Contact: lydia@boisebicycleproject.org

LYDIA BASSETT

GRANTS WRITER

When I moved to Boise from Seattle in 2020, I rediscovered biking. Living close to both the foothills and the greenbelt, I found that exploring the city by bike was easy and accessible. Since the pandemic shut things down six weeks after I arrived, I spent countless hours tooling around on my bike, exploring neighborhoods, going further afield on the Greenbelt, and, once the pandemic lifted, riding my bike to work at the Discovery Center and checking out various coffee shops, the farmer's market, and cafes all around town. It's fair to say I got to know my new home on my bike!

During my 20 years in Seattle, where I spent the bulk of my non-profit fundraising career, the weather (cold, wet, windy!), steep hills, and terrible traffic made bike commuting scary and difficult, but I did enjoy weekend rides along the Burke-Gilman Trail (an amazing resource similar to the Boise Greenbelt). 

Now I'm thrilled to join the Boise Bicycle Project's Development Team as Grantwriter, and looking forward to helping to make an impact here. Programs like bike mechanic apprenticeships for teens and incarcerated people, work with Boise's refugee populations, and community partnerships resonate with me and I've admired the organization since arriving in town at the beginning of 2020.The authenticity, inclusive and intentional community outreach, and impact of a relatively small organization is inspiring and impressive; with a track record of success and a Strategic Plan that charts the future (and sets some pretty bold goals!), BBP is poised to help Boise become "the bicycling capitol of America, a place where everyone can experience the freedom and countless opportunities a bicycle can create," and I' proud to join the team!