March 8/22 17:11 pm - National Cycling Institute Milton Receives $150,000 Grant

Posted by Editoress on 03/8/22
 

The Rapha Foundation has awarded the Mattamy Cycling Centre-based National Cycling Institute Milton (NCIM) a grant of $150,000 US - almost $200,000 Canadian - over three years to support and develop community programs.

We spoke with NCIM Executive Director Chris Reid about the funding:  "We're obviously super excited about it. My personal belief, coming out of COVID, is that there has been a lot of interest in bikes but not necessarily the momentum we need. The is a really great chance for us to capitalize on some of that interest. We can return to normal programming and try some of the things that were aspirational when our organization was founded."

The proposal the NCIM submitted revolved around building the grassroots base of people who can ride the track and engage with cycling. So it will include partnering with Cycling Canada for their Hop-On program. The NCIM programming will include summer camps (starting this summer), getting out to schools, and helping sports clubs come and ride the track. They will also pilot an after-school program. "Just giving a broader cross-section of Milton and the surrounding area access to what the velodrome entails," explains Reid.

According a release:

The National Cycling Institute of Milton will join a global network of grantees awarded to support community programs in growing the next generation of high-promise athletes. The Canadian-based cycling organization is set to benefit from the sixth round of funding, receiving $150,000 in support of its aim is to encourage, inspire and support underrepresented young people to thrive in the sport of cycling. NCIM Executive Director Chris Reid said "The Rapha Foundation grant will allow us to build on the work we've done in the first five years of the NCIM - to deepen and broaden our reach in the local community. The velodrome can be a catalyst for growing the sport in this country and the Rapha Foundation support goes a long way to helping accomplish that."

The funding provided to the National Cycling Institute Milton will allow NCIM to support and encourage the individual performance of U23, women and other underrepresented groups who face barriers in engaging with the sport.

The National Cycling Institute Milton (NCIM) is a not for profit organization formed to advance cycling in Milton and across Canada. In partnership with the Town of Milton and Cycling Canada's Hop-On program, the NCIM offers a full range of indoor track cycling opportunities to service cyclists of all abilities. NCIM operates programming that spans from try-the-tracks all the way to advanced training for athletes. They also run youth high-performance programs as well as child out-reach via school trips and summer camps.

Funding from the Rapha Foundation will help the NCIM to create better awareness of the sport of cycling as a lifelong pursuit. This will be accomplished by expanding NCIM's community programming beyond Milton and Southwestern Ontario through building upon their current three-pronged approach of 'Try the Track' programs for schools, summer camps and sports groups. The organization will support and encourage the individual performance of U23, women and other underrepresented groups.

ncirevolution.com