[ChrisH]

Here in Southern California we have SCRRF AND a regional committee. SCRRF is focused on supporting teams through workshops, fundraising, mentor referals, off-season competitions and whatever else we can think of. We have also turned in all the paperwork for 501(c)3, though I don't recall hearing that it is official yet. (It takes months to be processed)

The Regional committee has one goal, support the regional. The regional committee provides most of the bodies to put on the event. It also has its own fundraising subcommittee to cover local expenses. (If you think raising $10-30K for a team is hard, try raising $170K for a regional.)

But if you look closely at the membership of the two groups, there is a lot of overlap at the top. Most of the SCRRF board is also on the Regional committee. The two organizations HAVE to work together, so it really helps co-ordination when they are the same people. But by having them separate organizations, it helps maintain the focus.

One of these days, when the FIRST competition moves to the Dave Lavery model, or when the Regional funding is better established, we might merge the organizations. Or rather, SCRRF will become the de-facto organizing committee. But that will be a couple of years yet.

BTW all you Southern California teams ARE sending a representative to the SCRFF meeting on Saturday, RIGHT?