The Basics
Friendship Circle works with adaptive bike companies from around the world to secure discounted pricing, making it easier for families to raise money for a bike. The Great Bike Giveaway offers a fundraising platform for families of children and teens who are in need of an adaptive bike.
Timeline
February 1, 12:00pm
Great Bike Giveaway Registration Opens
March 7, 12:00pm
Great Bike Giveaway Registration Ends.
March 21, 12:00pm
Great Bike Giveaway Fundraising Ends.
*All times are Eastern Time
The Process
Step One: Decide on the appropriate bike for your child.
All of the bikes offered through the Great Bike Giveaway are designed to suit the needs of different individuals. Make sure to view all of the bikes available at bikes.friendshipcircle.org/bikes. Make sure to consult with your child’s physical therapist on the most appropriate bike for your child.
Step Two: Register for the Great Bike Giveaway.
In order to take part in the Great Bike Giveaway and raise money for a bike, you will need to complete a registration form (registration will open on February 1st.) The form will ask you for contact information as well as other campaign related information. You will then select the bike you will fundraise for with the cost of the bike as your fundraising goal. To register, visit http://bikes.friendshipcircle.org/registration
Step Three: Start Fundraising
Once you have registered, you will receive a fundraising page to start raising money for your bike. Your page will have an image of your child, the text you have posted, and a meter showing how far you are to your goal. For fundraising tips visit bikes.friendshipcircle.org/resources?tips
Step Four: Reaching your goal.
Once you reach the goal shown on your page, you will be able to receive your bike. Friendship Circle will reach out to you with some necessary information and put you in touch with the adaptive bike company in order for your to receive your bike.
Step Five: Fundraising for others.
Once you have reached your goal, we strongly suggest that you keep on fundraising to help others in the campaign also receive a bike. Any excess money raised from campaigns that have reached their goal will go towards helping individuals who were unable to reach their goal (but raised 50% or more of their goal). This will help others in the same bike category reach their goal (For example, If you selected a Rifton bike and raised $1,000 extra, that $1,000 will be designated for entrants who selected a Rifton bike but could not meet their fundraising goal).
Six Benefits of the Great Bike Giveaway Platform
Six Benefits of the Great Bike Giveaway Platform
The Great Bike Giveaway provides many benefits that will make it easier than ever to secure a bike for a child or teen with special needs.
1. Discounted Pricing
Working with the sponsoring adaptive bike companies, Friendship Circle is able to provide a significant discount to people who participate in the Great Bike Giveaway.
2. Raising Together
Raising money by yourself for your own needs can be an uncomfortable experience at best. Our platform brings together hundreds of individuals all working towards the same goal of getting a bike for their child. In addition, the Great Bike Giveaway platform makes it easy to raise money for multiple people,removing the stigma of raising money for just yourself.
3. Amazing Fundraising Tools
Friendship Circle provides a complete set of fundraising tools that will give people the ability to raise money more effectively and encourage people to join their fundraising team.
4. Marketing Help
Friendship Circle will provide a number of marketing tools and marketing support to help you reach out to your friends, family members, employers, the media and more. In addition, Friendship Circle is planning a marketing campaign to raise awareness and encourage as many people as possible to get involved and donate.
5. We help you reach your goal
With the Great Bike Giveaway, participants may be able to receive a bike provided they have raised at least 50% of their goal.
6. Matching Opportunities
The Great Bike Giveaway provides a matching tool where foundations and companies can offer a match for any money raised.
Three Most Asked Questions About The Great Bike Giveaway
Three Most Asked Questions About The Great Bike Giveaway
The Great Bike Giveaway provides many benefits that will make it easier than ever to secure a bike for a child or teen with special needs.
1. What happens if I don’t reach my goal?
If you raise at least 50% of your goal you will still have a chance of receiving a bike.
At the end of the campaign, general donations from a number of different sources will be gathered together and distributed to people who are close to reaching their goal. Participants that are closer to reaching their goal will receive donated funds first followed by participants who are farther from their goal until there are no more funds left. To be eligible for these funds you will need to raise at least 50% of your goal.
Donations come from several different sources:
- Any participants that raise more money than their goal will go towards others who have not yet reached their goal.
- General donations made to Great Bike Giveaway that are not given to a specific participant.
- There will also be additional bikes donated by some of the bike companies.
Still have questions? Make sure to email us at gbghelp@friendshipcircle.org
2. Is the Great Bike Giveaway structured differently from previous years?
The Great Bike Giveaway structure was changed in 2017. In previous years the focus was on receiving as many votes as possible in order to win a bike. Last year we eliminated voting and will be focused on crowdfunding for people to receive a bike. This provides more transparency and enables participants to fundraise specifically for their child.
3. How do donations work?
- All money donated via the Great Bike Giveaway platform will a tax-deductible donation to Friendship Circle.
- Once a fundraising goal is reached Friendship Circle distributes the funds to the selected adaptive bike company.
- The bike companies will in turn be in touch with the fundraiser to arrange delivery.
- All donations are tax deductible. Friendship Circle is a 501c(3) non-profit organization. After you a donation is made the donor will receive an email receipt. If the donation is made by check a receipt will be mailed. If you are donating to a family member’s fundraising campaign, we suggest you speak to your tax advisor.