Dick's Sporting Goods has selected the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) for its $75,000 matching grant program through its Sports Matter crowd funding platform. After receiving a $20,000 contribution from Shimano/Pearl Izumi, NICA has 32 days left to raise the balance.
NICA has established middle- or high-school mountain biking leagues in 13 states toward its goal of creating a coast-to-coast league by 2020. "High school mountain biking is destined to become a mainstream sport and it's because of NICA," said Ned Overend, NICA's Honorary Board Chairman.
Dick's Sporting Good Foundation is giving away two million dollars through its Sports Matter crowd funding platform and NICA is number four on the list of 188 applicants in terms of total matching dollar volume. Sports Matter will match donations and release the $75,000 grant only when the goal has been met. If NICA does not raise the money, the donor's credit card transaction is reversed.
Every dollar raised is a dollar matched. Though NICA asked the bike industry to consider making $500 and $1,000 minimum contributions in an effort to help them secure the $75,000 grant, anyone can make a donation at the Sports Matter platform website. "If 5,000 people donated $10 considering current donations, we'd reach our goal," Overend added.
"Otherwise, we could potentially have a Charlie Brown Halloween," said NICA's Development Director Suzette Ayotte, "and walk away with a bag of rocks. I suppose we could construct a cool rock garden on one of our courses ?but with $150,000, we will be able to expand and serve a much larger audience - both in existing leagues and in new regions that currently do not have organized interscholastic cycling"
Added Austin McInerny, NICA's Executive Director, "A lot of people say they love what this organization is doing and repeatedly ask us how to help. This is it. This is how you can help right now. Our demand currently exceeds our capacity and this matching grant will energize our efforts to continue expanding and reaching into previously underserved communities."
