Spokes for Youth

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Executive Summary

Spokes for Youth is a nonprofit in Washington that teaches young people to repair bicycles and ride safely. In our program, youth ages 10 to 17 complete a 12-hour course on bike repair, road safety and respect, and then earn a refurbished bike, a helmet and a lock. We also run free repair clinics for the community and group rides every month.

A bike gives a young person freedom, exercise and a way to get to school, a job or a friend's home. But many young people have no bike or a bike that does not work. Many families cannot afford repairs or safety gear. Learning to fix a bike also teaches patience, problem solving and responsibility.

With this grant we will teach about 90 youth in Year 1 and repair about 600 bikes at free community clinics. We will hold about 20 group rides. Every youth wears a helmet, learns the rules of the road and a simple first aid skill. Riding a bike always carries some risk. We reduce it with training, equipment and supervision, but we do not promise that no one will ever be hurt.

Our Year 1 budget is about $217,500, growing to about $267,000 by Year 5 as we add classes. Each year's budget is planned to balance, with a small surplus each year. We have 4 paid staff in Year 1 and 5 by Year 4, supported by volunteers.

We are asking the Evergreen Youth Foundation for $52,000 for our Shop Mechanic and Instructor and for repair parts and helmets. Parks departments, schools, bike clubs, businesses and donors also give, so this grant is one part of a shared funding plan.

I am Marcus Webb, the Executive Director. The numbers in this proposal are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end, not promises.

Company Description

Spokes for Youth is a small, independent nonprofit in Washington, organized as a 501(c)(3) public charity. We serve young people and families in our city and the neighborhoods around it from a leased bike shop with a classroom area.

Our mission. To give young people a bike, the skills to fix it and the confidence to ride safely.

What we believe. Every young person can learn to fix things. We teach with patience, let youth do the work with tools in their hands and never talk down to a beginner. Safety is a habit: helmets on, brakes checked, lights on at night. We treat every young person and family with respect.

What we offer:
- Earn-a-bike course. A 12-hour course where youth learn to repair a bike, fix a flat, adjust brakes and gears and ride safely, and then earn a refurbished bike, helmet and lock.
- Community repair clinics. Free repair days where anyone can bring a bike and learn how to fix it.
- Group rides and skills clinics. Monthly rides, a bike safety clinic and a basic bike handling course.
- Donated bike program. We collect used bikes from donors, repair them and place them with youth and families.

Who we serve. Youth ages 10 to 17, their families and adults who need low-cost bike repair.

What we do not do. We do not sell bikes, let anyone ride without a helmet in our programs, allow youth to use power tools without training and supervision or give medical advice.

How we are run. A volunteer board of seven governs the organization. I am the Executive Director. The Program Director manages classes and partners. A Shop Mechanic and Instructor teaches and runs the shop, and a second joins in Year 4. A part-time shop assistant supports the shop.

Where things stand today. We have letters of support from two schools, the parks department, a bike club and three bike shops, a shop lease offer, commitments of donated bikes and parts and a youth waiver and shop safety plan under review by an attorney. (Replace this with where you really are.)

Problem & Opportunity

Many young people do not have a bike, or they have one that is broken. Bikes are expensive, and repairs can cost more than a family expects. A flat tire can end a ride, and a bike left in a garage does nothing. Without a bike, a young person may have fewer ways to travel, exercise and meet friends.

Many neighborhoods lack safe places to ride. Young people may not know the rules of the road, how to use hand signals or how to ride in traffic. Some are hurt because they have no helmet or lights.

Bike shops are important, but they do not always offer hands-on teaching or a way for a young person with no money to get a bike.

For a small nonprofit, the hard parts are the cost of a shop, tools and parts, finding donated bikes, hiring a mechanic who can teach and keeping youth coming back for the full course.

We want to be clear about what we know and do not know. Earn-a-bike programs are a well-liked way to teach skills and give young people a bike. We will use the most recent local numbers on youth, biking and safety in our final plan. We do not know exactly how many youth will finish the course, so our plan uses a first-year goal and will report what really happens.

Products & Services

Spokes for Youth will teach young people to fix a bike, ride it safely and keep it running.

