Salem Bicycle Club Charitable Donations Policy

Purpose. This policy establishes the Salem Bicycle Club’s (SBC) requirements and process for making charitable donations from proceeds raised by the Monster Cookie Metric Century bike ride. SBC makes donations to qualified non-profit organizations that promote or support bicycling (e.g., advocacy, safety, education, awareness, and youth cycling programs) in a manner consistent with the club objectives stated in Sections 3–6 of the SBC by-laws.2023 Bylaws 

Scope

Scope. This policy applies to all charitable donation decisions made by SBC, including (a) the annual allocation of Monster Cookie Metric Century proceeds and (b) any off-cycle or urgent donation requests considered during the year. This policy governs eligibility, review, voting, and documentation requirements for donations.

Responsibilities

• Board of Directors: Establishes annual reserve and donation amounts; reviews donation requests for alignment with this policy; schedules presentations; votes on donations; and ensures decisions are documented in Board meeting minutes.
• Treasurer (or designated finance officer): Confirms funds available for donation, maintains financial records related to charitable giving, and supports disbursement of approved donations consistent with Board direction.
• Secretary (or designated records officer): Records motions, votes, and approvals in Board meeting minutes, including affirmation of any email votes at the next Board meeting.
• Requesting organization (applicant): Submits a complete Donation Request Form, provides accurate information about the organization and intended use of funds, and participates in a club meeting presentation when scheduled.
• Sponsoring SBC member(s) (if applicable): May submit or support a request on an organization’s behalf, coordinate with the Board to schedule a presentation, and present the request at a club meeting when the organization cannot attend.

Procedures

SBC will evaluate and approve donation requests using the procedures below. Unless otherwise stated, actions are performed by the Board of Directors and documented in Board meeting minutes.

1. Annual timing: SBC typically selects donation recipients in late summer and fall.
2. Annual funding allocation: At the June Board of Directors meeting, the Board determines (a) the amount of funds to be held in reserve and (b) the amount available for charitable donations.
3. Initiating a request (February–October): From February through October, a non-profit organization may initiate the donation process by submitting a Donation Request Form Click Here . After a request is received, the Board will schedule a presentation at a regularly scheduled club meeting by the organization, or by SBC members speaking on the organization’s behalf, to describe the organization, the proposed use of funds, and the basis for the request.
4. Off-cycle and urgent requests: Donation requests may be considered at any time of year following submission of a Donation Request Form and a vote of the Board. When practicable, urgent requests should be voted on during a monthly Board meeting. If urgency prevents waiting for the next meeting, Board members may vote by email; the email vote must be affirmed at the next Board meeting so it can be recorded in the meeting minutes.

Policy

Eligibility and Funding Guidelines

To be eligible for funding, all donations must meet the following requirements:

• Must be related to cycling.
• Must be active in Polk and/or Marion Counties, or be a regional, statewide, or national organization whose activities affect Polk and/or Marion Counties.
• Must work to provide broad and inclusive community access to the economic, environmental, and health benefits of cycling.
• Donations must be granted to organizations, not to individuals.

Prohibited uses. SBC will not make donations to, or on behalf of, individuals conducting rides or events, regardless of the cause being ridden for.

2025