[evanperryg]

Demoing and presenting for large contributors is a great way of strengthening your relationship with them. Powerpoints and letters often aren't enough to get a sponsorship, but throwing a yoga ball around in a business' office or auditorium works pretty well. Robot demos will give a boost to any outreach event- our bake sale/demo has evolved into a week 0 scrimmage/bake sale, and the benefits have been enormous.

Bake sales and other small fundraisers are an awesome way to get your name out in the community, but you'll find that selling muffins isn't going to get you to a second regional. It's simple math: $5000 regional registration plus $1500 in travel costs divided by $1 per muffin comes out to 6500 muffins. That's a lot of muffins. If you plan on growing your program on a large scale, your fundraising methods have to be on that scale as well. Talk to parents, see if they work for any companies that are looking for community relations opportunities. Find grants. Find businesses that sponsor other FIRST teams. Find businesses that don't sponsor FIRST teams but do similar STEM-related sponsorships. Ask if you could arrange a demo, and bring your coolest robot that's still safe to show off. It'll pay off, whether that payout be in money, mentorship, or other resources.