How it works, step by step:
1. Sign up. A young person signs up with a parent, who signs a waiver and a permission form.
2. Safety first. In the first class, youth learn shop rules, tool safety and how to fit a helmet.
3. Learn the parts. Youth learn the parts of a bike and how they work, using a donated bike they will work on.
4. Hands-on repair. Over several sessions, youth fix flats, adjust brakes and gears, true a wheel and clean and lube a chain, with a mechanic helping.
5. Road safety. A short course teaches rules of the road, hand signals and how to ride in groups.
6. Ride test. The youth takes a ride test with a mechanic.
7. Earn the bike. Youth who complete the course receive their refurbished bike, helmet, lock and a basic tool kit.
8. Stay connected. Graduates can join group rides, help at clinics and become junior mentors.

Why this approach is strong. Youth value what they work for. A bike they fixed with their own hands is a bike they care for, and a helmet and training keep them safer.

Market Analysis

Who we serve: youth ages 10 to 17 and their families, and adults who need low-cost bike repair, in our city and the neighborhoods around it.

Our primary group is young people from families with limited income who do not have a working bike. Our secondary group is families and adults who use bikes for transportation. We will use the most recent local numbers on youth, transportation and bike safety in our final plan.

How we sized our plan. We plan to teach about 90 youth and repair about 600 bikes at community clinics in Year 1. We grow to about 110 youth in Year 2, 130 in Year 3, 170 in Year 4 with a second mechanic and about 200 youth in Year 5. Our Year 1 budget is about $217,500 and our Year 5 budget is about $267,000.

Demand data. Letters of support from two schools, the parks department, a bike club and three bike shops, and a waiting list from a pilot class, show a clear need. We do not count on any one partner.

We do not serve everyone. We refer adults who need major repairs to a bike shop, and we refer youth who need a different kind of program to other youth services.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices for young people and families, and what makes us different.

- Bike shops. They are essential for repairs and sales. We work with them and serve youth who cannot afford a bike.
- Other earn-a-bike programs. Some exist in other areas. We offer a program in our neighborhoods, with a classroom and a shop.
- Community bike co-ops. They offer tools and space for adults. We focus on youth teaching and safety.
- School programs and parks and recreation. They offer some biking activities. We add a hands-on repair course.
- Buying a cheap bike at a big store. It may break quickly. We teach youth to keep a bike running.
- Clubs and charities that give away bikes. They help many families. We add skills, safety and a relationship with a mechanic who stays in touch.

What makes us different.
- A 12-hour course that ends with a bike, a helmet and a lock.
- Teaching by a mechanic who knows how to work with youth.
- Free community repair clinics.
- A focus on safety, respect and responsibility.

What we do not claim. We are new. Larger programs have more shops and a longer record. We plan to earn trust one young person at a time.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach the people we serve.

Schools and youth programs. We will meet school counselors, teachers and youth program staff, explain the course and take sign-ups. They refer youth who would benefit.

Parks and recreation. We will work with the parks department to host clinics and group rides and share information at community events.

Bike clubs and bike shops. We will ask clubs and shops to donate bikes, parts and volunteer time and to send us youth they meet.

Families. A flyer in English and Spanish goes home with students and is posted at libraries and community centers. We hold open house nights where families can see the shop.

Donors and sponsors. We will invite individuals, businesses and clubs to sponsor a youth's course, a helmet or a repair clinic.

Cost to the family. Free. We provide the bike, helmet and lock for every graduate.

Keeping youth. We will call a family after a missed session, offer a make-up time and invite parents to see the work, so that a ride or a schedule does not stop a young person from finishing.

Operations Plan

How the program will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1:
- Months 1 and 2 (summer): Sign the shop lease and partner agreements, buy tools and equipment, collect donated bikes, hire and train staff and finalize the waiver and safety plan.
- Month 3 (late summer): Open sign-ups and begin the first course.
- Months 4 to 11: Run about eight courses of about 12 youth each, hold a repair clinic each month and a group ride each month.
- Month 12: Survey youth and families, report to funders and plan Year 2.

Space. A rented shop of about 1,500 square feet with a work area and a classroom corner. Rent is $14,400 a year in Year 1.

