[MrJohnston]

Our team is thriving with over 100 active members, is based out of a school and receives virtually no money from the district. 95% of our funding is from private sources - we have about 200 donors.

Some places you can look for funding if the distict cuts you off:

*ASB funding, in most states, is separate from school funding. Make sure you are an official ASB club and you will have every right to request money from the school's ASB. This also means that if you have a faculty advisor s/he would be eligible for whatever pay is associated with running a club.

* Establishing a booster club will allow you to raise money largely outside the juristiction of the school district. This money can be used to do almost anything with few strings attached.

* The school's PTA may just be a source of funding.

* Many districts have a non-profit foundation that specifically gives funding to educational endeavors that supplement and enhance district curriculum, but are not actually part of the curriculum.

* Have your club members write letters requesting funds to family, friends and acquaintances. We do this - and enclose a formal letter describing the club and provinding our non-profit number. We get a response from about 1/3 such letters, most for about $25. However, we occassionally get donations of $100, $200, or $500. Local, familiy -owned businesses can be very generous. (Your kids' orthodontists, for instance!). Aunts, uncles and grandparents thrilled to see the kids participate in a constructive activity that can lead to a great future can be very generious.

* Arrange to bring your robot to science fairs, local engineering firms, rotaries, etc. can lead to sponsorships. I have also heard of groups standing in front of their local groceries wtih videos of competitions (selling light bulbs!!!), etc. doing well.

The fact is that what we are doing is very favorable in the eyes of the community - once people learn what we are doing.