What Does "Our Team Really Needs Funding" Mean To You?

[JaneYoung]

I really don't know and I'm also wondering what that pressure is like on groups and organizations that help fund teams and support their efforts. It's fine with me if there are strict guidelines in place but:

a. do those guidelines apply across the board or are there variables?
b. who knows the guidelines and availabilities of funding and support?
c. what teams automatically think, oh - we don't qualify - we aren't going to ask or apply or submit a request and don't?

Why am I thinking about this? Because I think there will continue to be a burgeoning demand placed on those who support the FRC program and the teams and I also think there is a continued opportunity for teams to misunderstand and even misrepresent true need.

Jane

[BJC]

Personally, I have always thought of it like this:

HAVE NOTs: Teams that have trouble finding the money to compete at all.

Have Nots: Teams that have enough money to compete once but not enought for a second time.

Haves: Teams that have the money to go to more than one compitition.

HAVEs: Teams that not only have the money to go to more than one compitition but also have access to other expensive fabrication methods and extra nicities (water jeting, CNCing, powercoating, ionizing, ect.

It should be noted that the difference between all of these really comes down to the effort teams put in and the difference between Have and Have Not is really one big sponser (like NASA) away.

One other thing I should note, The biggest difference I can see between the "Have" side and the "Have Not" side is that the Haves all have sponsers (almost always more than one). If they need more money they go and pitch their team to a potential sponser. The Have Nots seem to rely more on team fund raisers. This is why they are where they are on the spectrum. They basically have to start from scratch moniarily every year as opposed to Haves which have a set income. This allows Have teams to concern themselves with being competitive as opposed to Have nots who must put all their efforts into simply being able to compete.

My 2 cents

[davidthefat]

Now, my mentor was and still is very hesitant about fundraising at our school mostly due to ASB. Our ASB has to accept our request to fundraise and they pocket some of the money (not sure on percentages). For that sole reason, he does not want to fundraise because he does not want money getting mixed in with the ASB's. We are currently at a situation that we have enough for 1 regional, but not yet for the 2nd we always wanted. So we have 2 choices, raise barely enough money for the 2nd regional and have minimal amount of money or just go to one and have a lot for the robot.

I heard last year my mentor literally went up to our (now retired) principal and asked for $5000 just in case we don't get enough money to even sign up. Fortunately, he did find that much money and just handed back her the money.


I really suggested some ideas to fund raise with, but apparently my mentor really hates asking for money or even dealing with money (I totally understand him, I am like that too...) So we never get to do them. Some how he manages to get 5k and extra every year though...

In all honesty, I do not understand why FIRST needs all this money from individual teams. How much does it to actually run an individual regional?

[mattiej]

I know exactly what you mean. Our team was having a hard time this year on raising funds, and it was only through a generous donation by a parent that we are able to compete this year.
One thing I think that could help (which I think they have) is ways for companies to donate to a team through FIRST itself. We had been turned down multiple times by companies in our areas because they would not donate to a Booster club, which is where our funds are "stored". Or maybe even if the regional FIRST associations would do that sort of service. I know the Texas FIRST just recently got 501(c)3 status. Just a thought.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

In all honesty, I do not understand why FIRST needs all this money from individual teams. How much does it to actually run an individual regional?

Back when I started, a quarter-million was the basic price per regional. This included such things as the team social, venue costs, field, A/V, and the like. It may have gone down a bit, but some things have been trimmed--team socials are now put together by teams, if there is one; A/V is slimmed down, regionals try to minimize costs.

Believe it or not, very little of team registration if any goes to the regional. It goes to overhead costs, KOP costs, field building and transport, robot shipping over the donation, and things of that nature.

To the original (title) question, I think the basic answer is something like this:
"We do not have enough money to do what we want to do, therefore we need more." Note: "Need" in that sentence should really be "want".

With regards to "have" and "have-not" teams, "have" teams are the ones with the resources to do what they want to do--multiple regionals, waterjetting, practice robot, stuff like that. "Have-not" teams can do an event or two, but they'll do it with a kitbot chassis and PVC and stuff like that, no practice robot or anything.

The best way to turn your resident "have-not" team into a "have" team is to get the word out to the community that you are looking into doing X, or are looking for Y resource, and talk to places that can help you.

[Taylor]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

I heard last year my mentor literally went up to our (now retired) principal and asked for $5000 just in case we don't get enough money to even sign up. Fortunately, he did find that much money and just handed back her the money.


I really suggested some ideas to fund raise with, but apparently my mentor really hates asking for money or even dealing with money (I totally understand him, I am like that too...) So we never get to do them. Some how he manages to get 5k and extra every year though...

added emphasis mine

Why does your team depend solely on your one mentor do get all the money? Many hands make the work light.
The generic "fundraiser" (selling overpriced candy bars, cheeses and meats) is NOT the only way to generate capital. Sponsorships are a renewable resource; perhaps the students could start a "pay to play" campaign (on our team each student must raise at least $250 to be able to travel - with 20 students, this covers our registration).
Gaining sponsorships is NOT merely walking around the mall, talking to store managers with your hand out. Invite people to your shop - start with relatives, friends, neighbors, people who have heard you talk about the team and know what it means to you personally. Invite people to a competition - most regionals provide a VIP program for current and prospective sponsors. You'll be surprised what happens with a soft sell.

Back to the topic at hand, it struck me a couple days ago that the have/have not perception is completely outside the team. Our team in 2010 was able to go to 4 FRC competitions - BMR, DC, IRI, CAGE Match. We host an offseason event. We built a t-shirt shooter for the student booster club. We participate in local VEX tournaments. To the outside eye, we'd appear to be a Have.
All that was great fun, but it really bled our coffers dry. This year we're doing one regional, without much "comfort money." Hopefully in 2-3 years we'll be back up to where we can be a 2-regional team again, and start the cycle over.
Mike Soukup posted in the Pitfall thread the dangers and difficulties 111 encounters in the build season, and how much they *inhale audibly* with their design. Flippin' WildStang. A top-5 team on anybody's list.
We all have our problems to work through. As a team grows and evolves, so do the problems. Some teams just evolve more quickly than others, or in different areas.
The Have teams - they earned it, and I applaud them.
The Have Nots - get to earning.

*I realize situations arise that are outside the teams' control that drastically affect the team. Perseverance pays.