Discounts, Fundraising and Scholarships

Thank you for your interest in Ibike. Most Ibike programs are fund raising programs for the International Bicycle Fund. Generally there are no scholarships as such, but reductions may be available to certain participants.

Development workers (i.e. Peace Corps Volunteers) can receive up to a twenty percent discount. For programs in countries where the individual has relevant language skills or specialized relevant knowledge, additional reductions may be available.
Applicants that can show need (i.e. full-time students) can receive up to a twenty percent discount. In the case of students our decision will based on three primary factors: 1) the level and kind of financial assistance they receive from their school; 2) their level of commitment to raising donation to support their participation (see below); and, 3) any other statements or information submitted on behalf of the request for assistance.
Any individual fund raising for the International Bicycle Fund receives credit towards program fees.

Briefly, here is how the last option works: On Ibike programs sponsored by IBF, twenty percent of the fee goes directly to IBF and is tax deductible in the United States to the extent allowed by law. You can collect the deductible portion from any person(s) wishing to make a tax deductible contribution to IBF. (If you want you can collect money based on the number of miles you will ride or any other scheme that may help your effort and is legal.)

If you raise more than the "twenty percent figure," for every four dollars in donations you collect above this amount you will be given a one dollar credit on the "eighty percent figure." On a program costing $1000 (initially 20% ($200) is tax-deductible and 80% ($800) is the balance), the discount works as follows:

1) If you collect $600 in contributions to IBF you would owe a balance of $700.

$600 is $400 more than the 20% ($200) ($600-$200=$400)

for the $400 you receive a $100 dollar credit (400/4=$100) on the 80% figure

reducing your payment of $800 to $700 ($800-$100=$700.)

2) If you collect $3400 in contributions to IBF you would owe a balance of $0.

$3400 is $3200 more than the 20% ($200)

for the $3200 collect you receive a $800 credit on the 80% figure

reducing your payment of $800 to $0.

You have to turn in the contributions you collect and pay the balance before the program. In all cases the participant is still responsible for their transportation to the program and out-of-pocket expenses, so you will still need some money in the bank or a benefactor.

Fund Raising

If you don't have the money in the bank, you are probably going to have to do two kinds of fund raising. By collecting "donations" for the International Bicycle Fund you can earn credit for the cost of the program. But, you still need your own "cash" for air fare and out-of-pocket expenses, so you will need to raise this kind of money as well.

There are probably an infinite variety of strategies for raising money, but the take initiative.

You best sources for "cash" are sources where tax-deductibility is not an issue:

Ask your friends and relatives to give present to a special "extended education account" for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, graduation, etc.
Contact your church, Rotary or other organization and contract for an advance in exchange for doing a slide show or speech on the trip when you return.
Establish a business where people will be sent a postcard from some distant place you will be visiting. Bear in mind, the combined cost of the postcard and stamp may more than a dollar, so the price of this unique opportunity could be $10 and up. Then before you leave remember to take all the addresses so you can send the cards! (Trying to do a full-scale import business is more complicated and more risky. It is best to devise a business venture that is manageable.)
Look for educational grants that are available for educational travel.
Think of how you experience with be an asset to your school or community. Maybe the school's social studies teachers can find some money if you promise to be a resource person for them when you return.
Checkout all the magazines read by your peers and see if any articles are bought from readers. Arrange to sell an article and photographs to the magazine (selling points that you might want to embellish are the experience will be intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual and social.)
Do a fund raising dinner feature the food and music of the country you will be visiting. If there is a national citizen from country living locally they can be a big help with projects like this.

There are more restrictions on money collected as tax-deductible contributions. If the donor wants the tax-deduction from contribution, it has to go entirely to the tax-exempt organization, the International Bicycle Fund. Often this is done in the context of "pledges" that are made per mile to be traveled, a flat amount or some other formula that you might devise that people will respond to. We can send you pledge forms to help you with this.

A lot of your success with this depends upon your creativity and enthusiasm. We wish you luck. Please let us know if you have any questions or want materials for fund raising please contact us.

For additional ideas on fundraising see Fund-Raising.com