Feasability of a FRC team at our school?

[kmcclary]

Originally Posted by dooey100

I think it would be awesome if we could move up to FRC. I'm wondering how feasible this would be, and if I should pursue this.
We are a small school of 300 kids from grade 7-12. We are relatively isolated, so combining with another school isn't really an option. We would also likely find it very difficult to fundraise, the FTC team had to work very hard to get $2500 this year (although we did not charge any money to join the team), and having to fly to a tournament doesn't help. [...]

(FYI, I'm insane about FIRST... I've started a number of FRC teams...)

Do you have any industry locally to partner with, to finance your basic fees? How about a school grant for the first kit fee? (Heck, schools often spend tons on sports, so try to tap a bit of it for academics...)

If you have either of those, it's possible. Also, you may be able to find state funding to get you started.

If however you are in the midst of farmland without ANY industry, and have to raise ALL of your money via the "bakesale method", it's still possible but honestly it's difficult to make it sustainable. NASA Rookie Grants are only good for two years. Even if you do win them, the second year is ONLY "matching funds" (IOW, you must have as much from others as you get from them).

After those first two years, the NASA grants are burned up. Without some OTHER funding source already lined up it's a tough road, AND you can't "reboot" a failed team with a NASA grant later if it THEN crashes.

Therefore, I'd only start a team and use the NASA for "bootstrapping" once you HAVE lined up additional funding. You use the NASA grant for the kit fee, and use your OTHER funding sources to bootstrap your shop, tool collection, and fill the parts bins.

THAT gets your team up and running well, and helps reduce a later year's money needs closer to "refill of consumables", R&D, fees, and travel costs.

Does this make sense?

- Keith