Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a question or topic below to find the answer to your questions about MicroBike logistics, registration, donation and more. Can't find the answer to your question? Contact the MicroBike team at microbike@accion.org or (617) 625-7080 x 1255.
Event background
What is MicroBike?
What are the cycling routes?
Will there be any support on the cycling routes?
How can I participate in MicroBike?
Will MicroBike take place rain or shine?
Why is MicroBike two days? Am I expected to ride the whole weekend?
What is Accion?
Registration
How do I register?
Why are there two registration fees?
Is my registration fee tax-deductible?
Does my registration fee count toward my fundraising goal?
I registered for MicroBike but am now unable to participate. May I get my money back?
Participants & Teams
How can I participate in MicroBike?
How do I become a Captain or join a team?
What does it mean to be a MicroBike "Organizer"?
I'd like to ride by myself, without a team. Can I still participate?
Can I join a team as a volunteer?
Do I have to ride the weekend of September 22nd-23rd in order to participate?
Are there specific safety procedures MicroBike requires participants to adhere to?
Is insurance required?
Fundraising
Is fundraising a requirement in order to participate in MicroBike?
How do I submit donations that I receive "offline", such as checks or cash?
How can I see who has donated to me?
What percentage of the money raised for MicroBike goes to supporting Accion's work?
What if I want to fundraise, but I don't want to participate in a MicroBike ride?
Do you offer prizes for top fundraisers?
In order to be eligible for the fundraising prizes, do I have to turn my money in by a certain time?
Sponsorship & Donation
What are the sponsorship opportunities?
I don't need exposure for a business but I would like to be a donor. Can you tell me more?
How does Accion utilize contributions to MicroBike?
Are donations tax deductible?
T-shirts
Will I receive a t-shirt?
If I register right before the event, will I still get a MicroBike t-shirt in time for the official ride weekend?
I'd just like to buy a MicroBike t-shirt. Do I have to register?
I registered awhile ago and still haven't received my t-shirt. Did you forget about me?
Do the t-shirts come in kids' sizes?
What if I don't want a t-shirt?
Event background
What is MicroBike?
MicroBike is an annual biking event open to participants from around the world. MicroBike participants design their own cycling routes and raise money and awareness for Accion's microfinance programs.
What are the cycling routes?
The MicroBike cycling routes are designed and organized by each team’s captain. This enables people to participate around the world.
Will there be any support on the cycling routes?
You can organize to have volunteers along your route, providing water, snacks, medical assistance, encouragement or whatever else your team needs. Volunteers can register as part of your team and contribute to overall fundraising goals as well.
How can I participate in MicroBike?
There are several ways to participate in MicroBike:
- Organize and recruit team captains at your workplace or in your community.
- Captain a team and lead a group of friends, family and/or coworkers on a ride that you design and organize.
- Join a team and help them raise funds.
- Volunteer to support a team- take photos, set up a water break stand, host an end event, etc.
- Become a corporate partner. Contact us at (617) 625-7080 x1255 or microbike@accion.org to learn more.
Will MicroBike take place rain or shine?
If, due to weather, you are not able to ride the weekend of the ride, simply choose a day the next weekend to do your microride.
Why is MicroBike two days? Am I expected to ride the whole weekend?
The event is held each year over the course of one weekend because MicroBike teams form around the world, and having the option of riding either day makes the event more flexible. We don’t expect riders to ride both days- you choose what kind of route you want to do, and on which day. Of course, riding both days is always an option for MicroBikers looking to challenge themselves! And check out how MicroBike started in 2008- these MicroBike pioneers were on the road for over nine weeks >>
What is Accion?
We are a global nonprofit dedicated to creating economic opportunity by connecting people to the financial tools they need to improve their lives. A world pioneer in microfinance, we were founded in 1961 and issued our first micro loan in 1973. Over time, we’ve helped build 62 microfinance institutions in 31 countries on four continents. Those institutions are currently reaching millions of clients. The Accion U.S. Network is the largest microfinance lending network in the country and has served tens of thousands of clients with $300 million in loans. For further information, please visit www.accion.org.
