Are there sponsorships and grants available for my non-profit to get a Fender Blender?
Our Fender Blender Sponsorship Program awards up to a 15% discount to a limited number of nonprofit or educational applicants per quarter and has a simple application process. For truly outstanding and needy applicants (especially those in the Bay Area), we offer a single complete sponsorship per quarter.
In addition to the sponsorships, grants from other organizations and individuals have been successfully pursued to get a Fender Blender for a non-profit or educational use. The PG&E Bright Ideas program has been one such donor.
Alternately, you may be able to get a loan to cover the purchase and have it pay itself back - a fantastic use of the product is to sell smoothies. In our experience, it is possible for the Fender Blender to pay for itself by the end of one day!
For example, the 4th annual Bicycle Music Festival, a non-profit organization, received food donations from Trader Joe's for blending supplies and at the end of a 5 hour day with intermittent blending sessions, earned over $350 from smoothie sales. This is enough to purchase a Fender Blender Universale, and an extra pitcher, with some funds left over for cups! This approach has worked for several grass-roots organizations.
To apply for a discount, please prepare:
1. A before picture of your project, including any bikes you plan to use, as well shots or brief video from your events, class-room or program
2 . A well-written paragraph that explains:
+ Your project's goals
+ Who is the intended audience and pedalers
+ Where in the country and where specifically (school, community farm, etc) it will be used
+ How you heard about Rock The Bike
+ What grants or other sources of funding your organization receives or will apply for to cover the cost of a Fender Blender
+ If and how your group is involved with the local bike community
+ What other activities or devices you would like to pedal power
+ What is the coolest thing you have ever seen or heard of being human powered
What we need within 2 months of you receiving your Fender Blender:
1. At least 4 photographs of the Fender Blender in use at your events / program
2. A well-written update on how the Fender Blender is benefiting the project and any surprises or exciting developments!
If you are ready to apply for a sponsorship, please send us an email with your application or better yet, post a blog entry we can link to. We'll let you know within 1 week whether you qualify for the discount.
* If you do not want us to publish your application or photo, please let us know. This has no effect on our decision.
