Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
Katie, I do like your idea about donating leftover parts to neighbor/friend teams.
DaveF, it's not that simple. I'll pm you.
Tristan, thanks for taking the time to write that really long post. I've got a lot to learn about 4-H still and I've spent a year as a 4-H leader.
4-H started before 501(c)3 designations were given out so it's a little confusing. But the government has ruled that we are a non-profit, so we're all set there. Our club has a specific non-profit EIN. There are times, as I found out this year, that we have to use a different EIN for certain grant requests and we use one that is tied to the university.
We have no corporate sponsors at the level that might want to claim a robot; this year the funding is looking particularly grim. So, that's not a worry but it is good to know about.
Again, no school board, no conflict there.
I'm not sure about the limited liability for debts and property because we're not a 501(c)3 organization nor a for-profit corporation. Last year, the mentors dug into their checkbooks and paid for the unfunded portion. We're trying very hard to come up with more funding this year.
I'll keep working on this!
Thanks again,
Trying to Help