National Center for Youth Development

Overview

The National Center for Youth Development (NCYD) is a youth development organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operates school-based programs, out-of-school programming, and coach education and training certification using the bicycle as the vehicle for personal and collective growth and development. NCYD’s mission is to partner with youth in their quest for community, identity, and purpose. This partnership includes helping youth build integrity, confidence, and self-awareness through cycling-specific activities as well as ancillary opportunities such as volunteering, youth board service, and meaningful employment within the organization and through select partner organizations. NCYD was organized exclusively for public, charitable and/or educational purposes within the scope of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Formation

NCYD was born in 2021 to fill a gap in the long term development model for life-long physical activity. NCYD’s founder was the co-founder of two other not-for-profit youth cycling programs that collectively serve over 5,000 kids a year, and was a critical member of a business team that launched 17 additional organizations around the country that serve over 20,000 kids annually. Responding to an inability for those other organizations to equitably serve youth through year-round cycling activity, the NCYD was established to cover that gap in programming. 

Schedule & Structure

75% of programming is currently devoted to year-round student-athlete cycling development by professional coaches who provide on-the-bike instruction in the community and in the NCYD facility which includes a multifunctional training space. The percentage of time devoted to student-athlete cycling development is mostly due to the member carry-over from prior programs and their focus on performance development. This number will decrease to 65% in 2022 and 50% in 2023 as a result of the broader mission, vision, and values of the newly formed NCYD.  

15% of NCYD programming is currently devoted to youth-specific career and educational development training, again conducted in the community as well as in the NCYD facility. The business plan calls for an increase to 25% in 2022 and 30% in 2023 as a result of a focused initiative to train and employ more young people to staff NCYD programmatic activities and procure partnerships with other organizations who employ cycling instructors moving forward. 

10% of NCYD’s programmatic efforts are devoted to direct third party cycling instruction service. NCYD plans to grow this to 20% over the next two years by adding school-based programming and partnerships with other organizations around the country to provide training and certification for staff who operate those programs. 

Currently all programmatic activities are operated by volunteer administrators and hourly wage and volunteer staff. Programs generate revenue through membership dues and event fees that then go to offset the cost of producing the activities. Projections for the future include income from grants, philanthropic support, and donations to provide more equitable access to services and training to a broader segment of the communities the NCYD operates in. 

First Year Operations & Current Programming

Due to the restructuring of programs as a result of the launch of year-round activities, a refocusing on the long term development model vs. competition model, and as a result of the pandemic, NCYD limited membership to around 100 registered members, served only a few select school-based program, and scaled back indoor strength training over the spring and summer months. Due to the revenue-generating nature of the pay-to-play programs the NCYD facilitates, the focus was mostly on logistics to events and activities, hosting practices and camps, and taking members on trips. Over the course of the year NCYD got kids and families out to over 30 state and national events in 2021 and provided much needed support for many organizations doing similar work. 

NCYD now hosts nearly 200 registered members, has partnered with many programs across the country serving nearly 10,000 kids, and is advising nearly every youth development cycling program in the country. We've expanded our scholarship program, grown our non-male ridership to nearly 50%, and are on track to train employ over 100 youth throughout our programmatic coverage. 

Our goal is to raise $350,000 which is projected to be enough to open our doors to any youth looking for support in their quest for community, identity, and purpose through their passion for the bike.