RIDING FOR FOCUS (R4F)

R4F is a school-based rider education program. R4F aims to promote cycling as an outlet for students to improve their social, emotional, and cognitive well-being by enabling young riders with all the basic skills and knowledge they need to be "road-ready." 

Schools can acquire R4F via two pathways - by purchasing the program, or for schools serving low-income communities, by applying for a program grant. 

Schools are provided with everything they need to get their 6th-8th grade students riding, including bikes, helmets, curriculum, and teacher training. 

Riding for Focus has been implemented in over 350 schools—providing cycling education and access to bikes to over 50,000 students during their school day—and schools in our R4F network primarily serve communities where the majority of their students qualify for free/reduced lunches.

WHAT SCHOOLS NEED TO CONSIDER

• Core Team: This normally includes a Program Champion, typically the PE teacher, who will lead the program; Administrator, who will provide support and approvals; and a Community Support Team (such as a bike shop, bike club, bike non-profit, volunteers, etc).
• 6-3-20: Ideally, schools should be prepared to run the school program a minimum of 6 weeks, 3 days a week, with at least 20 minutes of riding each of those days—weather permitting. However, we understand that each school has a unique schedule, time limitations, and class sizing.
• Cycling Sustainability Plan: This includes a succession plan for the core team, with a focus on developing a back up for the primary Program Champion. Grant recipients must commit to running the program for a minimum of three years.
• Safe Riding Opportunities: A place for the Riding for Focus curriculum lesson implementation and skills learning: this might be a track, field, parking lot, or tennis court. 
• Equipment Storage Plan: Schools should demonstrate an ability to safely store program equipment, including bikes and helmets.

Before Applying

• Throughly review our grant guidelines, FAQ, and website. 
• Think through what this means for your school and plan. R4F is an undertaking, and should not be considered "low-lift." The last thing we want is for the equipment to be underutilized or not used at all. 
• Please understand our eligibility rules. We will only grant to public middle schools serving students from low-income communities. We no longer make R4F grants to nonprofit organizations, however a public middle school may partner with a nonprofit for implementation. All equipment is granted directly to the school.