What can FIRST do to increase FRC team sustainability?

[IronicDeadBird]

FIRST needs to start showing data that actually mean something outside of the FIRST scene. Compiling hard data and showing that these programs actually mean something and have a positive impact would be far more beneficial then a team coming home with a blue banner when it comes to winning over school boards and sponsors.
I'd ask FIRST to leverage the connections they have to help teams contact sponsors at higher points instead of trying to get a message from the clerk at gas station up to the appropriate people.