Iowa City Bike Library briefs supervisors on programs, capital campaign and county support

Iowa City Bike Library Fundraising Coordinator Kate Wiley updated the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Wednesday on the nonprofit’s growth, new youth programming and a capital campaign aimed at making the organization financially sustainable.

Wiley said the bike library now has five full-time staff and a roster of about 150 volunteers; it received “a service agreement from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors that will guarantee about almost 10% of our operating budget each year.”

The presentation described program highlights and usage: 63 group rides in 2024, roughly 5,000 people served through free programming, about 2,000 bikes donated annually and partnerships that supply bikes and equipment to residents in need. Wiley said the organization’s operating model is unusual for nonprofits: about 60% of its roughly $3,300,000 operating budget is generated through bike sales and rentals, with earned revenue supplemented by grants, events and individual donations.

Wiley described youth-focused work and the recent hire of a youth bike coordinator, Dustin Eubanks, who previously worked with UAY’s Sparks program. She said the Outspoken Teens program distributed about 75 bikes to children last year, and highlighted a participant—Regis—who went from receiving a bike to volunteering and later obtaining paid work using mechanical skills learned at the library.

Wiley outlined a $1 million “Bikes Create Community” capital campaign guided by four priorities: pay down the facility mortgage (saving roughly $2,000 per month), make energy-efficiency upgrades (estimated savings about $600 per month), expand shop and staff capacity to sustain youth programming and renovate an outdoor courtyard to support year-round access and training. She said the campaign had raised about $600,000 so far, with major early support from the City of Iowa City ($100,000) and the Johnson County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors praised the organization’s volunteer base and community responsiveness. The board did not take a formal vote on any action during the presentation; Wiley concluded by thanking the supervisors for their partnership.

The library promoted upcoming events, including Bike and Beats on June 6, and described voucher partnerships with Shelter House and DVIP that provide helmets, locks and lights to clients receiving bikes.

The supervisors’ remarks during the item were general commendations of the library’s work and support for the capital campaign; no formal board action was recorded on the capital campaign or the library’s service agreement at this work session.