Between 2008 and 2013 over 1,100 Climate Riders have ridden more than 364,640 miles for the cause. By the end of 2014, Climate Ride will surpass $2 million to its 100+ beneficiaries working for sustainability, bike advocacy and active transportation. In 2013 alone, Climate Ride granted more than $500,000 to its beneficiaries and this year we’re projected to grant $650,000.
Continue reading to see Climate Ride grants in action…
In addition to these quantitative successes, the qualitative impacts from Climate Riders raising awareness, reaching out to thousands of donors, and showing a commitment to safer streets, a cleaner environment and a stable climate are immeasurable.
You can help Climate Ride continue to grow by donating today to the Annual Fund and Bike Giveaway campaign. This campaign will help Climate Ride improve programs, launch new events, and grant more money to its beneficiaries like Citizens Climate Lobby.
The success of Climate Ride has a strong ripple effect on the work being done on the ground by our amazing beneficiaries. Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) is just one of these beneficiaries that is making a huge difference. There is still time to register and support Citizens Climate Lobby on Climate Ride Midwest and Climate Ride NYC-DC!
CCL’s mission is to create political will for a livable world; to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in their personal and political power.
CCL volunteers focus solely on passing revenue neutral carbon fee and dividend legislation by educating and engaging the public, the media, and elected officials. Once implemented, this solution will drastically reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions and is a bold first step towards saving our climate for our children, grandchildren, and many generations to come.
Their strategy is simple –empower individuals so that they know they can make a difference. CCL’s volunteers break down partisan and ideological barriers by reaching out to key stakeholders to build positive, working relationships. By empowering their volunteers to experience significant growth of their own political and personal power, they help them discover and celebrate their own capacity to make a difference.
CCL’s nearly 6,000 volunteers are able to build alliances and develop relationships with key stakeholders. They are currently active in 350 out of 435 Congressional districts, and should have all districts covered by the end of 2014.
Approximately 20 million individuals have read pieces published by their volunteers. CCL is more than doubling in size and expects to number more than 35,000 volunteer lobbyists in two years. With these trends in mind, one begins to realize just how possible it is for them to pass national carbon fee and dividend legislation.
As a direct result of the generous grants of Climate Ride 2013, CCL was able to fund a new office located in Washington D.C., for Legislative Director, Daniel Richter. The result: CCL’s most influential year yet. Danny also participated, completing the ride from NYC to D.C. with 3 other CCL members. A total of 8 Climate Riders raised funds for CCL over the course of the year and two rides. The direct fundraising from Climate Ride paid for 10 months of rent for the office. Danny now has space for 4 new interns this summer to aid in the research and other work needed for CCL’s success on Capitol Hill in passing a carbon fee and dividend.
In addition to the new office, Climate Ride grants from last year and this year contributed to continued expansion of CCL. In June 2013, 367 volunteers came to DC for the Citizens’ Climate Education Corp 2013 Annual Conference. After the conference, many volunteers remained in D.C. for Citizens’ Climate Lobby Week. Those volunteers met with 439 offices on Capitol Hill, reaching 82% of Congress. Volunteers also met with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. This year, they will have 600 volunteers and 30 NGOs in our nation’s capital, and they intend to meet with every single congressional office.
In 2013, their volunteers held a total of 710 meetings with the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament. These were not “hit and run” meetings. CCL volunteers build long-term relationships with members of Congress, and many of their meetings were second, third, or even fourth meetings in a year. For example, over three years, we have met nine times with the staff of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. During the 2013 Lobby Week, their volunteers met with Congressman Cantor in his office in the Capitol Building.
CCL volunteers published 1,267 letters to the editor and 251 op-eds in 2013. They met with 46 editorial boards; those papers printed 41 editorials calling on Congress to solve the climate crisis, and half of those endorsed their proposal. Their volunteers appeared on media blogs and were interviewed on radio/TV programs a total of 286 times. They also conducted 697 outreach events. (see graph)
Their primary focus is to pass carbon fee and dividend legislation in the U.S., but they are also supporting volunteers replicating their model abroad. At this time, they have programs in eleven other countries including Canada, England, Germany, Australia and India.