CMP Funding – Frequently Asked Questions

We are expanding our efforts to bring Cycling Without Age to as many states as possible through use of the CMP funding mechanism. Right now, our efforts are focused on Minnesota and Washington state. But even if your facility is not in one of those states, we encourage you to read through the rest of this FAQ and to indicate your interest so that we may contact you when an opportunity arises in your state!

Funding level varies by state; see below for more information:

Minnesota: Successful applicants will receive grant funding that will cover half of the cost of a trishaw ($5782.40), and the costs of training and implementation assistance from CWA ($418; for a total of $6200.40). Selected nursing facilities must be willing and able to provide the funds to cover the remaining cost of the trishaw (approximately $5,782.40).

Washington: This first round of funding is being made available to members of LeadingAge Washington though their grant application process. Successful applicants will receive grant funding that will cover the full cost of their selected package option as well as the costs of training and implementation assistance from CWA. If you are not a member of LeadingAge, we would still like to work with you! Please visit our grant programs page and tell us about your organization so that we can reach out to you when additional grant funding is available.

If you are in a state that requires a partial contribution, there are a number of ways to go about raising the other half of the costs, and CWA can help you put together information and presentations designed to attract donor funds, whether from local supporters in your community, grant opportunities, or residents and family members of your nursing home.

The approved trishaws available via the CMP program are sold by Copenhagen Cycles, a privately-owned company that donates all of its net profits to support both Cycling Without Age International and Cycling Without Age US. You can learn more about those trishaws at the Copenhagen Cycles website.

Participating facilities must provide staff support sufficient to successfully operate a CWA program. As social distancing measures are relaxed, Cycling Without Age can be used to develop connections with family members of residents and other interested community members to also serve as volunteer pilots.

Each state grant also comes with their own set of reporting requirements; see below for more information:

Minnesota: Participating facilities must 1) report the numbers of staff and pilots trained and the numbers of passengers served and rides provided, during the first year of the program and 2) complete a follow-up survey to assess the impact of the program on residents, staff and family.

Washington: Check back soon for more information.

Minnesota

The Minnesota CMP program requires each nursing facility to respond to a RFP issued by the Department of Human Services, which will award the funds directly to the nursing home. You can then use those funds to help pay for your trishaw and related training and other services from Cycling Without Age.

You can access both the RFP and the CWA CMP Application Form at the Minnesota DHS CMP Initiative page. Follow the links under the Cycling Without Age (CWA) Grants heading for the RFP and application form.

Washington

This first round of CMP funds will be available to LeadingAge Washington members. Check back soon for more information.

Minnesota: DHS and Cycling Without Age hosted a webinar on Friday, March 5 to formally launch our collaboration (view the recorded webinar here). Visit the MN DHS CMP Initiative page for more information about the grant, including RFP and application forms; for further questions regarding the funding opportunity, please contact DHS staff liaison, Munna Yasiri.

A tentative timeline of dates for Minnesota is as follows:

April 30, 2021 – CMP proposals due by midnight
May – DHS review and proposal selection
May-June – Negotiate contracts
June – Implementation of projects begins
Summer/Fall – Trishaws arrive, training, rides begin.

Washington: LeadingAge Washington hosted a webinar on Thursday, February 25, to field questions from members and to meet Ole Kassow, CWA founder, and other CWA staff. Interested members should contact Pat Sylvia, LeadingAge Washington Director of Education and Member Development at psylvia@leadingagewa.org or 360-556-5446 for more information. We are awaiting news of the grant approval; watch this space for further updates!

The trishaws are made in Denmark and the Netherlands, depending on the manufacturer. They are all manufactured in accordance with EU standards, and have been designed, with the help of CWA, specifically for the purpose of carrying passengers who may have mobility issues. You can learn more about the approved trishaw models at the Copenhagen Cycles website. 

Copenhagen Cycles is a privately-owned company that donates all of its net profits to Cycling Without Age International and Cycling Without Age in the US.

The trishaws each have an electric-assist option that the pilot is trained to use. The system uses a “Pedal Assist Sensor” that applies power only as you pedal (assuming the pilot chooses to use the pedal assist mode). The power assist level can be varied from no assist through several levels of assist (depending on the model), through a controller on the handlebars. Power assist is cut when you stop pedaling or when your speed reaches 15 miles per hour.

In terms of battery life, there are a number of factors (speed, weight, incline, the assist level) that will dictate how long the battery will last, but it’s not unusual for the battery to be helpful for approximately 20 miles. Keep in mind that all of the trishaws can still be pedaled without the help of the battery, just like a non-powered bike, through muscle power alone. Many of our pilots only use the battery for starting and for hills. A fully-charged battery can be used in many cases for hours, so always keep in mind that some passengers may tire more quickly than others. Make sure to ask them frequently how they are doing.

Confident cyclists will quite quickly get used to riding the trishaw. After training you can safely ride it with passengers and after lots of rides you will build more confidence and if you continue, become an expert. To begin with try shorter rides, until you feel more secure. Always check with your passengers to see if they are comfortable and wish to continue. The biggest differences compared to a regular bicycle are the battery and the steering, which we will cover in the training.