Equipment. We buy about $14,000 of equipment once at the start: six repair stands and a full tool set ($5,500), parts bins, shelving and a wheel truing stand ($2,500), a used utility trailer for bike pickups ($3,500) and a computer, label printer and check-in tablet ($2,500). Later years replace or add a few items.

Staffing. In Year 1, I serve as Executive Director. The Program Director, paid $44,000 a year, manages classes and partners. The Shop Mechanic and Instructor, paid $38,000 a year, teaches and runs the shop, and a second joins in Year 4. A part-time shop assistant, paid $22,000 a year, supports the shop.

Safety. Every adult passes a background check and no adult is alone with a young person. Helmets are required at every ride and clinic. Youth learn tool safety, wear eye protection when needed and use power tools only with training. A first aid kit is in the shop, and a written plan includes calling 911.

Quality and learning. After each course we ask youth and parents what they liked and what was hard, track who finished and who did not and change the schedule, the tools or the teaching. Mechanics meet monthly to review safety and share ideas, and a volunteer observer visits each course.

Costs. Parts, tires, tools and helmets are about $16,000 in Year 1, van fuel and bike pickups about $4,000, group rides and events about $4,000 and administration and insurance about $10,000.

Management & Organization

The people who will carry out the project.

Marcus Webb, Executive Director. Eleven years of nonprofit and youth work, including six years running a community bike shop. He oversees the program, partnerships, fundraising and finances. (Replace this paragraph with your own background.)

Program Director (from Year 1). Manages classes, schedules, family contact and partner relationships.

Shop Mechanic and Instructor (from Year 1). A professional mechanic who teaches and runs the shop. A second joins in Year 4.

Shop assistant (part-time, from Year 1). Helps with sorting, cleaning and clinics.

Volunteers. About 25 volunteers, including bike club members and mechanics.

Board and advisors. Seven volunteer board members, including a bike shop owner, a school counselor and a youth who graduated from the pilot course, who meet every quarter. An attorney reviews our waiver and safety plan.

Staff pay in this plan is a full year per person: Executive Director $54,000, Program Director $44,000, Shop Mechanic and Instructor $38,000 and part-time shop assistant $22,000. Replace them with the pay you can offer where you live.

Milestones Narrative

Our goals for each year and how we will measure them.

- Year 1: Teach about 90 youth, repair about 600 bikes at free clinics and hold about 20 group rides. A balanced budget of about $217,500, with a small surplus of about $8,300. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 2: Teach about 110 youth and add a weekly open shop night. A balanced budget of about $220,000, with a small surplus of about $8,100. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 3: Teach about 130 youth and add a bike safety day at partner schools. A balanced budget of about $222,500, with a small surplus of about $7,700. About 4 paid staff.
- Year 4: Add a second mechanic and instructor and teach about 170 youth. A balanced budget of about $264,500, with a small surplus of about $8,500. About 5 paid staff.
- Year 5: Teach about 200 youth and share our course materials with other programs. A balanced budget of about $267,000, with a small surplus of about $7,900. About 5 paid staff.

What we measure:
- Youth enrolled and youth who finished the course.
- Bikes earned and bikes repaired at clinics.
- Youth who say they ride more and feel safer.
- Group rides held and attendance.
- Helmet use at rides and clinics.
- Youth and family feedback.

How we review results. The Program Director reviews attendance after every course. Twice a year, staff and the board review all results and share them with funders and partners. If a school has low completion, we meet with the school contact and change the schedule. Every number in this plan is a goal, and we will report what really happens.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $52,000 from the Evergreen Youth Foundation for a Shop Mechanic and Instructor and parts and helmets, for July 2027 through June 2028.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Shop Mechanic and Instructor salary, $38,000.
- Supplies: Repair parts, tires and helmets, $14,000.

