Team Budget Per Season

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Mike Marandola

Wow, what a great infographic and your team and sponsor growth is awesome!

If you're at an event with 4481 and don't run into them, you're making a big mistake. It would be hard to make that mistake because:
1) Most of them are ~2m tall and dressed out in bright orange
2) They'll probably come talk to you

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Large disparities in team expenses come from the difference between team-paid travel, team-subsidized travel, and individual travel. Consequently, you can also see a sizable disparity between teams that charge fees that are all inclusive (all travel and apparel) teams that charge fees that cover certain expenses (our team fee in the past went to apparel and our local event only, for example) and teams that do not have a team fee (one major team I can think of is 696, IIRC).

We budget for the cash we have on hand during transitions between operating years. For example, we have ~$55k cash on hand right now so we have a budget that is lower than that. Any money we raise during the 2015-2016 Operational Year will go to the 2016-2017 Operational Year unless the sponsor wishes otherwise (ie a sponsor gives us $3000 to go buy a trailer and put their name on it RIGHT NOW). Since we have... difficulties... arranging direct funding of the team through the Governor's School Foundation, we have students pay their own way through lightly subsidized travel and students who have earned their way but can't afford it are fully subsidized individually through the foundation.

It's important to understand that a majority of the teams who will give the information you are requesting probably are what I would call tier 2 or tier 3 teams.

Tier 1 - Low Resource Team
Tier 2 - Sustainable Team
Tier 3 - Competitive Team
Tier 4 - High Volume Competitive Team
Tier 4+ - Powerhouse

Low resource teams go through <$10k /year, Sustainable Teams go through less than <30k/year, competitive teams <50k, and HVCTs and powerhouses eat up more than 50k in a year.

Being unfamiliar your membership level, potential burden for travel, workshop availability, general geography and demographics of Eastern Ontario, and most importantly, your goals puts me in a tough spot as to any direct advice. While teams can get by on less, I think getting above the $10k hump is something all teams should go for if they can.

Also stretching your dollar is something you should always do, no matter what kind of team you have. Re-use that COTS part, save your stock, etc. Look for in-kind donations that can enhance team capabilities like a dedicated location for robot practice. Look at presentations and other resources online on how to develop a winning formula at any level through the gospel of FRC Strategic Design. And feel free to come here or shoot off PMs any time (but avoid the political and CJ threads if you value your soul; it's too late for me)