Bridging Gaps — From Symphony to Iron Horses

A Humanity Chapter for Bikers Across The Nation

These past few weeks haven’t been easy. Traveling full-time has its magic—but also its mess. My black water tank dropped. Just like that, the RV was in the shop, and my energy was gone. I decided to pause everything. No motorcycle shops, no biker meet-ups, no external missions. I needed to retreat. To rest. To just be—with my family, and with my thoughts.

But I can’t sit still for long. Even in rest, I research. I plan. I dream.

I’ve been diving into grant writing—how to write them, how to read them, how to make them work for real people, not just big institutions. When I first launched this concept, I didn’t want to create “just another organization.” I envisioned a foundation—a support system for the support systems. Something that could strengthen the backbone of biker communities. A bridge for those already doing the work, but with little or no help.

Over the years, countless ideas have come to me. Fundraisers, bartering networks, mutual aid—ways to make giving sustainable. But I’ve also realized how few models exist for something like this. Then it hit me: I’ve seen this before. In the most unexpected of places—the symphony world.

I played French horn. For years, I performed and learned within the nonprofit arts world. I was an intern for the educational department for one of the local symphonies in my college days. And in those symphony halls, I saw something that mirrors what I now see in biker communities.

Symphonies are often misunderstood. They’re seen as stuffy, elite, or irrelevant. But underneath, they’re deeply grassroots. Most symphony orchestras in the U.S. are registered as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. They depend on a complex blend of funding to survive—only 30–40% of their budget comes from ticket sales, while over 50% comes from donations, sponsorships, foundation grants, and government support. The rest is earned through merchandise, educational programs, and community partnerships. (League of American Orchestras, 2023)

In 2022, the nonprofit arts and culture industry—including symphonies—generated $151.7 billion in economic activity, supporting over 4.9 million jobs in the U.S. But despite this real impact, many still see symphonies as non-essential luxuries.

Sound familiar?

Bikers do the same thing. They host benefit rides. They raise funds for house fires, kids fighting cancer, families facing court battles. They rally for their communities. They show up. And like musicians, bikers are often misjudged. Stereotyped. Oversimplified. But at their core—they are givers. Protectors. Builders of real community.

There’s ego in every culture—symphonies, biker clubs, nonprofits, governments. But there’s also heart. And that’s what I’m chasing. That’s what I want to connect.

Still, let’s name the elephant in the room: nonprofit skepticism is real. Many people ask, “Aren’t nonprofits greedy now?”

They’re not wrong to ask.

Recent studies show that only 56% of Americans trust nonprofits, down from 68% in 2020. People are more likely to trust small, local nonprofits over large national ones. (Edelman Trust Barometer & Independent Sector, 2023)

Some of that distrust is earned. While the median nonprofit CEO salary is reasonable (around $98,000–$123,000), there are outliers. In 2022, the top 100 nonprofit CEOs made a combined $570 million, with some pulling in over a million each. (CharityWatch, 2022)

And 35% of donors held back giving last year because they were concerned about how money would be spent. One in four people believed nonprofits spend too much on overhead instead of their missions. (Give.org, 2023)

Here’s what matters: transparency.

As I am building a ginormous concept to be the gray and walk beside every single biker, biker business, biker organizations/clubs/tables/beyond. I am not event taking a pay check for what I am doing. I pray the concept can help me do amazing work in the biker community, but also help other bikers be connected to do it as well. It overwhelms me to think about these facts as I am a single ma and struggling at times. It is worth it in the long run - the struggle. I work hard. I pray people can see that good. Actions speaker louder.

Actions are everything.

The Better Business Bureau recommends that certain nonprofits spend no more than 35% of their revenue on administration and fundraising. But that’s a guideline—not a hard rule. Some of the best grassroots organizations start with nothing. Their “overhead” may be 100% in the beginning just to keep the doors open.

So yes, there are greedy nonprofits. Just like there are greedy corporations, greedy churches, greedy biker clubs. The issue isn’t the model—it’s the mindset. And that’s why I believe we need to be transparent and specific when it comes to biker nonprofits, and nonprofits in general since we walk beside and bring in to help normal nonprofits. If you're asking the public to donate, you better show them where every dollar goes.

And let’s go even further—because not all nonprofits wear the same label.

Most people think of nonprofits strictly as 501(c)(3)s—IRS-recognized, tax-exempt, donation-ready. But there are actually 29 types of 501(c) structures.

A few include:

• 501(c)(3) – Charitable, religious, and educational orgs (donations are tax-deductible)

• 501(c)(4) – Social welfare and advocacy groups (not donation-deductible but still tax-exempt)

• 501(c)(7) – Social clubs, including some motorcycle clubs

• 501(c)(19) – Veterans organizations

• 527s – Political campaign-focused nonprofits

They are all just as important as the others. No one is better here..yet.. that ego gets in the way when I actively listen to nonprofits.

Even beyond these, there are unincorporated associations, informal mutual aid groups, and barter-based collectives—none of which are legally “recognized,” but many of which are life-saving in their communities.

Here’s the truth:

If your group doesn’t distribute profits to individuals, and reinvests into its mission—you’re functioning as a nonprofit, with or without an IRS stamp. You are a problem. I would pray you look in the mirror to be a better human.

Some of the most impactful biker groups I’ve seen don’t have a legal status. They’re just people showing up for people. They’re fixing bikes, helping widows, giving food, mentoring the lost. They’re nonprofit in spirit—because they don’t take, they give.

Yes, it’s helpful to be registered. You get tax perks, grant eligibility, and donor trust. But that doesn’t mean unregistered means unworthy.

Look at the work, not just the paperwork.

What matters is impact and intent. Are you helping others? Are you reinvesting your energy and your earnings into something bigger than you?

Then yes—you belong in this conversation.

At Bikers Across The Nation, this is exactly the kind of conversation we’re creating. We’re not just riding. We’re building a new framework—a human mission on two wheels/three wheels/human level.

I’ve spent years researching how to build this, but I don’t charge for this research. I believe in sharing openly because we learn more when we learn together. I’m not trying to be the only voice in the room. I know there’s room in the bread aisle for more than one kind of bread. There’s room for many unique organizations—each with their own flavor, purpose, and impact.

I find inspiration in places far beyond the biker world. Museums. Community health projects. Food pantries. Classical music halls. Every connection teaches me something—and all of it feeds back into Bikers Across The Nation. That mindset is how we grow. That openness is how we serve bikers better. That human understanding is how we hug the world, not just the handlebars.

We are doing this without charging people. We offer free help, guidance, advocacy, and research. But to keep doing this work—we need help, too.

We need support for fuel. For booths. For biker clubs, For Biker Causes/Oganizations, For travel. For event logistics. We want to show up at rallies and ride-outs, not just in name—but in person. We want to stand beside clubs, lone riders, families in crisis, and communities trying to reconnect. We want bikers who believe in our mission to ride with us, represent us, and help us grow the kind of organization that truly reflects the best of biker culture.

This is not just about me. It never was. Bikers Across The Nation is built by and for those who believe that community care is badass. That showing up for each other is the ultimate patch you wear on your soul.

So if you believe in that mission, help us show up.Donate if you can. Share if you can’t. Ride with us in spirit or on pavement.

Because we don’t just ride.

We rise.

Together in a human way with our local communities.