We also emphasize slowness – riding slowly helps us converse with our passengers, and gives both passengers and pilot a chance to appreciate the surrounding scenery, engage with passers-by, and is the safest way to enjoy the feel of the wind in your hair.

Two passengers together or one alone can weigh up to about 330 lbs.; this is excluding the pilot.

We endorse a number of different trishaws, each suited for a particular need and budget. Learn more about each of the trishaws here.

Note that due to different requirements of CMP grant applications, not all models may be available for funding. Please review the details of the grant application or contact us for additional information.

We find that most everyday maintenance — checking tire pressure, making sure the brakes and shifters are working, that sort of thing — is very easy to do. We’ll help you find a local bike mechanic who can do the rest. Many good bike shops are eager to become affiliated with CWA, especially because the trishaws are so visible in the community. A public “thank you” every now and then to your local bike shop is good for their business — and for your trishaw!

Yes, when properly operated! One of our guiding principles is “Slowness” – this is not only for safety reasons, but also because it enhances the experience for passengers, pilots, and the community. With hundreds of affiliates in more than 40 countries, we have a ton of experience giving our passengers the right to feel the wind in their hair — safely!

From time to time, we conduct “road shows” where you can get some training and have a chance to take a trishaw for a spin. These events will also be good opportunities to introduce potential donors to the program. Once you’ve experienced a ride in a trishaw it’s very easy to see how an active Cycling Without Age program can improve the quality of life for your residents. Please contact Pernille: bussone@cyclingwithoutage.org if you would like to participate in one; we will let you know as soon as we finalize our next round in your area.

CWA affiliates are often quite excited to show off their bikes! To find a chapter near you, please see our general map at our US website, or contact Pernille and she’ll put you in touch with a local chapter.

There are four manufacturers currently supplying approved trishaws for Cycling Without Age. You can see them on the Copenhagen Cycles website.

Copenhagen Cycles is a privately-owned company that donates all of its net profits to Cycling Without Age to support its operations internationally and in the US.

The full cost of a trishaw delivered to the United States ranges from approximately $9,500 to $12,500 depending on the model you select. CMP funding varies by state, with some funding paying for roughly half the cost while other funding may pay for the trishaw in full.

Depending on the terms of the CMP grant, funding may be limited to certain models. Please check the details of the grant application, or contact us, for further clarification.

While any responsible, reasonably fit person who has been trained can pilot the trishaw, we often find that with our chapters in the US insurance requirements dictate the minimum pilot age, which tends to be either 18 or 21 depending on the insurer.

As part of the CMP funding, Cycling Without Age will be providing training as the programs move forward. Right now all training will be virtual but we hope to move back into in-person training as soon as possible. We also have a comprehensive set of videos that provide a good tutorial for new pilots.

The single best way to pilot safely is to honor one of our guiding principles: Slowness. Riding slowly allows so many good things to happen between the passengers and the pilot, and between the passengers and the community! It’s an added benefit that riding slowly is the safest way to pilot.

In some cases it will; other times you may need to add a rider to your existing policy or secure a separate policy. We can work with your insurance administrator to help make sure you’re covered.

We are very open to any kind of partnerships that benefit the elderly community. One way is to sponsor a trishaw and have your logo on it. It is a great way to show your care to the community. Second is that you can also let your employees be trained as pilots and let them ride during working hours. Besides this, for example, if you own a café you could invite our pilots and passengers for a free coffee when they are on their rides.

There are a number of strategies that have worked for our existing affiliates. Very often local community groups such as the Rotary Club or neighborhood businesses will provide much of the funding. (You can put the name of the donors on your trishaw as a way of saying ‘thank you’!) Sometimes families of residents will contribute as a way of honoring their loved ones. Contact us and tell us a bit about your nursing home and your community and we can help you come up with some great fundraising ideas.

Sometimes our faces hurt from smiling so much and we often stop to chat with curious people who want to know more. This is one of the best parts of Cycling Without Age, the pilot and passenger get to interact with members of their community. This kind of spontaneous interaction happens all the time and can become addictive!

In terms of battery life, there are a number of factors (speed, weight, incline, the assist level) that will dictate how long the battery will last, but it’s not unusual for the battery to be helpful for approximately 20 miles. Keep in mind that all of the trishaws can still be pedaled without the help of the battery, just like a non-powered bike, through muscle power alone. Many of our pilots only use the battery for starting and for hills. A fully-charged battery can be used in many cases for hours, so always keep in mind that some passengers may tire more quickly than others. Make sure to ask them frequently how they are doing.

The trishaw has a portable rain cover as well as an optional waterproof blanket for the passengers. Rain showers are great opportunities to sit covered, have a nice chat, and stimulate the senses. Some nursing home residents haven’t been caught in the rain in a long time, and actually enjoy the experience!

One of the wonderful things about CWA is that there is no typical ride. Each one is different, depending on the passengers, the pilots, the route, the weather, and the community. But you can expect to see your passengers enjoying themselves, telling stories about their lives and their community, and being the center of attention as people along the way smile, wave, and call you over to stop for a chat. Sitting up front in one of our CWA trishaws puts the passengers first, which for many of them is something they haven’t experienced in quite some time.