Id just like to throw this in:
Our team has always been a one event team, which means about $5,000 for entry. All our parts were from our own old abandoned auto shop. That means we paid exactly the minimum every year. We had the NASA grant for 3 years, and no longer do. We are having SO much trouble getting just the 5,000 and whenever I read something like "Oh, our team just fell short of our $30,000 goal
" I'm not gonna lie, it somewhat angers me.
I don't blame anyone specifically. I think the cause is being babied by NASA for all three years, then just being dumped on our own. I think the NASA grant is great in the short run, but ruins a team in the long run. I think what should be done is some sort of program from FIRST or anywhere really. Not a program that just gives the teams money, but one that shows them how to. How to get sponsors and host SUCCESSFUL fundraisers (which has eluded us).
Were at about ~$3,500 right now and have to I believe December 3rd to get 1,500. We had $1,000 left over from last years NASA grant and what little we did earn, $2,000 from the township, and the meek 500 we earned from September until now. I have major doubts we'll even be a team this year.
And it doesn't help coming from a school where were looked at as a "club" and no one knows what we really are and refuse to even go to one meeting. We handed out over 700 fliers for a pizza night at a place that donated %20 and we got $100, which we think most of was just donated from the pizza place out of pity.
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