As much as I hate to admit it...

[Cothron Theiss]

As someone mentioned earlier, don't be afraid to ask for help. That's the point of FIRST, to put people willing to learn in contact with people who, collectively, know lots of useful stuff.

As for advice I can give in addition to everything that's already been said, don't be afraid to do cold calls. Many businesses would be willing to make small donations here and there, and that can add up pretty quickly. However, this is time consuming so I would do this now, and NOT during build season. (Oh, and don't make the mentors do your calls. Make sure you know the proper manners of a telephone call, and be willing to tell your potential sponsors a little bit about your self. If they know what they're really sponsoring, many business owners become quite generous.)

Another tric-, I mean, perfectly legitimate fundraising idea is to call local politicians during election seasons. Just about every one we've called gives in the $100 range every time they're running.