Rise Up Racing Wins $2,500 Trout Tank Grant
The Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania awarded the Robin Barth-led coaching and events group the grant to support youth cycling.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Cycling
Rise Up Racing received a $2,500 Pennsylvania Trout Tank grant from the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania, a Shark Tank-style pitch competition. The group will use the funds to provide loaner bikes for youth in its Sparks program.
Why it matters
The award supports access to cycling for young athletes, with the grant aimed at reducing barriers such as the cost of equipment. It also reflects the alliance's effort to back outdoor businesses across the state through its inaugural grant round.
The $2,500 grant sits at the top of an award range running from $500 to $2,500, selected from applicants across 26 counties. The number of loaner bikes the funds will buy has not been disclosed.
The players
Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania
A statewide organization established in 2025 that runs the Trout Tank pitch competition to support outdoor businesses across Pennsylvania.
Robin Barth
Founder and Head Coach of Rise Up Racing, a coaching and events group focused on triathlon and running.
Silas Chamberlin
Executive director of the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania, leading the alliance's grant program.
The details
Applicants were accepted in late summer 2026 and finalists were invited to a virtual pitch session called Trout Tank. Rise Up Racing, founded and led by Robin Barth, offers personalized coaching for local and remote athletes and directs grassroots triathlon and running events, including targeted events in Lewisburg and York.
Timeline
2025: Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania is established.
Late summer 2026: Applicants are accepted for the inaugural grant opportunity.
November 14, 2026: Rise Up Racing's grant award is announced.
Legacy Program
The award is among the inaugural round of Pennsylvania Trout Tank grants, the first distributed by the Outdoor Business Alliance of Pennsylvania since its 2025 founding. Its funding range of $500 to $2,500 sets the baseline for future rounds.
Youth in the Sparks program can access loaner bikes funded by the grant, lowering the equipment cost of entering the sport. Families interested in the program can look for the Sparks offering from Rise Up Racing.
The takeaway
Grants of this size can remove the equipment barrier that keeps many young athletes off the bike. Watch for how many loaner bikes the Sparks program ultimately provides.
Further reading
Explore more Pennsylvania cycling coverage to see how local programs are expanding youth access to the sport.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Williamsport Sun-Gazette.
