Re: NASA Grants
 

Got a definitive answer via email from NASA:
I guess that's just the way it is. Not quite the level of support given in 2011, but support nonetheless.
Good luck to all applying teams.

Re: NASA Grants
 

I helped mentor a rookie team last year that applied and was turned down for a NASA grant.

Re: NASA Grants
 

Do you mean this year?

Of course teams have been denied grants in past years. Nothing has been reviewed yet this year though.

Re: NASA Grants
 

We were just curious as we're (Katie and I) working with a rookie team this year and hadn't heard of anyone not getting it (never asked though).

Re: NASA Grants
 

The answer (already provided) is yes. Teams can be rejected in a number of ways, but there is one in particular that teams should never allow to happen:

This application has a lot of REQUIRED criteria attached to it - before, during, and AFTER the grant application process. Miss one, and you will NOT be approved, regardless of how deserving your team is of support. Miss any of the criteria after you receive a grant, and you will NOT be permitted to reapply. It's the government. They're like that.

Read the application directions fully. Comply with all requirements. Dot every "i" and cross every "t". If not, it doesn't matter how well written your application is and how worthy your team is - you will be denied!

Re: NASA Grants
 

Related aside for those applying ...
Here's a paper that was published to help applying teams in 2009 and beyond:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2167

There is some outdated/superseded info when comparing to the 2012 criteria, but much of it still applies.

Best wishes to all.

Re: NASA Grants
 

Is that really necessary?

Re: NASA Grants
 

Yes.

Have you been to the DMV? Filled out a tax return (or tried to)? It's a bureaucracy (I wouldn't even want to know the red tape hoops people have to jump through to even get the grant money allocated and approved for distribution to FIRST teams), and with a bureaucracy comes a lot of added rules and requirements - many of them make sense, some might make you scratch your head, but they are there, nonetheless, and applicants better take them seriously.

This is not like some school essay for which you can plead for a time extension, extra credit opportunities, or negotiate for a higher grade even though you turned in incomplete work.

The fact that a significant number of veteran teams receive Program Growth grants at all (as was the case last year anyway - and we were one of the veteran recipients) is evidence that 1st and 2nd year teams are failing to snag all the opportunities meant primarily for them - and at least part of that reality can certainly be attributed to some teams' failure to follow the detailed application guidelines (other factors would be not enough teams applying, and legit applicants rejected based on the content of their submission).

Re: NASA Grants
 

For what it's worth (not in reply to above): We received a 2nd year grant last year, our third year. You will note as you carefully read the terms that if grants are available, you may receive a Veteran grant even if it is past your second year provided none of the extras are taken and you have followed every rule and application requirement to the letter.

May not be likely, but you never get what you don't ask for.

Re: NASA Grants
 

We've received a NASA grand 2 of 3 times we were not eligible for it. 2010 being the only year we didn't get it (we didn't have a documented loss of a sponsor that large, pretty much a dealbreaker that year).

Re: NASA Grants
 

I would encourage any team to apply regardless of how long you've been doing it.
Whether its 100% essential that you receive it in order for you to participate in 2012 or not, I'm sure every team could use the support as regional registration expenses are quite hefty.
The mere fact that every 1st or 2nd year team either dont apply or dont receive it, is a missed opportunity that would have allowed a team to utilize their other funding for other much needed expenses.
We intend to apply and our team has received it 4 times in 5 tries over the years.

Re: NASA Grants
 

Yes they have. I'm not speaking for NASA, I'm not privy to there information, but I can tell you that I have seen applications that didn't answer the questions they asked. And the applicants didn't receive the grants.

It didn't take a NASA rocket scientist to figure out they were not going to get the grant.

It is worth studying the questions, and then stepping back and understanding why they are asking the question. If a team can directly answer the question and assure NASA that they will be a successful team, then the likelihood of having a successful grant application will go up significantly.

To directly answer your question: YES - teams have been denied a grant.

Re: NASA Grants
 

I think the tl;dr version of this thread is that if you put effort into your team and into the grant application, you can somewhat count on being awarded a grant if available.

Re: NASA Grants
 

That's a pretty hefty assumption. Do your best, hope for the best would be my take on it.

Re: NASA Grants
 

Sorry, I'll edit, I meant more of a "do everything you can to try for it" sort of post.