Funding will support summer camps, equipment access and outdoor education for underserved youth
After reaching more than 1,500 youth through its cycling programs last year, Folsom-based Clipped In For Life has been awarded a $328,796 state grant—evidence of the organization’s growing impact in the community and its expanding role in youth outdoor access and recreation.
The grant, awarded through the California Natural Resources Agency’s Youth Community Access Grant Program, will allow Clipped In For Life to host six one-week Summer Ride Camps for 160 local youth from underserved communities—children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to discover cycling or explore the outdoors.
“This grant allows us to open the door to cycling for more kids in our community,” said Jennifer Claassen, director of operations and co-founder of Clipped In For Life. “Every child deserves the chance to experience the confidence, independence, and joy that comes from riding a bike. I see how impactful this has been for my own son, and I want more kids to experience a lifelong love of cycling and outdoor exploration that can begin with that first ride.”
Each camper will receive a mountain bike, helmet, lock and bike tools to keep, removing financial barriers that often limit access to the sport. Throughout the weeklong camps, participants will learn riding and bike-handling skills while also gaining knowledge in traffic safety, trail etiquette, navigation, nutrition, hydration and first aid. The program also introduces youth to Folsom’s natural and cultural resources, reinforcing the connection between recreation and community.
“When a kid has a bike and the skills to use it, the world opens up,” Claassen said. “That first ride can be the beginning of a lifelong connection to cycling and a sense of adventure, belonging and possibility.”
Clipped In For Life’s Summer Ride Camps are part of a broader mission that has evolved significantly since the organization’s grassroots beginnings. Initially focused on bringing the cycling community together through local races and events, the organization has since expanded into youth programming and nonprofit initiatives aimed at increasing access to cycling across all age groups.
Today, Clipped In For Life produces dozens of annual events and programs while leading community efforts designed to connect people through shared outdoor experiences.
“Bikes have a way of bringing people together,” said Clint Claassen, executive director and co-founder of Clipped In For Life. “It’s where people find community and connection, meet up with friends—what we like to call ‘dirt church.’ It’s a place to find belonging, and we want more kids to experience that.”
The Youth Community Access Grant Program is funded through the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, also known as Proposition 64, which directs revenue toward programs that increase access to natural resources and outdoor opportunities for youth in underserved communities.
With the new funding in place, Clipped In For Life is poised to further expand its reach in Folsom and beyond, continuing its mission to make cycling more accessible while fostering confidence, connection and lifelong healthy habits among the next generation.
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