[JohnBoucher]

All a team needs is someone to believe in them. If can be a parent or a parents group. It can be one of the team’s sponsors, or it can be one of the mentors.

FRC is advertised as a high school competition, but in the real world, the real support and the heart and soul of a team come from the supporter’s mentioned above.

Some teams are lucky to have great school support, but it isn’t necessary. One teacher that believes in the program is enough.

There are teams here in CT, which must find an off-school site to meet and build their robot. They have great corporate and parental support.

Our technical mentors have no connection to any present or former team member. They were hooked on FIRST by demos we ran while looking for sponsors. Our non-technical mentors, parents of present and former members, run the business end of the team.


If the sponsoring school allows, incorporate separately as a non-profit 501(c)3. Find an CPA that will do this for you as a donation. We found sponsors way more willing to give to the team instead of to the school.


It’s all about believing you can do it. Gather the students and give them the whole story. If the students want it, then the parents will want it and so on……..