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Registration
How do I register?
Head to our "Register to Ride" page to get started- first you'll read our waiver, then once you've accepted the waiver, you'll be able to join a team, create a new team or join as an individual rider.
Why are there two registration fees?
MicroBike is a fundraiser designed to be inclusive of all groups of people- we have two registration fees to accommodate our two main groups of registrants: students/non-profit employees and corporate employees. We offer a lower rate of $25 to students/non-profit employees. A portion of the money raised by the registration fees goes toward our work.
Is my registration fee tax-deductible?
Yes, all but $10 of your registration fee is considered a donation and is tax-deductible in the U.S. The remaining $10 covers the cost of the t-shirt and is not tax-deductible in the U.S.
Does my registration fee count toward my fundraising goal?
Yes! It gives you a good start toward your fundraising goal, so keep the momentum going and ask for donations!
I registered for MicroBike but now am unable to participate. May I get my money back?
All donations processed by Accion for MicroBike non-refundable and non transferable, even if you do not participate in the event. The registration fee is also non-refundable and non-transferable.
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Participants & Teams
How can I participate in MicroBike?
There are a lot of ways to get involved and raise funds for Accion's work. Check out the answer to this question in the section above, under "Event background".
How do I become a Captain or join a team?
It’s easy! Click on “Register Now” or “Register to Ride” from the home page, accept the waiver terms, and select “Start a Team” (for Captains) or “Join a Team” (for team members). A drop down menu will pop up and you choose the name of the team you want to join.
I'd like to ride by myself, without a team. Can I still participate?
Yes, simply select "Join as an Individual" when selecting your registration type.
Can I join a team and volunteer?
Yes. As a volunteer, you'll also receive a t-shirt, fundraise and spread the word about microfinance. Ask your team captain how else you can help out. Some ideas include acting as the team's event organizer, photographer, videographer, ride day support "crew member", etc.
Do I have to ride the weekend of September 22nd-23rd in order to participate?
We encourage MicroBikers to ride on that weekend, and do our best to pick a weekend that works across multiple cities. However, we know that sometimes it isn’t a convenient weekend for MicroBikers. Don’t let that stop you from riding for microfinance, though- MicroBike is a flexible event, and we’ll do our best to support your ride no matter what weekend you choose!
Are there specific safety procedures MicroBike requires participants to adhere to?
MicroBike encourages all participants to follow the rules of the road and to wear a helmet, regardless of local helmet laws. Be safe, and have fun.
Is insurance required?
We strongly recommend that all participants have personal health insurance. In the event that you are injured or fall ill during your microride and need to be transported to the hospital, you will be responsible for 100 percent of the transportation and service costs. It will be up to team captains to organize any first aid services along each route.
What does it mean to be a MicroBike "Organizer"?
Organizers help to coordinate and support several teams within one organization/company/school/neighborhood/etc. If you would like to become an organizer, please contact the MicroBike team at microbike@accion.org. You can also give us a call at (617) 625-7080 x1255.
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Fundraising
Is fundraising a requirement in order to participate in MicroBike?
There is no fundraising requirement beyond the registration fee. However, by raising funds as a MicroBike participant, you will be making a difference in the lives of the millions hardworking people around the world that Accion supports. This year, we hope to raise $60,000 from entreprising participants like you! Please help us reach our goal to help bring more life-changing services to the world's entrepreneurs; check out our fundraising tips here >>
How do I submit donations that I receive "offline", such as checks or cash?
Please send any checks you receive to our Boston office, and make sure to indicate they are for MicroBike. All checks can be made out to "Accion", and sent to the address below. We strongly encourage you to not send cash through the mail, but to write a check for the amount you've raised instead. If you have any questions, please contact us at (617) 625-7080 x1255 or microbike@accion.org.
