[Carol]

Insurance isn't mandatory but is recommended - not all independent teams have it. But be prepared for the cost - MOE pays $3000 a year for insurance.

It sounds as if going independent would be a good solution, but you would be on your own for fundraising. Can you raise the, say $10,000 needed to compete?

One solution is to perhaps do FTC for a year or two, and then consider going back to FRC once you build up the support system. There is a strong FTC program in Ohio - about 100 teams or so. Team Overdrive, 2753, has done this very successfully - they started with FTC for a few years, did FRC (and won Archimedes Divsion in 2009 I think) for two years, but this year competed as FTC again, keeping their same name, logo, and team number the entire time.