RAGBRAI has announced that the 2026 RAGBRAI Community Fund will directly support Iowa’s Community Bicycle Shops, strengthening local bicycle access, safety, education, and mobility across the state. Funds raised this year will be distributed among six nonprofit community bike organizations that work every day to ensure more Iowans can ride.
From providing free bikes to those in need, to youth cycling programs, to infrastructure and policy advocacy, these organizations share a common mission:
Make bicycling more accessible, more equitable, and more welcoming for all.
• Beneficiary Organizations
The Community Fund will support:
These shops repair and redistribute bikes, teach maintenance skills, provide volunteer opportunities, support youth development, and help people overcome transportation barriers.
• Why Community Bicycle Shops?
RAGBRAI states that community bicycle shops:
"Advance the common goal of making bicycles accessible to all."
Some focus on getting bikes to unhoused neighbors or Iowans in transition.
Others work on infrastructure and policy to make cycling safer for everyone.
Many devote resources to youth empowerment, teaching kids mechanical skills, confidence, and independence.
• How Funds Will Be Raised
Participants, teams, supporters, and Iowa communities will have multiple opportunities to contribute throughout RAGBRAI LIII, including:
-
Registration add-on donations
-
Merchandise and apparel tie-ins
-
On-the-route fundraising activations
-
Direct donations through the Community Fund page
Learn more or donate: RAGBRAI.com/gives
• Find a Community Bicycle Shop Near You:
The organizations listed above are always looking for volunteers, bicycle donations, and community support.
~~~
Find out more about how your RAGBRAI registration helps make give-back programs like this feasible.
Behind the Wristband - The True Cost of RAGBRAI -BIKEIOWA’s Perspective on Registration, Responsibility, and the Million-Dollar Impact