State funding for FIRST teams

[TKM.368]

With regards to Hawaii:

Take a look at §304A-B(a) (and Part V Section 12 for the allocations) of

ACT 111 (07)
SB885 SD2 HD3 CD1
Signed: May 30, 2007

RELATING TO EDUCATION.
Appropriates $5 million for 2008 and 2009 to implement science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs in Hawai‘i’s school system.

From what I understand, this will trickle down to about $3000 per FRC team - details of which have not been formulated yet.

Our state also just received a two-year $500,000 grant which may be added to the pot.

[gail]

State Funding of Michigan FIRST Teams

Last year the State of Michigan Board of Education set aside $150,000 in money to fund 25 rookie FIRST teams from public school districts at $6,000 each. We set it up to review and award the grants on a rolling basis, with submission dates by the end of each month and awards 2 weeks later.

Veteran teams were allowed to apply for the same $6,000 grant but could not be awarded the grant unless there was money left over. Veteran team applications were received throughout the application period, but we did not make any veteran awards until the very end of the entire grant period after all rookie awards were made. which in our case was December 8.

The payment process was less than ideal, with the school laying out the $6,000 to FIRST and then receiving a 1/12 reimbursement each month through their school aid checks. We are trying to fix that for this year and may event attempt to have the State of Michigan make one lump $150,000 payment directly to FIRST.

The application itself was also quite cumbersome, following a similar format to NASA. We've changed that for this year, should the money be approved in the state budget once again. Now basically rookie teams will automatically be awarded the grant by answering a few simple questions, like, have you registered for FIRST, what is your team number, how many teachers students, sponsors and mentors do you have?

Veterans will once again be allowed to apply for the left over money. I hope one day we have enough growth in Michigan to give out all 25 grants to new teams and enough other money to help veteran teams.

If you need any additional info, please email me directly at
gail.alpert@gmail.com

[UCGL_Guy]

Here is the wording from the Oklahoma House bill

"SECTION 19. The funds allocated in Section 1 of this act for the Robotics Program shall be expended for the purpose of funding twenty (20.0) grants to school districts in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) each to establish a robotics project in the school districts. Each robotics project shall involve creation of teams of students who with the assistance of teachers and volunteers design and build a remote-controlled robot that is entered into regional- and national-level robotics competitions. The State Board of Education shall determine grant eligibility criteria, solicit proposals, and establish a process for the consideration of proposals. Proposals shall be considered on a statewide competitive basis."