New fundraising platform and new name aim to attract more partners to get more kids on bikes

MORGAN HILL, CA •  July 22, 2019 — The Specialized Foundation, a non-profit focusing on using cycling as a tool for children to achieve academic, health, and social success, today announced an expansion and a name change to Outride. This marks a milestone as the organization has matured and launched a new fundraising platform, and now looks to grow beyond its founding sponsor, Specialized Bicycle Components.

Outride will focus on three core pillars – Research, Riding for Focus, and the new Outride Fund. These pillars will drive efforts to learn more about cycling’s positive effects on the brain, get more kids on bikes, and empower communities to drive positive change through cycling.

The new Outride Fund is a public fundraising platform dedicated to growing community cycling programs, fostering new trail projects, and supporting Riding for Focus programs. The new donation matching program is projected to total more than $1.2 million in matched grants within the first year. Outride will continue to invest in research with Stanford University as well as continue to grow the Riding for Focus school-based programs. This year, Outride’s Riding for Focus program will engage more than 33,000 students across 130 schools in The United States and Canada.

“We are forever grateful for what we have built with Specialized, and we look forward to continue growing beyond where we are today,” said David Wood, Program Director for Outride. “This move positions us to build new riders and bring in new partners.”

Specialized Bicycle Components will remain a key partner and donor to help drive Outride into the future.

“Specialized is fully committed to helping Outride succeed and carry out our vision for the future of youth cycling,” said Mike Sinyard, Founder of Specialized Bicycle Components. “This is a beautiful and timely opportunity to let this non-profit soar to new heights as it grows beyond Specialized, beyond the cycling industry, and hopefully one day into the lives of youth around the world. We will continue to invest our time and energy into sharing the cycling experience with today’s youth and look forward to fostering growth with new partners.”

To get involved and to learn more about Outride, please sign up for our Newsletters and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to join the conversation. Visit the Outride website at outridebike.org.

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About Outride

Outride is a 501c3 non-profit focused on providing evidenced–based cycling interventions to improve social, emotional, and cognitive health. Outride invests in research, school cycling programs, and fundraising tools to empower youth riders and their communities. Outride launched in 2019 and was originally founded in 2015 as The Specialized Foundation.