State funding for FIRST teams

[KathieK]

Arizona has announced a $525,000 grant. "The investment will be used to expand FIRST in Arizona, including the development of additional teams and recruitment of teachers to mentor them. "

[RoboMom]

Maryland just awarded STEM implementation grants to school systems in a competitive process. Although not specifically for FIRST, Baltimore City received a grant that has a component for current and pre-rookie FRC teams, tying into the curriculum. http://www.marylandpublicschools.org...007_07_19b.htm
I am trying to get info now on whether this was replicated in any other districts.

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by RoboMom

Maryland just awarded STEM implementation grants to school systems in a competitive process. Although not specifically for FIRST, Baltimore City received a grant that has a component for current and pre-rookie FRC teams, tying into the curriculum. http://www.marylandpublicschools.org...007_07_19b.htm
I am trying to get info now on whether this was replicated in any other districts.

I believe that was thought out and such from Todd Martin. He was excited that it went through one day when i was down there.

[Rosiebotboss]

Thank you Jenny. I'll pass this along to the folks up in the DOE to re-kindle the flame. They need a reminder right about now.

[JB987]

Dana,

The State of Nevada does not currently provide financial support for any of the FIRST teams here in Nevada. Following our Championship with 190 and 177 this year, however, we did provide the Governor with a photo op suggesting that he was a great supporter of educational efforts in the state. Unfortunatley, even with many efforts to engage political support for teams here, we are still on our own financially. We continue to work hard to enlist the help of our government as we push for Pell Grant support much as Indiana has done and hope for success down the road. We have done "Dean's homework" many times and hope it pays off eventually.

987 has found a possible down-side to our great successes when it comes time to campaign for financial support from local/state sources...a catch-22 of sorts comes with our success (we did so well with private sources, why do we need money from the government?). The hard part is making them understand how hard it is for an increasing number of teams in Nevada to find financial support to stay afloat. Any ideas?

[Rosiebotboss]

Lots of ideas...

1. Get them to an event. We had been lobbying for a while (So hadn't a lot of other teams in MA) to try to get someone to an event to see first hand what FIRST does to assist in educating new engineers and ....you know the rest. It didn't really hit home with them (the Dept of Ed) until a representative of the DOE came to the Boston Regional on Friday. He came was duly impressed. He came back on Saturday with the #2 guy in the DOE. The process started...with excitement.

2. Start locally. Our first contact to gain support was our local school board. I actually contacted a school board member immediately after we got the team going 7 years ago and have had strong support locally ever since. The first year we were in existence, we presented to a state wide convention of school boards because our local member was the President of the Assn. You never know who knows who or who can help... Start locally.

3. Stay in the press. Write up your own articles with photos. Get them in the press, on TV, anywhere. Sell the sizzle. Give he politicians the oppurtunity to get a photo op. Your program is the most successful one in the school district for educating students and exposing them to real life situations. Pols love photos with successful students. (Future voters!)

4. Maintain a high level of visibility. Keep after them They'll come around.

5. Promote it as a resource for ALL teams, not just you. The more students they see involved in FIRST, the more they will see the value of it. That's why it is imperative to get them (whoever you decide "THEM" is) to a regional. The original guy that came to Boston from the DOE was sent to Atlanta for more fact finding. After networking with a BUNCH of people over the three days he was there, including FIRST heavyweights such as Baker, Kressly, the Kentfields, Ken Stafford and many others in ALL the programs, FLL, FTC, he came back excited! They got to see BIG picture.

Does that help?

[JB987]

Originally Posted by Rosiebotboss

Lots of ideas...

1. Get them to an event. We had been lobbying for a while (So hadn't a lot of other teams in MA) to try to get someone to an event to see first hand what FIRST does to assist in educating new engineers and ....you know the rest. It didn't really hit home with them (the Dept of Ed) until a representative of the DOE came to the Boston Regional on Friday. He came was duly impressed. He came back on Saturday with the #2 guy in the DOE. The process started...with excitement. GOOD IDEA THOUGH NOT EASY SINCE THE STATE DEPT. OF ED. IS LOCATED 450 MILES AWAY FROM LAS VEGAS...BUT I WILL BE SURE TO INVITE THEM (AFTER ALL, THE GOVERNOR CAME TO OUR SCHOOL TO RECOGNIZE OUR ACHIEVEMENTS)

2. Start locally. Our first contact to gain support was our local school board. I actually contacted a school board member immediately after we got the team going 7 years ago and have had strong support locally ever since. The first year we were in existence, we presented to a state wide convention of school boards because our local member was the President of the Assn. You never know who knows who or who can help... Start locally. WE HAVE THE EAR OF A BOARD MEMBER BUT SHE IS ONE OF THOSE WHO SEEMS TO BELIEVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR AND OTHER'S TEAMS BEST COMES FROM SPONSORS IN THE COMMUNITY...

