Cycle Oregon is best known for, well, cycling around Oregon. That part is obvious, but what a lot of people outside of our community don’t realize is that we have a second, equally important part to our mission – giving back to rural Oregon communities. Since its inception in January of 1996, the Cycle Oregon Fund has awarded 225 grants totaling $1.8 million dollars.

“Cycle Oregon depends on the support of small Oregon communities,” says Executive Director Steve Schulz. “Our grant program is one way we try to return the favor. We get to know the people and places that we visit and we learn about their visions for the future. We love coming back to these towns to see how the funding has made a difference!”

In 2016, Cycle Oregon awarded 17 community grants equaling more than $69,000.

Some of these grants were used for:

• A bike repair and fabrication program in Baker City
• Construction of 2 miles of “green rated” single track trail in the Mt Emily Recreation Area near La Grande
• Addition of a splash pad and other playground features in Joseph, Oregon
• Creation of a student run print shop to foster graphic design, business and professional printing skills in Camas Valley, Oregon
• Youth wrestling room for junior high and high school wrestlers in Crane, Oregon
• Installation of three bicycle Fixit stations on the Painted Hills Scenic Bikeway
• Bike parking for 50-57 additional bikes throughout downtown Grants Pass
• Wheelchair basketball equipment for the Rogue Valley Scorpions
• Assistance in the implementation of a rail-to-trail project in Joseph, Oregon
• A bicycle and pedestrian safety program to serve over 500 kids in Jefferson County
• Technical assistance with building a rail-to-trail segment from Joseph to Enterprise, Oregon
• Funds to help the Pine Valley recycling operations in Halfway, Oregon

The Second Act of the Salmonberry

In addition to our community grants, Cycle Oregon also has a Signature grant program. Our most ambitious project to date, The Salmonberry Trail, involves transforming on old storm-ravaged railroad route into a world-class Portland-to-coast adventure trail for bikers and hikers. Over the last four years the Cycle Oregon Fund has donated $200,000 in a continuing effort to restore the Salmonberry trail and we pledge to raise $1,000,000 in total to help make the dream a reality.