Bicycle Victoria

Bicycle Victoria

Coordinates: 37°49′03″S 144°57′35″E / 37.817389°S 144.959603°E / -37.817389; 144.959603

Bicycle Network Victoria (BNV) is a community-based not-for-profit organisation, one of the largest cycling membership organisations in the world (43,000 members, 2009), whose mission is to get More People Cycling More Often. The name was changed from Bicycle Victoria (BV) to Bicycle Network Victoria in July 2011. This coincided with a campaign - opposed by the Australian Taxation Office - to become a Health Promotion Charity. This campaign succeeded in getting BNV registered as charity, although not as a "health promotion charity" and so without the right to Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.

Bicycle Network Victoria is financially self-supporting and independent. It is primarily funded by its major events and membership subscriptions. Some events and programs receive specific government and commercial sponsorship, though Bicycle Victoria maintains financial independence as an organisation. This independence allows the organisation to lobby in the interests of bicycle riders without perceived external financial pressure, although this is debated by critics (see below).

Currently BNV employs about 60 permanent staff and has a number of additional staff on contract for events and special projects, as well as using the services of volunteers for events. Harry Barber has been the CEO since 1996 but has resigned effective end 2012. Bicycle Network Victoria has two offices located in the CBD of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The organisation also has a workshop in Sunshine, Victoria.