North Carolina Department of Transportation Bicycle Helmet Initiative

North Carolina Department of Transportation Bicycle Helmet Initiative - 2025 Call for Applications

Each year in North Carolina, an average of 20 bicyclists are killed while bicycling, and one in six bicyclists killed in NC are under the age of 16.

Children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for bicycle related injuries more than any other sport. Typically, only 45 percent of children usually wear helmets. Helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88 percent. In an effort to decrease bicycle related injuries across the state, the application will support all youth 17 and under.

Funding for the Bicycle Helmet Initiative is made possible through the “Share the Road” specialty license plate plus federal transportation funds. This popular initiative provides funding to purchases bicycle helmets for the children in North Carolina .

Estimated Timeline:

*Call for Applications - January 7, 2025

*Application Submission Deadline – 5:00 pm, February 14, 2025

*Award Notification - March 2025

*Awardees Estimated to Receive Helmets by April 2025

*Final Bicycle Event Report Submission Deadline - December 31, 2025

NOTE: This application must be completed all at once and cannot be saved and returned to.

Applicant Information

Organization applying for the Bicycle Helmet Initiative*

Contact Person*

Title*

Best Day-Time Phone Number

E-mail Address*

Mailing Address*

(PO Boxes & residential addresses are not acceptable)

City*

State*

Zip Code*

I attest that the information given in this application is true to the best of my knowledge; and I as a participant of a bicycle safety and awareness program in my community do promise to make every effort to distribute any awarded helmets to low-income children who would most benefit from this initiative.*

Signature*

Signature Date*

Application Questionnaire

Was your organization granted helmets in the past?*

Select

The Bicycle Helmet Initiative award is specifically provided to make helmets available to low-income children. Considering this, how many helmets would you be able to distribute?*

Select

Please indicate what sizes your organization is requesting. (Please note these sizes are children's sizes)

For size reference:

Toddler: below 20" (51cm)

Small: 20"–21.75" (51cm–55cm)

Medium: 21.75"–23.25" (55cm–59cm)

Large: 23.25"–24.75" (59cm–63cm)

Select or enter value

Explanation for the requested number of helmets*

List the community groups you plan to partner with to distribute the helmets:*

Support letters can accompany application packet; partnership is not mandatory for qualification but each partnership will increase the application’s chances of award. Please be as detailed as possible when considering and listing partners. These partners would typically include those who will help distribute the helmets such as police/ fire departments, health departments, local parks and rec committees, etc.

Please list any bicycle safety programs or events you are aware of in your local area.*

(include school, police and community programs – Use space to state if no programs exist in your area).

One of the goals of our program is to promote bicycle safety to children by not only stressing the importance of wearing protective gear when riding, but also educating children on safety practices. Do you plan on incorporating any educational material along with the distribution?*

Educational material can include: safety brochures, utilizing the North Carolina “Let’s Go NC!” Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Curriculum (https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/BikePed/Pages/LetsGoNC.aspx), holding bike rodeos, etc.

Select or enter value

If yes, please describe.*

Describe any helmet or bicycle safety initiatives or events you were involved with in the last year. Include information on the target audience and how many individuals were reached:*

Narrative Description

In the space provided, please describe your bicycle safety program and how helmets will be distributed to low income children.*

Documentation Upload

Upload Letters of Support and any other needed documentation such as examples of educational materials.

File Upload

Drag and drop files here or

All groups/organizations that receive helmet awards through the Bicycle Helmet Initiative will be required to forward a brief summary report following the guidelines posted on the website: https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/BikePed/Pages/Bicycle-Helmet-Initiative.aspx

Failure to upload distribution reports can influence award decisions for future years. For all pictures that accompany reports, a signed parental consent must be kept on record by the host organization for a period of three years.

NCDOT, Integrated Mobility Division reserves the right to use information and images furnished through this initiative at its own discretion.

I understand that a summary report following the program's guideline must be submitted by the end of the awarding year.*

I understand that I/my organization must obtain parental consent for all images.*

Notes

1. Submission of application to the Bicycle Helmet Initiative is not a guarantee of award.

2. PO Boxes and Residential mailing addresses are not acceptable for helmet delivery. These addresses are screened by our helmet vendor and will be not be processed. Only manned commercial addresses should be provided to receive helmets. Please verify the address provided meets this criteria in order to avoid delays.

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