Bicycle Coalition of Maine

What Bicycle Coalition of Maine does

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy and education organization founded in 1992 and headquartered at 38 Diamond Street, Portland, Maine. BCM's core activities are split across three functional areas: (1) legislative and infrastructure advocacy, including authorship of Maine's 2007 three-foot clearance law, 2015 vulnerable-users statute, 2019 e-bike classification legislation, and instrumental involvement in MaineDOT's 2014 statewide Complete Streets Policy; (2) bicycle and pedestrian safety education, delivered through school-based youth programs, adult and workplace workshops, monthly Wednesday Webinars, and the Earn-A-Bike program serving low-income individuals in the Bangor region; and (3) community-based programming, including signature events (Maine Woods Rambler, Maine Lobster Ride, Joy Ride Fundraiser) and a library e-bike loan program. The organization has no proprietary technology product; its core "platform" is the Community Spokes network of 160+ trained volunteer advocates across all 16 Maine counties.

BCM's revenue model is diversified across individual donations, tiered business memberships (ranging from $100 Ambassador to $5,000+ Hero level, with L.L. Bean, Central Maine Power, and Tandem Coffee Roasters as visible Hero-level supporters), government grants and contracts (notably with MaineDOT for Safe Routes to School and with Maine CDC for Walking School Bus and Heads Up! initiatives), and event registration fees. Programs and services are delivered free to end users including schools, municipalities, low-income individuals, and the general public; the organization is privately funded rather than investor-backed. Leadership transitioned in 2024 with Andrew Zarro, formerly of the Portland City Council, appointed Executive Director. BCM is affiliated with national organizations including the League of American Bicyclists, PeopleForBikes, East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Adventure Cycling Association.

Name

Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Legal name

Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Website

https://bikemaine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that advocates for bicycle and pedestrian safety through statewide education programs, legislative advocacy, and a 160+ volunteer Community Spokes network spanning all 16 Maine counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Active Transportation Advocacy and Bicycle Safety Education

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals) (EDALAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF)

Keywords

• Bicycle safety education
• Pedestrian advocacy
• Active transportation
• Complete streets policy
• Community cycling programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Memberships: The organization is powered by donations from individual members and business members who pay annual membership fees at various tiers ranging from $100 to $5,000+ annually.
2. Business Memberships: Business members at all levels support local advocacy initiatives, community safety and education, and provide opportunities for Mainers to connect and promote bike and pedestrian friendly initiatives. Membership tiers include Hero Level ($5,000+), Champion Level ($2,000+), Leader Level ($1,000+), Sustainer ($750+), Community ($500+), Supporting ($250+), and Ambassador ($100+).
3. Government Grants and Contracts: Partnership with MaineDOT to manage the Maine Safe Routes to School program. Additional funding from Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention for programs like the Walking School Bus Program.
4. Event Revenue: The organization hosts signature events including the Maine Woods Rambler, Maine Lobster Ride, Joy Ride Fundraiser, and East Bayside Trail Fest, some with registration fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers statewide bicycle and pedestrian safety education, grassroots advocacy, and active transportation technical assistance across all 16 Maine counties. Its offerings include a Community Spokes volunteer advocate network, youth and adult education programs, an Earn-A-Bike program for low-income individuals, municipal technical assistance for safe-route and Complete Streets planning, and signature fundraising cycling events.

Product overview

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as an advocacy and education coalition rather than a product-based company. Its offerings consist of advocacy programs (Community Spokes, Youth Community Spokes, Imagine People Here tactical urbanism, Transportation Technical Assistance), education services (Youth Education, Adult Education, Wednesday Webinars, Earn-A-Bike, Library E-Bike Loan Program), community events (Maine Woods Rambler, Maine Lobster Ride, and other cycling events), and resources (Greater Portland Bikeability Map, Where-to-Ride catalog). The organization functions as a statewide network connecting municipalities, cyclists, pedestrians, and community advocates to improve active transportation infrastructure and safety across Maine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Spokes Program Statewide network of trained local advocates who work on cycling and pedestrian infrastructure projects in their communities across all 16 counties of Maine.
• Earn-A-Bike Program Program providing education and bicycles to low-income individuals and families in the Bangor region. Students learn bike mechanics and traffic safety skills, and graduates receive a fully refurbished bicycle, helmet, lock, and safety lights.
• Youth Education School-based programs including classroom presentations (30-50 min), bike safety rodeos on mock-traffic courses, Fix-a-Bike mechanics sessions, instructional rides, off-road bicycle education, and walking school buses/bike trains.
• Adult Education Workplace and community presentations on bicycle/pedestrian safety, hands-on Fix-A-Bike mechanics workshops, urban riding classes, and mountain bike instruction for beginner to intermediate riders.
• Imagine People Here Tactical urbanism program that installs temporary demonstration projects to show how simple infrastructure changes can make significant safety improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Transportation Technical Assistance Program Technical support for municipalities to develop safe routes for Mainers to bicycle, walk, and roll, including bike and walk audits.
• Library E-Bike Loan Program Partnership with participating libraries allowing residents with library cards to borrow Class I electric-assist bicycles to explore car-free personal transportation.
• Bike Rack Program Program providing bike racks to communities and organizations to promote active transportation.
• Maine Woods Rambler Annual multi-day bike tour through Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness showcasing people, places, food, and culture of Maine.
• Maine Lobster Ride Annual recreational cycling event featuring Maine's coast and seafood.

