The £20,000 grassroots fund announced by Raptor Bikes last November has formally opened, with a tighter geographic scope and a revised grant structure.
Raptor Bikes has opened applications for its £20,000 development fund, with organisers and clubs in the Central, South East, and South British Cycling regions eligible to apply. The window closes on 12 April, with funding decisions expected before May.
The fund, previously trailed as The Collective Fund when Raptor announced it was stepping away from its team sponsorship last autumn, offers two grant streams. Event organisers running non-profit races from National B level downward – with a particular focus on Regional A events – can apply for between £500 and £1,000. Clubs running recognised youth or under-23 development pathways can apply for between £250 and £500, to cover entry fees, travel, accommodation, and structured coaching support. Raptor says it is targeting a minimum of 15 events and six clubs.
Eligible costs include event delivery, women’s and youth category support, volunteer training, and photography and communications. Prize funds, high-end equipment, and direct payments to individuals fall outside the criteria. Funding will only be paid to registered club or organisation bank accounts.
Image: Raptor Bikes
When Raptor announced the initiative in November, it made a point of distinguishing it from the product-based sponsorships that dominate the domestic scene. The fund, it said, was about real financial support – because that is what the scene needs to keep moving. That framing sits at the heart of what makes the initiative worth watching: direct cash grants to race organisers and development clubs are rare, and the cumulative effect of even modest injections at Regional A level can be the difference between an event surviving and not.
The geographic focus is notable, however. The fund is explicitly scoped to three regions for its first year, rather than the broader national reach implied when it was first announced. Whether that scope expands in future seasons is an open question.
The former Raptor Factory Racing team, meanwhile, has continued under new title sponsorship as JAKROO Handsling Racing, managed by Promethean Sports, and is racing in 2026 with an expanded roster and calendar.
Raptor Bikes has opened applications for its £20,000 development fund, with organisers and clubs in the Central, South East, and South British Cycling regions eligible to apply. The window closes on 12 April, with funding decisions expected before May.
The fund, previously trailed as The Collective Fund when Raptor announced it was stepping away from its team sponsorship last autumn, offers two grant streams. Event organisers running non-profit races from National B level downward – with a particular focus on Regional A events – can apply for between £500 and £1,000. Clubs running recognised youth or under-23 development pathways can apply for between £250 and £500, to cover entry fees, travel, accommodation, and structured coaching support. Raptor says it is targeting a minimum of 15 events and six clubs.
Eligible costs include event delivery, women’s and youth category support, volunteer training, and photography and communications. Prize funds, high-end equipment, and direct payments to individuals fall outside the criteria. Funding will only be paid to registered club or organisation bank accounts.
When Raptor announced the initiative in November, it made a point of distinguishing it from the product-based sponsorships that dominate the domestic scene. The fund, it said, was about real financial support – because that is what the scene needs to keep moving. That framing sits at the heart of what makes the initiative worth watching: direct cash grants to race organisers and development clubs are rare, and the cumulative effect of even modest injections at Regional A level can be the difference between an event surviving and not.
The geographic focus is notable, however. The fund is explicitly scoped to three regions for its first year, rather than the broader national reach implied when it was first announced. Whether that scope expands in future seasons is an open question.
The former Raptor Factory Racing team, meanwhile, has continued under new title sponsorship as JAKROO Handsling Racing, managed by Promethean Sports, and is racing in 2026 with an expanded roster and calendar.
Applications are open via the Raptor Bikes website.
Featured image: Raptor Bikes
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