PeopleForBikes, the industry supported movement to make bicycling better for everyone, is partnering with the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to aid in the development of interscholastic middle and high school mountain biking programs across the United States.

PeopleForBikes will provide NICA with more than $32,000 in cash support during 2015: $15,000 from the PeopleForBikes Coalition and $17,000 from the PeopleForBikes Foundation and its Paul David Clark Bicycling Safety Fund. The Clark Fund is a legacy project dedicated to Paul Clark-a San Francisco bike rider who died in a bicycle-truck collision in 2005. The Clark Fund focuses on initiatives that promote safety and youth ridership. It has previously supported programs like San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s Healthy Saturdays events, the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League, Transportation Alternatives’ Campaign for Car-Free Parks, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s Share the Road event, and PeopleForBikes’ Roll Together campaign.

“PeopleForBikes is proud to support NICA with this additional funding in 2015,” said President of PeopleForBikes, Tim Blumenthal. “We know that NICA's 15 leagues across the country play an important role in introducing teens and their families to the joy of mountain biking and we are pleased to invest in this work.”

PeopleForBikes and NICA will collaborate on efforts to introduce and promote bicycling to more people where NICA leagues are operating across the U.S. The organizations will work together to educate NICA’s licensed coaches, student-athletes and their parents on ways to get involved in PeopleForBikes’ work to make better bicycling in America through community outreach and activism.

“NICA is honored to partner with PeopleForBikes to help grow a unified front for advocating for bicycling on a national level,” said NICA’s Executive Director, Austin McInerny. “NICA is thankful for the support and applauds PeopleForBikes’ 5X goals: to create 5X the mileage of singletrack riding available in the U.S. and a 5X leap in the number of bike parks that provide dirt riding options for kids and kids-at-heart by 2025.”

PeopleForBikes grants and programs bring resources to communities across the country to build and improve bicycle infrastructure projects, including mountain bike trails, bike parks and BMX facilities.

“Our family could not think of a better investment in the future of youth bicycling than an investment in NICA,” said Blair Clark, brother of Paul and board president of the PeopleForBikes Foundation. “NICA's core values of enabling every student-athlete to develop a strong body, a strong mind and a strong character through their efforts on the bike is a fitting tribute to my brother Paul's life whose love of the outdoors and cycling in particular, made him a role model for others.”

To learn more about joining or starting a NICA league, visit: http://www.nationalmtb.org/.