Iowa Bicycling Action Fund Launched – Iowa Bicycling Action Fund

I have big news. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition has launched an affiliated 501c4 organization – the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund. This is a new organization that is going to work side-by-side with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, but allow give us more tools to advocate for bicycling. This may seem confusing, but to simply break it down – our lobbying efforts will now be handled by the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund. Bike safety education, safe routes to schools, bike route promotion, and the Iowa Bicycle Summit will remain at IBC. Both organizations will share the IBC staff, offices, and phone/IT systems, so the operations may not look much different from the outside.

We should be using every tool available to increase bike infrastructure funding and pass safe and sensible bike laws. There are some things a 501c4 group like the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund can do:

A 501c4 organization will expand our bicycle advocacy capacity.
A 501c4 can endorse individual candidates for state elections.
Finally, a 501c4 can communicate about PAC fundraising.

The next challenge is funding this new organization. The Iowa Bicycling Action Fund needs to raise money to achieve our goals. We usually don’t like to talk about this part, but the truth is lobbyists, database systems, and action alert platforms cost money. Our budget is $20,000 to get things moving at the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund.

We are seeking investors, rather than members for this new organization. Your investment will yield progress on bike laws and trail/bike lane funding, rather than a monetary return or membership services. This is our nonprofit version of a series A funding round. Investors who contribute $1,000 or more will be given the status of Founding Investor. Investors who contribute between $1 and $999 will be able to say they were in the first round of funding investments.

Make Your Investment in Bike Advocacy

If you are ready to contribute $1,000 or more as a Founding Investor, please visit https://www.crowdpac.com/d/foundinginvestor to get started.

If you are ready to contribute $1 to $999 in the first round of investments for the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund, please visit https://www.crowdpac.com/c/iabicycling to get started.

I look forward to working together with you, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, and the Iowa Bicycling Action Fund.

Keep moving forward,

Mark Wyatt
Executive Director, Iowa Bicycle Coalition
CEO, Iowa Bicycling Action Fund