Sponsor approval time...!?

[alexvasile]

Nobody told me that there was a deadline to meet when applying to NASA grants. Therefore my team focused on other things like finding people and space. I only found out there was a deadline for applying AFTER the deadline had passed.

[danshaffer]

you never know how long it's going to take. our we managed to close our biggest sponsor this season in an hour, other (still open) leads may never close, but certainly haven't closed in six months. i think you could probably do $6k in a month. definitely consult with local teams and members' parents: they might be able to put in the good word for you.

[Zyik]

Yeah, the NASA Grant deadline is gone. Definitely apply for it next year. Look into other grants if you can, its always worth a shot after all. The worst thing a potential sponsor can do to you is turn you away if your polite, so ask everyone you can think of.

Sponsor story: We had one sponsor check take almost a year to get in.

[Klake]

Congress also added 1Billion to NASA's budget so maybe they might be happier to help you

[KathieK]

There are many resources in FIRST that teams have put together to help. Search the ChiefDelphi white papers section for "sponsors" and for "fundraisers". Read the Fundraisers forum here. Put together a press packet and get it out to the press; the more you are in the news, the more likely you will locate a sponsor. Check the NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) website for Resources - we have some papers compiled by team mentors which may help. We also link to several teams' website resources for rookie teams. The President's Circle (a group of FRC teams) has recently published a list of resources on the FIRST website including finding financial support. Check out the archive of FIRST workshop and conference presentations - I know there have been some on fundraising/sponsorship recruiting in the past. Don't forget to contact your local FIRST Regional Director, FIRST Senior Mentor and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer (if your region has them) - they can be of great help to you in launching your team.

[ccn303]

Not every team has a big sponsor. The Becks from Team 103, a team in rural Pennsylvania, gave us great advice last year when our team had lost our sponsor (they provided build space, engineers, funding, machine shop, mentors...). Go for the small money and the bigger money will follow. It's true that big corporations will usually take time to approve sponsorship while small companies and family and friends are easier with the sponsorship funds. Find support in your community. Get in the newspaper. Let every pizza shop and hardware store know that you'll be great customers when build season starts!

I don't know how big a team you are, but try reaching out to your parents on the team. You don't know what connections they might have. We finally were given space to build in when a parent on our team contacted and acquaintance who contacted a friend. Parents donated or loaned the team basic tools and we were on our way.

Our previous sponsor, who left us only because they had moved a distance away, funded most aspects of the team. Last year we fund raised in earnest for the first time and did very well just with requests for donations (different levels of sponsorship awarded different benefits- name or link on our website, name on the robot, etc.), and a "Can Shake" outside of Shop Rite. In just three hours our students (and a robot mascot) raised $700!

There is lots of help available in the FIRST community. Its great that you are reaching out. Team 303 is available to help, too.

It is possible. Get excited and get going!

[zakk]

one thing ive noticed is that alot of teams are sponsored by churches in their area, and like they said above, talk to teams around you. you are more likely to get money faster from small local businesses such as banks, machine shops, etc. like that than big corporate places. i would definately try the little places before going after the big ones.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by zakk

one thing ive noticed is that alot of teams are sponsored by churches in their area, and like they said above, talk to teams around you.

I don't know about that. I only know of two teams sponsored by a church in any way (through the church's school, usually, and one is now no more). The other has their church as their biggest sponsor, not necessarily in terms of money, but in terms of space/time. Though the team does have to set up their calendar with the church as far in advance as possible. (And the church doesn't contribute money...it's the church members who donate that.) There could be more that I just don't know about.

Talking to teams around you is a good resource, as they may know of something you don't that is available. They may also share shop space and/or mentors with you. Come to think of it--you already are talking to teams around you via CD...

If you can find a machine shop, start twisting arms there (not literally!). You don't necessarily want money from them; rather you want a discount on parts you order from them. (Better: free parts. Start at a discount though. It shows that you are willing to pay. You can go for free parts later.) The same goes for metal stores and hardware stores.

[alexvasile]

I will certainly start with the small businesses. Oh yeah, when did you guys do all this? I mean I have school everyday, so I don't have time. I'm guessing after school. But for many things I try to do, I usually have to get approval from the school. What did you guys do about the school?

Originally Posted by danshaffer

you never know how long it's going to take. our we managed to close our biggest sponsor this season in an hour

What did you do to get a sponsor in an hour? Did you call them?

[JaneYoung]

Could you provide a little bit of information?
Do you have involved students on the team right now?
Mentors?
Parents?

Reason being, these are the people who will help solicit sponsors.
Getting organized as a team will help everything run more smoothly with the business aspect of it and with the build/competition.

Also, KathieK has provided some valuable information for you in post 10. Read that and share that info with your team.

[danshaffer]

we just brought them into our shop, game them a few demos and they took out the checkbook (an individual sponsor, not a corporate, so no bureaucracy to go from. plus he'd already read about us in the papers, so it wasn't really an hour).
Generally, though, the bigger the company, the longer it will take.

[alexvasile]

Originally Posted by danshaffer

Generally, though, the bigger the company, the longer it will take.

I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks for the replies guys!

[Akash Rastogi]

Yea, I'll agree that a bigger company will take longer. But in our case, Siemens Coproration gave us a check in about a month and a half. (Not too bad for such a big company) We also have food donations from a local Subway and Applebees.