We are a rookie team out of detroit at davis aerospace high school. we have about 25 students on our team and are in need of sponsors. we have been coming along quite nicely and we just finished our first (unoffiacial) competition at kettering university. where we placed 9th and made it to the semi finals …Thanks to the support from the engineers from team 70,494,217, and 469. we also recieved the team spirit award. but we currently have no sponsors and its becoming a challenge to raise funding. so if there is anyone out there who can help us please email me at [email protected] or send me a message on this site and thank you 
The best and probably easiest way to find sponsors is through local colleges that have a strong emphasis on engineering or technology.
As far as corporate sponsors go, start with companies in your area, or even better, start with the parents of students on the team. Prepare a folder with information about your team, how to become a sponsor, the benefits of being a sponsor, and a personal letter to each target sponsor and give them to the parents of students. Specifically parents who are engineers, know engineers, or work in an industrial setting.
The first place to start though is getting a list of target sponsors ready. Get a contact name for each one by calling them or looking at their website and see if they have any sort of Public Relations department. Thats where you want to start. If it is a smaller local business, go straight to the owner. It is important to keep in mind that even a $100 sponsorship will cover the cost of a gearbox, or some other part.
It is important to have a mentor help you, preferably a mentor who plays a larger role on your team. They will help breed relationships with high-up people in these companies and then in future years, you just need to nurture that relationship by doing an end of year video, newsletter, or doing an offseason demo at some of your major companies.
Sorry my post is kind of unstructured, but there is a lot of information available to seek mentorships.
A good way to find companies as well is to find your nearest engineering college, attending a career fair there, and getting a list of companies who attended.
I would suggest shooting off an email to your Regional Director. They’re an awesome resource in at least getting in contact with potential sponsors, sometimes being able to actually provide you with a business.
For Michigan, your contact would be:
Susan Lawrence, sklsumgrad[AT]comcast[DOT]net
Read the info hereabout NASA Grants. I believe that you will qualify. