Grow Cycling Foundation Corporation

GROW CYCLING FOUNDATION PROMOTES EDUCATION, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT INCREASE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING IN CYCLING AND THE OUTDOORS.

GROW CYCLING WAS ESTABLISHED TO CREATE NEW AVENUES FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN THE OUTDOORS AS WELL AS EMPOWER EXISTING PROGRAMS WORKING TO TEAR DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ENTRY IN CYCLING FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. TYPICAL SOLUTIONS DONATE BIKES OR GEAR BUT TEND TO NEGLECT THE NEXT STEP IN THE CYCLISTS' JOURNEY, WHETHER THAT BE ACCESS, EDUCATION, OR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. WE INVEST IN AREAS THAT CREATE SUSTAINABLE PATHS FOR CYCLING AS A LIFELONG PASSION. OUR FOUR PILLARS OF ACCESS, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY, FEED INTO EACH OTHER CREATING SOLUTIONS THAT PROVIDE ENTRY POINTS AT EACH STEP OF A CYCLIST'S JOURNEY. WE LOOK AT THE BASIC HUMAN NEED OF SAFETY AND HOW TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE FEELS SAFE RIDING A BIKE, WHETHER THAT BE PHYSICAL SAFETY OR PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. WE INVEST IN PROGRAMS THAT BUILD BELONGINGNESS IN CYCLING BY CREATING INCLUSIVE CYCLING SPACES REGARDLESS OF GENDER OR ETHNICITY. OUR FIRST INITIATIVE AT GROW CYCLING FOUNDATION IS BUILDING THE VERY FIRST PUBLIC PUMPTRACK IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA USA. LOS ANGELES' HIGH RATIO OF AUTO-TO-CYCLING FATALITIES , COUPLED WITH STRICT ENFORCEMENT OF "NO BICYCLING" RULES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, MAKES IT PROHIBITIVE FOR CHILDREN TO ACCESS SAFE SPACES TO LEARN AND DEVELOP LIFE ENHANCING CYCLING SKILLS AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE HAVE BROKEN GROUND ON A PUMPTRACK IN INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA, ONE OF LA COUNTY'S MOST DIVERSE COMMUNITIES, WHERE 95% OF THE POPULATION IS NONWHITE AND IS THE COUNTY'S LARGEST POPULATION OF CHILDREN 10 AND UNDER. THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH COUNTS BOTH OF LA'S NEWEST FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL STADIUMS CAN SUPPORT THE PUMPTRACK LOCATION AND THE CAPACITY OF A COURSE READY TO HOST THE PUMPTRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. OUR VISION IS TO BUILD A WHOLISTIC PUBLIC PUMPTRACK AND COMMUNITY HUB THAT SUPPORTS A CYCLING ECOSYSTEM WITH CURATED EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PUMPTRACK SUPPORT AND TALENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT IN A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE CYCLING AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. WE FOCUS ON LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND BETTERING THE ENVIRONMENT IN COMMUNITIES THAT MAY HAVE LACKED FUNDING TO PRIORITIZE CLIMATE INVESTMENTS IN WAYS THAT IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. OUR PROGRAMS DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT INCREASE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS DATA BASED OUTCOMES, AND EXPANDING CAREER ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.