Accion
c/o MicroBike Team
56 Roland Street, Suite 300
Boston, MA 02129
How can I see who has donated to me?
Simply log into your My HQ page to see everyone who has donated to your ride. Some donors prefer to remain anonymous, but most will leave their names- which makes it easy for you to thank them!
What percentage of the money raised for MicroBike goes to supporting Accion's work?
Most of the donations and registration fees go toward our work, minus some administrative costs- since the rides are volunteer-lead the costs of putting on the event is lowered considerably.
What if I want to fundraise, but I don’t want to participate in a MicroBike ride?
You can be a Virtual Rider! Even though you do not wish to ride, your fundraising efforts will afford you the same prizes as cycling participants. Virtual riders may join an existing team or may register as a captain and create their own team. You will receive a t-shirt for registering.
Do you offer prizes to top fundraisers?
Yes, we offer prizes to top individual fundraisers. Check out what you can earn by raising $150, $500, $1,000 or $10,000 for our microfinance programs. >>
In order to be eligible for the fundraising prizes, do I have to turn my money in by a certain time?
Yes. You will need to turn in your donations by December 31, 2012.
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Sponsorships & Donations
What are the sponsorship opportunities?
There are several exclusive opportunities for organizations to sponsor MicroBike. Organizations are encouraged to become a sponsor (cash or in-kind donations) to help us reach our goal. You can also learn more by contacting the MicroBike team at microbike@accion.org, or (617) 625-7080 x1255.
I don't need exposure for a business but I would like to be a donor. Can you tell me more about more?
Yes. Individuals are also encouraged to support MicroBike. To make a donation, please visit the Donate page.
How does Accion utilize contributions to MicroBike?
All proceeds will benefit our work to fund the delivery of microfinance tools to the world's entrepreneurs as well as technical assistance, management services, investment, training and education and research. For more information, download our 2010 annual report.
Are donations tax deductible?
Yes. All donations are tax deductible in the United States to the fullest extent allowed by law. All donations that are made online will receive an email confirmation, which is your receipt. Any donation made by check will be acknowledged with a tax receipt via postal mail.
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T-shirts
Will I receive a t-shirt?
Yes! Wear it on your microride to show your solidarity with other MicroBike participants in communities around the world. You can select your size when you register- we offer unisex sizes from XS-XL.
If I register right before the event, will I still get a MicroBike shirt in time for the official ride weekend?
You’ll get a shirt no matter what, but if you register too close to the event, we cannot guarantee that we'll be able to your shirt to you in time for MicroBike weekend. We strongly encourage MicroBikers to register before the following dates:
- If you register for a U.S.-based team before September 5th, we guarantee we’ll get your shirt to you in time for MicroBike weekend.
- For international teams, we need extra time, so please register by August 31st to ensure we’ll have the time to get shirts to you.
I'd just like to buy a MicroBike t-shirt. Do I have to register?
We do not sell MicroBike t-shirts before the event. We strongly encourage you to register as a participant to get a t-shirt- the fee (less the estimated $10 for each shirt) is a charitable donation toward our microfinance programs.
I registered awhile ago and still haven’t received my t-shirt. Did you forget about me?
No, never! In order to keep costs low by ordering and sending out the right amount of t-shirts, we wait until a couple weeks before the event before we send shirts out to riders. Expect your shirt to arrive a few days before the official ride weekend on September 22nd-23rd. For large teams, we’ll send one package to your team captain, who can then distribute your snazzy MicroBike 2012 shirts.
Do the t-shirts come in kids' sizes?
We order a very limited number of kids' shirts. Please email the MicroBike team at microbike@accion.org to see if shirts are still available- it's first come, first served!
What if I don't want a t-shirt?
No problem, just send us an email at microbike@accion.org indicating that you are opting out of a t-shirt this year.
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