Quote:
Originally Posted by BSV
Has anyone gone the 503(c) route and then decided that they wish they would have stayed with the school?
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Expanding on Mr V's answer (I started this morning before his post and decided to finish anyway):
Forming a 501(c)(3) to help fund the team does not mean that you have to break your association with the school, unless the school's policies forbid this.
In our case, it means a build and meeting space, a venue for recruiting, and "field-trip" excused absence for the students. The first two could be overcome, the third is essential.
Looking at the posters who did indicate that they formed/affiliated with a non-school organization:
- cbale2000: according to their website, team 703 is still associated with the Saginaw Career Complex where they formed.
- BitTwiddler: Team 1723 is still listed as associated with the schools on TBA.
- QBot2640: The team 2640 web site still shows an affiliation with the Rockingham County Schools.
- GeeTwo: 3946 is still fully in with the school
- Kevin Leonard: clearly states "20 has had a nonprofit since 2004 in addition to our association with the school". [emphasis mine]
- David Brinza: clearly identifies that 980 was already "a SoCal community team".
- Rosiebotboss: Team 839's TBA listing still shows affiliation with AGAWAM HIGH.
- John Retkowski: The teams listed were always community teams. See the first sentence under "Our History" at this page: "Team 316, the LuNaTeCs, began in 1999 with seven students and four mentors through a partnership with local businesses and educators."
- Steven Smith: Begins "3005 partnered with a local 501c3.."
- itsjustmrb: 4063 is associated with HS according to TBA.
MrV: 5588 is associated with Holy Names Academy according to TBA.
Bottom line is that no one who has posted appears to have been involved with a team that was once part of a school that has completely severed ties. If you do consider severing ties, approach this at least as methodically as a robot design - figure out what you will gain and what you will give up before you make the commitment; there's probably no going back.