About the Foundation
Over 6,000 kids on new bikes.
Over 6,000 kids have received a new bike and a helmet through El Tour Bikes for Change. The El Tour Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity formed to perpetuate and expand the philanthropic legacy of El Tour de Tucson, and since 1983 El Tour riders have raised more than $138 million for nonprofits.
Why the Foundation exists
A home of its own for giving to youth cycling.
El Tour de Tucson has connected riders with the causes they care about for more than four decades. The Foundation was formed as a separate public charity so that giving to youth cycling has a home of its own, with its own board and its own books.
The mission is plain: using the power of the bicycle to create healthier young people, stronger communities, and greater access to opportunity. The work starts in Tucson and extends across Arizona and the Southwest as El Tour America grows.
The signature program
El Tour Bikes for Change
In the last five years, over 6,000 kids received new bikes and helmets through El Tour Bikes for Change. The Foundation’s goal is to equip 1,000 new young people each year in Tucson, Scottsdale, and Palm Springs, with an intentional focus on girls and underserved youth.
The program works through local nonprofit partners and includes:
- A new bike and a helmet
- Learn-to-ride, safety, and skills training
- Free entry to El Tour de Tucson for riders under 18
- School and community partnerships
- Youth clinics and mentorship from elite athletes
- Scholarships for continued participation
Success looks different for every rider: racing, recreation, transportation, health, independence, belonging, adaptive cycling, or a career.
Two organizations, one legacy
El Tour America
The nonprofit that produces El Tour de Tucson and the other El Tour events. Riders register there, and El Tour de Tucson is free to enter for riders under 18.
El Tour Foundation
The charity. It has its own board and its own finances, and it funds youth cycling. Nobody registers here. This site is for people who want to support young riders and get their questions answered.
Governed by an 11‑member volunteer board
The board is accountable for the mission and the money. Officers, members, and how the Foundation is governed are on the board and governance page.
Based in Tucson
1202 E. Broadway Blvd., STE 110, Tucson, AZ 85719. Governing documents, including the bylaws, are available on request.