3. Stay in the press. Write up your own articles with photos. Get them in the press, on TV, anywhere. Sell the sizzle. Give he politicians the oppurtunity to get a photo op. Your program is the most successful one in the school district for educating students and exposing them to real life situations. Pols love photos with successful students. (Future voters!) TONS OF GREAT PRESS HERE HAS TRANSLATED INTO NEW SPONSORS (ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TEAM) BUT GOING IS SLOWER FOR NEWER TEAMS

4. Maintain a high level of visibility. Keep after them They'll come around. MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY OF 2 MILLION ACTUALLY KNOW ABOUT FIRST NOW THANKS TO A FAIR AMOUNT OF PRESS...

5. Promote it as a resource for ALL teams, not just you. The more students they see involved in FIRST, the more they will see the value of it. That's why it is imperative to get them (whoever you decide "THEM" is) to a regional. The original guy that came to Boston from the DOE was sent to Atlanta for more fact finding. After networking with a BUNCH of people over the three days he was there, including FIRST heavyweights such as Baker, Kressly, the Kentfields, Ken Stafford and many others in ALL the programs, FLL, FTC, he came back excited! They got to see BIG picture. GREAT IDEA...WE WILL INVITE STATE LEVEL HOT SHOTS TO ATLANTA IN ADDITION TO OUR LVREGIONAL AND BE SURE TO SEND DVD PRODUCTIONS TO THEM, ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN'T ATTEND!

Does that help?

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION IS ALWAYS HELPFUL...THANKS DANA.

ANY OTHER IDEAS OUT THERE???

[Barry Bonzack]

Glad you made this post. I know you've already seen this whitepaper, but thought I should add it to the list for others that would also like this information.

Oklahoma Legislature will appropriate $100,000

[TKM.368]

With regards to Hawaii:

Take a look at §304A-B(a) (and Part V Section 12 for the allocations) of

ACT 111 (07)
SB885 SD2 HD3 CD1
Signed: May 30, 2007

RELATING TO EDUCATION.
Appropriates $5 million for 2008 and 2009 to implement science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs in Hawai‘i’s school system.

From what I understand, this will trickle down to about $3000 per FRC team - details of which have not been formulated yet.

Our state also just received a two-year $500,000 grant which may be added to the pot.

[gail]

State Funding of Michigan FIRST Teams

Last year the State of Michigan Board of Education set aside $150,000 in money to fund 25 rookie FIRST teams from public school districts at $6,000 each. We set it up to review and award the grants on a rolling basis, with submission dates by the end of each month and awards 2 weeks later.

Veteran teams were allowed to apply for the same $6,000 grant but could not be awarded the grant unless there was money left over. Veteran team applications were received throughout the application period, but we did not make any veteran awards until the very end of the entire grant period after all rookie awards were made. which in our case was December 8.

The payment process was less than ideal, with the school laying out the $6,000 to FIRST and then receiving a 1/12 reimbursement each month through their school aid checks. We are trying to fix that for this year and may event attempt to have the State of Michigan make one lump $150,000 payment directly to FIRST.

The application itself was also quite cumbersome, following a similar format to NASA. We've changed that for this year, should the money be approved in the state budget once again. Now basically rookie teams will automatically be awarded the grant by answering a few simple questions, like, have you registered for FIRST, what is your team number, how many teachers students, sponsors and mentors do you have?

Veterans will once again be allowed to apply for the left over money. I hope one day we have enough growth in Michigan to give out all 25 grants to new teams and enough other money to help veteran teams.

If you need any additional info, please email me directly at
gail.alpert@gmail.com

[UCGL_Guy]

Here is the wording from the Oklahoma House bill

"SECTION 19. The funds allocated in Section 1 of this act for the Robotics Program shall be expended for the purpose of funding twenty (20.0) grants to school districts in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) each to establish a robotics project in the school districts. Each robotics project shall involve creation of teams of students who with the assistance of teachers and volunteers design and build a remote-controlled robot that is entered into regional- and national-level robotics competitions. The State Board of Education shall determine grant eligibility criteria, solicit proposals, and establish a process for the consideration of proposals. Proposals shall be considered on a statewide competitive basis."