El Tour drops local charity Tu Nidito as main beneficiary

The annual race has raised $3.7 million for the nonprofit since their partnership began in 1997, said El Tour founder and President Richard DeBernardis. Now board members want to give another charity — one with a national footprint — a place in the spotlight, DeBernardis said Thursday.

“We felt our organization has helped them achieve an incredible, recognizable reputation in the community and we’re now looking to help another organization,” he said.

El Tour de Tucson is deciding between four nonprofits to be the next primary beneficiary. All of them have a local office, plus national scope, he said. The board could decide as early as its next meeting, on Thursday, he said.

The race now draws more than half its participants from outside Pima County and needs a primary beneficiary that appeals to a wider audience, DeBernardis said.

“The tour has become a national tour. We would like an organization that would appeal on a national level because we feel we can raise lots more dollars on a national level,” he said.

Tu Nidito — which provides support for children and families facing serious illness or grieving a death — brought in $350,000 through its relationship with El Tour last year, which translates into services for 250 children and families, says Liz McCusker, executive director. The nonprofit is now bracing for a drop in funding.

“While this is a devastating blow to our organization, with courage and the support of our many generous donors, we will find a way to continue to serve our community’s children and families facing a serious medical condition or death of a loved one,” McCusker said in a news release. The charity is the only one of its kind in Southern Arizona.

Tu Nidito can still be a supporting beneficiary of El Tour and could possibly raise just as much or more through its Ride for a Child program, DeBernardis said. Last year the Rotary Club, a supporting beneficiary, raised $2.2 million through El Tour, he said.

But McCusker says that is not realistic for Tu Nidito, especially because the nonprofit is now a few months behind on its fundraising campaign for El Tour. Tu Nidito typically starts fundraising in January for the November race, McCusker said, but supporting beneficiaries can’t sign their El Tour contracts until race organizers select a new primary beneficiary.

“This year, being three or maybe four months behind, it’s very scary,” she said. “We have some great people who ride for a child and I think it’ll bring in some funds, but nowhere near $350,000.”

Last year Ride for a Child brought in $130,000, she said.

Primary beneficiaries of El Tour get a guaranteed minimum contribution from every rider. Last year that was $20 each from 9,000 participants, McCusker said. The race offers incentives for giving more to the primary beneficiary, who is featured on El Tour’s official application. That provides a major public awareness boost, she said.

DeBernardis says he hopes before the decade is out that El Tour can raise $10 million for 100 charities annually. Last year the race raised $3.8 million for 30 charities, he said.

Tucson resident Rachel Alter, 29, has ridden El Tour de Tucson three times. She doesn’t think the beneficiary change will affect cyclists’ perception of the race.

“The people I know who ride the event do it for the community aspect and for the distance-cycling aspect,” she said. “It’s kind of an added bonus that it also financially supports a great organization.”

McCusker says there are no hard feelings between the nonprofit and El Tour, but she wishes they’d been notified of the change before the end of January. DeBernardis says the board made the decision in December.

“The decision came as a surprise to us,” McCusker said. “We’ve had a great partnership with El Tour over the past 17 years, and I truly believe our relationship has been mutually beneficial.”