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A Banner Year for Giving Back

Union City Hall

Thanks, Cycle Oregon riders and donors! Financial support from Cycle Oregon for projects that support the communities of Oregon was up more than 35 percent in 2015.

Through the Cycle Oregon Fund at the Oregon Community Foundation, Cycle Oregon awarded 11 grants equaling $95,150. That represents a significant increase from the $69,635 awarded in 2014.

“Oregon’s communities create the fabric of our state,” says Cycle Oregon Executive Director Alison Graves. “Our grant program offers dedicated—and growing!—support for projects that strengthen these communities.”

2015 Grant Recipients

Recipients of the grants typically come from the places through which Cycle Oregon’s popular Week Ride travels.

“Cycle Oregon is more than a ride,” says Graves. “We get to know the people and places that we visit. We learn about their visions for the future as they redefine themselves after changes in the industries that support their economies. Our grants advance new opportunities—and we love coming back to these towns to see how the funding made a difference!”

In 2015, Cycle Oregon’s Week Ride took over 2,000 cyclists to northeast Oregon, but forest fires forced a detour that eliminated visits to the towns of Halfway, Joseph, and Enterprise. The grant committee, made up of Cycle Oregon board members and staff, kept this in mind when selecting the 11 recipients, which fell into two categories: Community projects, and Bicycle Safety and Tourism projects.

OutlineCommunity grants

  • ADA playground development in Joseph, Oregon
  • Wallowa Resources, a high-school apprenticeship program in Enterprise, Oregon that provides hands-on learning in resource monitoring, restoration, and stewardship

Bicycle Safety and Tourism grants

  • Resurfacing of the oldest section of the Leo Adler path in Baker City, Oregon
  • Mountain-bike trail building in Anthony Lakes area near Union, Oregon
  • Eastern Oregon bike maps highlighting best road, gravel, mountain biking
  • Bike-friendly-campsites development at Wallowa Lake State Park
  • New bike racks along the proposed Painted Hills Scenic Bikeway in Wheeler CountyGlee-CO14 (62)
  • Ongoing development of the multi-use Joseph Branch Trail along the historic railway between Elgin and Joseph, Oregon.
  • Women on Bikes Program
    in Portland to promote women and bicycling
  • Centennial banners along the Historic Columbia River Highway in support of its 100th anniversary
  • Wayfinding signs along the Historic Columbia River Highway

How you can help

Since its inception in 1996, the Cycle Oregon Fund has awarded 200 grants totaling nearly $1.7 million. This money has helped preserve natural beauty in Oregon, promote bicycle safety and tourism, and support community projects throughout the state.

Participating in our rides is a great way to support our mission and participate in growing the fund. You can also help by making a tax-deductible contribution.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts to keep Oregon beautiful and bike-friendly.


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