Sponsor approval time...!?

[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.