Quote:
Originally Posted by cgmv123
FIRST HQ in Manchester. I don't know what it's spent on specifically, but FRC is a very expensive program for them as well.
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To everyone who has questions about finances, I suggest you read the FIRST Annual Report
http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...Y13_%20AFS.pdf
In this report you can see the basic financial math:
Revenue:
Program Registration Fees =$19M
Contribution and Grants = $18M
Expenses:
FIRST Robotics Competition = $33M
So, the high registration fees we all pay DO NOT cover all of FIRST's costs of running the program. Additional grants and donation are required. Also, the $19M is for all registration fees for all 4 FIRST programs, not just FRC.
In a nutshell, if we ever what to get FIRST to reduce our registration costs, there are only 2 things we can really do:
1. Work to evolve the league to a more decentralized operating model so that the FIRST NH expenses per team will go down, (AKA Districts or similar)
2. Work to identify and engage new donors and benefactors in industry and government.
In Michigan we have been actively working on these two fronts for years.
Other regions are now joining these efforts which is great to see.
When evaluating your teams' financial situation, evaluate what percentage of your annual team budget goes towards registration fees.
Now imagine if this number became $0. This would be a huge change for almost every team.
We have made this a reality here. It can be done everywhere!
Write a letter to your State Governor and ask him/her to call our Governor, Rick Snyder. Rick is one of the most outspoken FRC advocates I have ever met. I am certain he would give a convincing conversation to any politician who approaches him on this topic. He will be at the Michigan State Championship again next weekend and I expect he will reaffirm the state level commitment to the future of our sport..