Published: 2 June 2025

We deeply value the commitment of British Cycling volunteers. As part of our ongoing efforts, we are prioritising the support our volunteers receive as we work towards making volunteering with British Cycling more accessible than ever. This new bursary programme is designed to build an inclusive and welcoming volunteer pathway - one that not only supports and strengthens our sport but also inspires more people to get involved and make a meaningful impact within both the sport and their communities.

You are British Cycling – Thank you for everything you do as a volunteer!

Bursary overview

The British Cycling Volunteer & Officials Bursary Programme 2025 is here to support new and existing volunteers across the cycling community - including club volunteers, coaches, ride leaders, event officials and young volunteers.

This bursary aims to:

• Encourage more people to get involved in volunteering and officiating roles
• Reduce financial barriers that may prevent participation or further training
• Promote inclusion, with a particular focus on:
• Young people (14 - 25) - We welcome applications from aspiring coaches aged 14 - 25 and officials aged 18 - 25.
• Women and girls - We actively encourage applications from female coaches, ride leaders, and officials as we work to address the gender imbalance within our volunteering networks.
• Disabled People - We welcome volunteers with disabilities and are committed to providing support so you can thrive in a range of volunteering roles and opportunities.
• Diverse communities - We are keen to hear from individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds, underrepresented communities, and areas with lower levels of participation.

Who is it for?

You can apply if you are:

• A new or existing volunteer (14+), involved in clubs, groups, community programmes, or events.
• Meet one of the specific inclusion focus areas (outlined above) to increase volunteering across young people, women and girls, disabled people, and diverse communities.

OR

• An individual starting on their commissaire journey who requires financial support for travel to trainee events. (Applications will be assessed based on need within the relevant cycle sport discipline.)

Note: Applicants must be based in England. Further details for funding support through Scottish Cycling and Beicio Cymru can be found below:

Scottish Cycling – Coaching support - Coach_Education_Subsidy_and_Bursary_2025-2026.pdf

Beicio Cymru - Beicio Cymru Funding Guide for Be Active Wales Fund - Beicio Cymru

*Scottish Cycling are currently exploring options to provide additional support for Commissaires.

What the bursary covers?

Successful applicants may receive financial support for:

• Training and qualifications (e.g., coaching courses including Intro to Coaching and Coaching in Context, Ride Leader Awards)

• Support with travel costs to attend training or events (Only available to commissaires).
• Accessibility-related needs (e.g. adaptive equipment, transport assistance)

Programme focus areas

1. Volunteers - Coaches, Club Volunteers, Rider Leaders and Young Volunteers

We are especially encouraging applications from:

• Young people aged 14 - 25
• Women and girls
• Disabled people
• Those involved in underrepresented communities or areas of low participation

2. Officials

This strand is focused on:

• Increasing the number of active officials across all disciplines.
• Supporting progression through the officiating framework, enabling attendance at out-of-region events during the trainee stage
• Encouraging new volunteers to take up their first role as an official

Key dates

• Applications Open: 02 June 2025
• Deadline to apply: Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis
• Eligible Activity Period: 02 June 2025 – 23 February 2026

How to apply

Before starting an application, please read the guidance notes:

British Cycling Volunteer & Officials Bursary Programme 2025 - Guidance Notes 

Applications must be submitted via the British Cycling website

Apply Here

You will be asked to:

• Provide basic personal details
• Outline your current or intended volunteer/official role.
• Indicate what funding support you're applying for. If this is course-related, then please outline which course you have booked onto.  
• Brief description of your volunteer involvement/aspirations.
• Why this bursary will support your volunteer journey.

Please note: By applying for this bursary, you are agreeing to complete follow-up surveys at 6 and 12 months to help us track your training journey. In some cases, we may also invite applicants to take part in a short interview to help us evaluate the impact of the programme

We welcome applications in accessible formats, including written, audio, or video submissions. Please contact Volunteering@britishcycling.org.uk to discuss further. 

Need help?

For questions or assistance with the application process, please email:
volunteering@britishcycling.org.uk