicycling. If you’ve looked upon other good causes raising thousands of dollars through bicycle rides with envy, you don’t have to watch from the sidelines anymore. This Guide will take you through all the steps of planning a successful fundraising ride—from setting a date to thanking your sponsors and volunteers. Filled with expert advice from leaders of Alliance organizations, samples from successful rides, and take-away tools you can use, this Guide is an invaluable resource for the aspiring event planner while offering new tips and ideas to veteran ride directors.

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[PDF] Fundraising Rides. Guide to Fundraising Rides - Free Download PDF (2024)

References