Funding & Grant Toolkit for Women's Cycling
How to fund your cycling club, event, or infrastructure campaign — templates, sources, and pitch strategies that work.
Funding Sources
1. Government Funds
| Fund | What It Covers | How to Apply | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ward Discretionary Fund | Local infrastructure (lanes, lights, signage) | Written proposal to ward councillor | ₹2-5 crore per ward |
| Smart Cities Mission | NMT infrastructure in 100 Smart Cities | Proposal to Smart City SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) | Project-based |
| AMRUT 2.0 | Urban transport and mobility | State government application | Project-based |
| MP/MLA LAD Fund | Local area development | Direct request to MP/MLA office | ₹5 crore per MP |
| District Mineral Foundation | Infrastructure in mining districts | Application to DMF committee | Varies by district |
2. Corporate CSR Funds
Companies with net profit above ₹5 crore must spend 2% on CSR (Companies Act, 2013). Cycling qualifies under:
- Schedule VII, Item (i): Promoting health care including preventive health
- Schedule VII, Item (x): Rural/urban development projects
- Schedule VII, Item (ii): Promoting education (girls' cycling programs)
How to approach:
- Google "[Company name] CSR report" — find their CSR focus areas
- Match your project to their stated CSR themes
- Email the CSR head with a 2-page proposal (template below)
- Follow up after 1 week by phone
- Be ready to submit a detailed project proposal if they're interested
Target companies: Look for companies headquartered in your city. IT companies, manufacturing firms, banks, and FMCG companies have the largest CSR budgets.
3. Grants & Foundations
| Organisation | Focus | Grant Size | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomberg Philanthropies | Urban transport & cycling | $50,000-500,000 | bloomberg.org |
| ITDP (Institute for Transport & Development Policy) | Cycling infrastructure in developing countries | Technical support + funding | itdp.org |
| World Cycling Alliance | Women's cycling programs | €5,000-25,000 | worldcyclingalliance.org |
| Clean Air Fund | Active transport projects | $10,000-100,000 | cleanairfund.org |
| Azim Premji Foundation | Social development (education, health) | Project-based | azimpremjifoundation.org |
| Tata Trusts | Community development | Project-based | tatatrusts.org |
| MacArthur Foundation | Climate solutions including transport | $50,000+ | macfound.org |
4. Crowdfunding
For specific projects (buying bikes for a school, funding a women's ride event):
| Platform | Best For | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Milaap | Social impact projects (India) | 5% |
| Ketto | Events, equipment, campaigns (India) | 6% |
| Give India | Tax-exempt donations (if registered NGO) | 5% |
| GoFundMe | International donors | 2.9% + ₹2 per transaction |
Crowdfunding tips:
- Set a specific, achievable goal: "₹2,40,000 to buy 20 bicycles for girls in Government School X"
- Use a compelling photo (girls with bikes beats text every time)
- Share personal story: why this matters to you
- Update donors weekly with progress photos
- Thank every donor publicly (with their permission)
5. Sponsorships
For events and ongoing programs:
| Sponsor Type | What They Get | What You Give |
|---|---|---|
| Title sponsor | Name on event ("The [Brand] She Cycles Ride") | Logo on all materials, banner, social media, jersey |
| Co-sponsor | Logo placement | Logo on select materials, social media mention |
| In-kind sponsor | Brand exposure | Water, snacks, bike repair, venue, T-shirts |
| Media partner | Content + reach | Coverage of the event, social media cross-promotion |
Templates
Template 1: CSR Proposal (2 pages)
[Your Organisation/Club Name] Project Proposal for CSR Partnership
Date: [Date] To: [CSR Head Name], [Company Name]
Project Title: [e.g., "Safe Cycling for 200 Women in [City/Area]"]
Summary: [2-3 sentences: what you'll do, who benefits, what it costs]
Problem: [3-4 sentences: why women don't cycle, specific local data]
Solution: [What you'll deliver — be specific: "Provide 50 bicycles, 10 weeks of training, and safety kits to 200 women in [area]"]
Budget:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bicycles (50 × ₹15,000) | ₹7,50,000 |
| Safety kits (200 × ₹500) | ₹1,00,000 |
| Training program (10 weeks) | ₹1,50,000 |
| Event and communication | ₹50,000 |
| Admin (10%) | ₹1,05,000 |
| Total | ₹11,55,000 |
Impact: [What will change — "200 women cycling independently, ₹36 lakh annual transport savings for families, X% reduction in commute time"]
Visibility for [Company]: [Logo on bikes, media coverage, photo opportunities, CSR report case study, social media content]
About Us: [2 sentences about your organisation, number of members, track record]
Contact: [Name, Phone, Email]
Template 2: Grant Application (1 page summary)
Project Title: [Clear, specific] Organisation: [Name, registration number if applicable] Location: [City, State] Duration: [Start date – End date] Total Budget: [₹ Amount] Amount Requested: [₹ Amount]
Problem Statement: [What problem are you solving? Use data. 3-4 sentences.]
Proposed Solution: [What will you do? Be specific about activities, timeline, beneficiaries. 4-5 sentences.]
Expected Outcomes:
- [Measurable outcome 1: "150 women trained in cycling"]
- [Measurable outcome 2: "3 new cycling clubs established"]
- [Measurable outcome 3: "1 km cycling lane proposed to ward council"]
Sustainability: [How will this continue after the grant ends? "Clubs will be self-sustaining through membership fees. Infrastructure advocacy will continue through trained leaders."]
Team: [Key people, their qualifications, 2-3 bullet points]
Template 3: Sponsorship Pitch Email
Subject: Partnership Opportunity — [Event Name], [Date]
Dear [Name],
We're organising [Event Name] — a [describe: "100-rider women's cycling event through [City] on [Date]"] — and we're looking for a [title sponsor / co-sponsor / in-kind partner].
The event: [2 sentences — what happens, who participates]
The audience: [Number] women cyclists aged [range], active on social media, health and fitness conscious. Our Instagram reach is [number] with [engagement rate].
What we're looking for: [Specific: "₹50,000 sponsorship" or "200 water bottles with your branding" or "Venue for post-ride breakfast"]
What you get:
- Logo on [list: event poster, social media, T-shirts, banner at start/finish]
- [Number] social media posts tagging your brand
- Photo and video content for your marketing
- Mention in post-event press coverage
I'd love to discuss this over a quick call. Are you available this week?
Best, [Your Name] [Phone] [Organisation]
ROI Arguments for Funders
When anyone asks "why should we fund this?", use these numbers:
| Investment | Return |
|---|---|
| ₹1 in cycling infrastructure | ₹5-11 in economic returns (WHO HEAT Tool) |
| 1 bicycle for a girl in Bihar | ₹6,800 cost → 30% increase in school enrolment |
| 1 km cycling lane | Moves 7-12x more people than 1 km car lane (ITDP) |
| ₹15,000 bicycle | Saves ₹18,000/year in transport costs for a woman (IIHS, 2023) |
Financial Management Tips
- Open a separate bank account for your cycling club/project
- Keep receipts for every expense — photograph and store in a Google Drive folder
- Monthly financial update to your WhatsApp group: "This month: ₹X received, ₹Y spent, ₹Z remaining"
- Transparent reporting: if you receive CSR/grant money, publish an annual report (even a 2-page PDF)
- 80G registration: if you plan to receive donations regularly, register under Section 80G for tax exemption