RIDER ASSISTANCE

The Georgia Cycling Association works hard to ensure our programs are open and inclusive to all students, regardless of their resources. We are committed to helping every teenager in Georgia experience the joy of mountain biking. Cycling is a healthy lifestyle everyone should experience and we don’t want financial hardships to become an obstacle.

As part of our ongoing effort to lower barriers to entry, we offer two rider assistance programs. Each of these needs-based programs exists to help offset expenses directly related to participation in Georgia Cycling programs like TeamMTB.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Georgia Cycling Association works hard to ensure our programs are open and inclusive to all students regardless of their financial situation. The Georgia Cycling Financial Assistance Program presented by Arcus Capital Partners is a needs-based financial assistance program that works to reduce barriers so that all students have access to Georgia Cycling programs.

This financial assistance program can be used to help underwrite registration costs for both the Georgia Cycling TeamMTB Program and the Georgia Cycling Race Series.

Georgia Cycling wants to extend a huge thank you to Arcus Captial Partners and the generosity of individual donors who fuel this essential program.

  • The parent or guardian should complete the form below. Due to the limited amount of financial assistance we have to offer, we prioritize riders participating in all team practices and events for the 2023 season.

  • Who qualifies as “in need”? If you request assistance, we trust that you need it. We don’t look at your taxes or your pay stubs, your application will provide us with all the information we need.

  • As an organization, we recognize the value in creating ownership and commitment on the part of the applicant. Therefore, we request that families contribute even a small amount toward their registration fees. We do not want this to be a heavy financial burden, just a token of shared participation and commitment.

  • If awarded a financial assistance package, either the parent or the student-athlete will be required to write a letter explaining how the program benefited your family and/or the rider. Your identity will be kept confidential at your request.

LOANER BIKE PROGRAM

The Georgia Cycling Association never wants the lack of mountain bike access to stand in the way of a child’s desire to ride. The Specialized Loaner Bike Program is a needs-based program that works to loan bikes for use at Georgia Cycling events such as practices and races.

With the generosity of individual donors, we have acquired a small fleet of bikes to be used by junior high and high school student-athletes facing economic circumstances that prevent them from owning a mountain bike. Our goal is to provide bike access for every student-athlete who has the desire to ride.

  • This is a need-based program; consideration will only be given to those who have a financial need for assistance.

  • All teams are encouraged to adopt a minimum level of academic performance to retain the use of association-owned loaner bikes. At the very least, student-athletes must meet the "no pass, no play" threshold as established by the State Board of Education in order to qualify for and retain the use of a Georgia Cycling loaner bike. Head coaches are responsible for ensuring their student-athletes comply with set standards.

  • Due to the limited number of loaner bikes, riders receiving a loaner bike must commit to participating in all team practices and events during the 2024 season.

rider Assistance Application

This application must be completed by a student-athlete’s parent or legal guardian. Applications for the 2024 season will be considered in the order in which the applications were received. Our team reviews applications on a rolling basis and will be in touch once an application has been reviewed.

While we are committed to making our programs accessible, the reality is that our funds are limited and we strive to provide opportunities to as many applicants as possible; therefore, we are rarely able to award financial assistance to cover 100% of a student-athlete’s fees.