CALLING wi NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS AND tRIBES TO HELP US GIVEAWAY BIKES IN 2027!
The 2027 Application season will be open October 15th – December 15th, 2026
If you have any questions about this program or have any immediate needs for bikes, send us an email (ride@bikesforkidswi.org)
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Eligible applicants include:
- 501c3 Non-profits serving financially challenged individuals (adults and children)
- Tribes
- Public Schools
Overview:
Bikes for Kids Wisconsin is proud to support public schools and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that serve financially challenged communities by offering high-quality bicycles to children and individuals in need. This policy outlines the process, pricing, and eligibility for becoming a Bike Distribution Partner.
Application Period
- Bike Distribution Partner applications are accepted annually between: October 15 – December 15
- Applications must be submitted through our website. The application is only open during the application cycle.
- Late applications may be accepted, call or email for more information.
Bike Request Limits
- Eligible organizations may request between 5 and 100 bikes per application cycle.
- Quantities are subject to availability and alignment with need and capacity to distribute.
- Bikes are available for people of all ages. Bike sizes are from the smallest two-wheeled bikes (12″) – Full-size Adult Bicycles (26″).
- If you’d like to spread the word about our need for gently used donated bikes, you can learn more here. We collect bikes in Madison area and Neenah.
Looking to receive a Bike(s)?
- Please reach out to your school social worker or a nonprofit you receive services from. They receive our bikes and determine the recipients. You can call the bike center at 608-405-0385 if you are having a transportation crisis and we will do our best to work with you to provide assistance.
Distribution Methods (3 Ways)
• Annual In-person Bike Giveaway Event: this event takes place on a Saturday in the spring at our bike center in Madison. To participate, you must have be a recipient of one of the organizations that has applied through the Bike Giveaway Program and selected this option as your preferred method. (This includes 501c3 nonprofits serving financially challenged individuals, schools, tribes, or municipal governments that have applied to receive bikes.) – This event is not open to the public.
• Bulk Pickups: these work great for organizations outside of Dane County that have applied for bikes. Your organization would register for the bikes, provide us with the list of sizes and data on the recipients through a form we provide to you. Then, we would schedule your pick-up of the bikes Monday-Friday in Madison. Saturday pick-ups may be possible.
• Voucher Program: this program works best for organizations that need bikes on an as needed basis rather than in a bulk load. Job centers, social work organizations, food pantries, refugee networks in the Madison area often fit this style well.
WATCH A VIRTUAL INFO SESSION WITH MORE DETAILS ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
*NEWS FOR PROSPECTIVE DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS*
A small application fee will be applied to Bike Distribution Partners. Our fundraising continues to fall short to fund the costly Bike Giveaway program that requires thousands of hours of skilled labor. Many in our community have grown to depend upon our services.
These rates reflect significant subsidies. Labor per bicycle is quantified close to $200 per bike, and many are valued between $400 – $700 retail price.
View the Rates on our Bike Distribution Partner Policy
Funding & Sponsorship of Bicycles
We recommend Bike Distribution Partners to fund the application fees through sponsorships or however they see fit. For schools, be sure to check with organizations that have adopted your school as this is likely a minimal fee for them to cover. *Please note, refunds cannot be given for individuals who do not show up to receive their bikes.
Why the fee structure?
In 2024, we had to make a major change to our program, due to the increases in costs for parts, labor, and services. To reach our goal to have long-term sustainability, and in-response to increasing costs, we have implemented an application fee for Bike Distribution Partners.
- In the past, this program was self-funded by an organization with an annual budget of $204,000 (2024) covering the cost of all the bikes and helmets distributed. We continue to subsidize the costs of bikes heavily by 75-90% of the costs. This fee has been implemented to reduce costs and increase the quality of service.
Bikes for Kids handles collecting and repairing bikes but we rely on our distribution partners to select bike recipients to ensure they’re going to those most in need. These organizations then register bike recipients for the bike giveaway program in the spring.
Applications are reviewed on an individual basis. For first time applicants, it’s best to talk with us about the process before you apply. Applying for bikes requires organizations to have one point of contact to register recipients and coordinate the giveaway event with your families in April/May. Please send an email to start the conversation.
