Quote:
Originally Posted by BeltSanderRocks
I would suggest looking into getting a new sponsor rather than doing grants. Our team currently does grants to earn money, however we have learned that they are not the best things to rely on, unless done correctly or in a huge mass. As a result, we are looking for sponsors.
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Unfortunately in smaller towns this is not always practical. Our situation is very similar to the OP. A smaller city without even any large department stores, or a shopping mall nearby, only a couple of large employers. The largest employer in town made it clear they are not interested in funding a First team any more, and the next two employers down the list are non-profits that are unable help sponsor a team. The nearest other cities are quite far, and I can tell you from experience it is really difficult to get any interest in sponsorship from companies that are 25 to 50 miles away. Many even have policies that restrict applications for such support to a specific geographic distance.
Robotics is an expensive endeavor. Once you get down to the point where you are relying on contributions from mom and pop operations it is really difficult to get enough support to run a team. You can do all the car washes, light bulb sales, and restaurant fund raiser's you want, but at some point you need some serious funding, and grants may be the best option in some situations.