One of the sponsors did this last year:
Taco Del Mar Offers $6000 in Travel Grants to Women’s Teams
Hood River, OR (February 16, 2006) With a commitment to take women’s cycling to a whole new level the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic has partnered with Taco Del Mar restaurants to offer travel grants to all Pro 1-2 women’s teams planning to compete at this year’s event. The grants are $500 cash and are available to Pro 1-2 women’s teams of 5 or more. A total of 12 grants will be distributed for this year’s event to assist in travel costs and expenses.
The grant money might be offset by the new attire you'll need, along with the cosmetics and whatnot, but I'm betting you could be at
least as convincing as the Tammster:
I'm working on it--gotta a whole bunch of great ideas like this one, so I'll let you know what floats to the surface. Good luck, buddy!