Quantifiable outcome

• Safe Routes to School program recognized as national model by Safe Routes to School National Partnership in 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, hero, champion and minor.

• Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to manage the Maine Safe Routes to School program. Coalition played instrumental role in MaineDOT's adoption of statewide Complete Streets Policy in 2014.
• Maine Center for Disease Control & PreventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding partner for the Maine Walking School Bus Program launched in 2013 and Heads Up! Pedestrian Safety Initiative launched in 2017.
• Portland Gear HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Bikes for All Mainers program operations since 2015. Provides refurbished bicycles and bike maintenance education.
• L.L. BeanheroGTM or Marketing PartnerHero Level Business Member ($5,000+) supporting local advocacy initiatives and community safety programs.
• Tandem Coffee RoastersheroGTM or Marketing PartnerHero Level Business Member supporting advocacy and providing coffee donations for events like Bike to Work Day.
• Central Maine PowerheroGTM or Marketing PartnerHero Level Business Member supporting the Coalition's mission.
• AARP MainechampionGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion Level Business Member supporting active transportation advocacy for older adults.
• League of American BicyclistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational bicycling advocacy organization; BCM is affiliated and staff include League Cycling Instructors.
• PeopleForBikescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational bicycling organization working on e-bike policy and infrastructure improvements.
• Adventure Cycling AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational cycling organization focused on bike touring and routes.
• East Coast Greenway AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrail advocacy and development along the east coast; BCM board member Allison Burson serves as National Greenway Director.
• Casco Bay Bicycle ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBike club member covering Falmouth, Gorham, Portland, Westbrook, Yarmouth areas.
• Maine Coast Cycling ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBike club member based in Kennebunkport.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PeopleForBikes: National bicycling industry and policy coalition; partners with BCM on e-bike policy and infrastructure advocacy, operating in the same policy and membership-driven advocacy niche.
• MassBike (Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition): State-level bicycle advocacy coalition analogous to BCM; pursues policy reform, education, and member-driven funding in Massachusetts and is highly comparable in scale and operating model.
• Adventure Cycling Association: National cycling organization focused on bike touring and routes; partners with BCM on signature events such as Maine Woods Rambler, sharing a nonprofit, event-driven, advocacy-tied model.
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy: National nonprofit converting rail corridors into trails; closely comparable as a membership/advocacy organization focused on active-transportation infrastructure, with similar donor and policy-advocacy models.
• Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia: Regional bike/ped advocacy coalition operating in Greater Philadelphia; structurally near-identical to BCM (advocacy + education + events + memberships) at city/regional rather than single-state scope.
• East Coast Greenway Alliance: Trail advocacy and development nonprofit; strategic partner of BCM with overlapping board members and direct overlap in active-transportation infrastructure advocacy.
• League of American Bicyclists: National bicycle advocacy organization; directly comparable mission (cycling education and policy advocacy) and a strategic partner of BCM, with shared staff certifications such as League Cycling Instructors.
• Transportation Alternatives: NYC-based bike, pedestrian, and public-space advocacy nonprofit; similar advocacy + education + event-driven nonprofit model, scaled to a major urban market.
• Bike Pittsburgh: City-level bike advocacy nonprofit focused on safer streets and Complete Streets; comparable in mission, education programming, and member-driven revenue mix.
• WalkBoston: Massachusetts pedestrian advocacy nonprofit; covers the walking/active-transportation half of BCM's portfolio (including Heads Up! Pedestrian Safety Initiative), with a closely analogous nonprofit operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_fGF-wVoaoEoFOF25N3ulQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/bicyclecoalitionmaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bicycle-coalition-of-maine
• Instagraminstagram.com/bikemaine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bicycle Coalition of Maine