Other money in the program. This request is about 32% of our Year 1 grant income. Other grants and the income lines below pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $217,500, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $8,300 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: grants $161,500 (this request plus other grants we are applying for), parks, school and transportation partner support $26,000, businesses, bike clubs and individual donations $30,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $54,000; program director $44,000; shop mechanic and instructor $38,000; shop assistant $22,000; parts, tires, tools and helmets about $16,000; shop rent about $14,400; van fuel and bike pickups about $4,000; group rides and events about $4,000; administration and insurance about $10,000; about $4,600 a year for the wear on equipment.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $23,300 are paid once from startup money, not from the yearly budget: $5,500 for six repair stands and a full tool set; $2,500 for parts bins, shelving and a wheel truing stand; $3,500 for used utility trailer for bike pickups; $2,500 for computer, label printer and check-in tablet; $3,500 for opening stock of tubes, tires, brake parts and helmets; $2,200 for attorney review of the youth waiver and shop safety plan; $1,400 for banners, flyers and a simple website; $2,200 for background checks and first insurance payment.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($23,300), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $0) and a cash cushion of about $51,600, which is about three months of Year 1 costs. The cash used before it balances and the cushion come to about $51,600. In all, that comes to $75,000. We start with $15,000 of our own savings and $63,000 in startup support from a local youth foundation and our board, $78,000 in all, which covers that amount with room to spare.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $217,500 in Year 1 to about $267,000 in Year 5. Grants are planned at $161,500, $152,000, $142,500, $172,500 and $163,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows: parks, school and transportation partner support from $26,000 to $50,000 and businesses, bike clubs and individual donations from $30,000 to $54,000. We add a second mechanic and instructor in Year 4 and more courses as the program grows. Grants fall from about 74% of our income in Year 1 to about 61% in Year 5.

Savings. We plan to keep several months of costs in savings. The lowest year-end balance in the plan is about $68,600, at the end of Year 1. Some grant payments and partner payments arrive after we bill, so we plan for about $6,525 owed to us at the end of Year 1.

After the grant. Parks departments, schools, bike clubs, businesses and individual donors grow every year, so grants become a smaller share of our budget. Graduates share their stories and become junior mentors, and sponsors can underwrite a course by name.

Risks and how we will handle them:
- An injury. We require helmets, train youth in tool and road safety, supervise closely and carry insurance.
- Not enough donated bikes. We ask bike shops and clubs, hold bike drives and buy a few bikes when needed.
- Youth do not finish. We call families after a missed session and offer make-up times.
- A shop lease problem. We keep a list of back-up spaces.
- A grant ends. We keep savings and grow partner and donor support each year.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin before it has its own 501(c)(3) status through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants for you and passes them to your program, usually for a fee (commonly around 5% to 10% of the grant, sometimes more; ask before you agree). Another way is to start smaller: one class a month, a donated shop space and a volunteer mechanic, tracked carefully. Strong results from a small start make larger grants easier to win.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach with this proposal:

- Your IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your most recent financial statements and your current year budget.
- A list of your board members and what each one does.
- Signed letters of support from schools, the parks department and bike clubs.
- Your shop lease or letter of intent.
- Your youth waiver and parent permission form in English and Spanish.
- Your shop safety plan and background check policy.
- Your course outline and ride test.
- Quotes for tools and equipment.
- Resumes for your Executive Director and key staff.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Grant Revenue: $161,500 in Year 1, then $152,000, $142,500, $172,500 and $163,000.
- Parks, School and Transportation Partner Support: $26,000 in Year 1, growing to $50,000.
- Businesses, Bike Clubs and Individual Donations: $30,000 in Year 1, growing to $54,000.
- Pay (a full year, per person, including payroll taxes and workers' compensation): executive director $54,000, program director $44,000, shop mechanic and instructor $38,000, shop assistant (part-time) $22,000.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: parts, tires, tools and helmets $16,000, shop rent $14,400, van fuel and bike pickups $4,000, group rides and events $4,000, administration and insurance $10,000. These grow between 4% and 6% a year.
- Equipment: $14,000 at the start, then $2,000 to $3,000 a year.
- Startup costs: $23,300, paid once from $78,000 in startup money.
- Youth taught: about 90 in Year 1, growing to about 200 in Year 5. Bikes repaired at clinics: about 600 in Year 1.
- About 3% of each year's income is still owed to us at year end.
- Tax: none, as a nonprofit.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and real budget.

Startup Costs