The City of Tacoma is offering businesses grants of up to $500 to encourage and promote cycling by customers, employees, and business owners within Tacoma’s 15 business districts while increasing cycling visibility.

The grant opportunity falls on the heels of a “Bicycles Mean Business” workshop that shared with Tacoma business districts the strong connection between bicycling and shopping local. Some of the bicycle-friendly business ideas shared at the event included bicycle date night specials, shared merchant delivery bicycles, personalized safety information coasters/collateral, hotel guest bicycles, and banners welcoming cyclists.

Any business owner or member of a Tacoma business district is eligible to apply for a grant. Up to $500 will be approved per business district, and projects should have business district approval.

The application and more information are available online at cityoftacoma.org. The deadline to apply is April 4, 2014.