[jpetito]

We're in Los Angeles where costs are high but there are several regular and off season events relatively close; no need for hotels and etc. But this year we want to compete at three regionals, and have set a budget of 45k. Were we to win one and go to the national level, it would be another five grand plus travel and lodging and other stuff.

We do a lot of off-season work in the Shop (the former high school auto shop), teaching during the summer and fall, and use materials and equipment meanwhile. From the perspective of the community, the skills you build into your students will eventually take them to jobs in the community, and the marketing angle is that these students are the future of the local economy.

It's hard for administrators with no real workplace experience to get past the visuals in the Shop and understand the meaning behind them: skills for real jobs that command a decent wage. Then there's the sports angle- some admin who don't get the robot thing will get the competition thing and sometimes support the team. You are pretty much in the same category as the hockey team, football team, the marching band when it comes to getting people to contribute. For some teams, creating a non-profit corporation is helpful to get donations for tax write-off purposes. Don't know Canada law on this though.