How Much Does it Cost to Run a Team?

[ScottOliveira]

I wouldn't plan on doing 2 regionals and championships your first year unless you have some very experienced mentorship. Start off with just one regional, and championships if you qualify.

As far as actual money goes, take into account what tools you have and what tools you need. If you're starting from scratch you're going to invest a significant sum in tools. Erich listed $1000 for hand power tools, but if you're really at nothing right now, it could easily go higher. Power drills, bits, saws, blades, the list goes on. And none of it is particularly cheap.

If you feel you can raise the money for a second regional, I would highly recommend skipping it your rookie year, and investing that money in tools that can be used to make you more competitive in the future, as well as using it to try to get your students practice using all of them in the off season, as well as practice prototyping new devices, and reading up on basics for electrical systems, pneumatics, motors, etc.

[Doug Leppard]

What people have put in above sounds right. Important part of FIRST is the business and learning from it. NEMO (non-engineering) is just as important as building the robot.

Start at a reasonable level and build from there. I agree with comment above, FTC is a great start.

Another note. As they said being a rookie you can not go to Champs, but being an experienced team you might win all-star rookie like we did and qualify to go to Champs. So you will have to decide at your last regional to go or not and spend the shipping costs. Later you can raise the cost to enter champs, for it is easier to raise money for a winning team.

[Chris Fultz]

We put together a budget to help start a new team in Indy, and estimated at about $10,000 - $12,000 for the first year.

This included going to one regional, hotels, transportation, basic tools to start, extra robot materials, some t-shirts and that was about it.

Remember NASA provides some grants to first and second year teams, but you have to apply and have a good plan for your team. Look at the application process for 2009 teams, and get a feel for what is needed. A NASA grant would pay your FIRST entry fee (kit of parts), but may require that you go to a specific regional.

Items to include in your roll-up

Entry Fee
Basic Hand Tools (screwdrivers, socket set, wrenches, allen wrenches, hammers, hand saws, drill bits, etc.)
Power Tools (hand drills, small drill press, jig saw, small tabletop band saw)
Materials (motors, spare batteries, actuators, sensors, spare control components)
raw materials (aluminum, nuts and bolts, tubing, wire)

Hotel rooms
Meals
T-shirts
Give-Away items
Transportation (bus rental, van rental, gas for personal vehicles)

[RoboMom]

There is a FIRST AmeriCorps-VISTA assigned in Philadelphia to help answer your questions. I would encourage you to contact him as well as the PA Regional Director. Besides the great suggestions here, they can direct you to resources to help you plan.

Links to help:
VISTA: http://www.usfirst.org/community/vol...t.aspx?id=3312
Regional Directors: http://www.usfirst.org/regionalcontact.aspx
Senior Mentors: http://www.usfirst.org/community/vol...t.aspx?id=3310
Starting a Team: http://www.usfirst.org/what/frc/content.aspx?id=5504
NEMO resources: http://www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm

[Monty Python]

Thanks RoboMom, I had no idea NEMO had such extensive documentation (I just finished going through the links).

Thanks to everyone else who commented and offered advice as well, this has been such a big help to my team.

We're lucky in that we do have a fair amount of tools (drills, a bandsaw, a press, a dremel, etc.) and we would only need travel costs for the championship (if we were to make it there). It seems like a budget of 15-20 thousand dollars would be ideal based on the comments, meaning that we should aim for 20 thousand. Thanks again for all of your help!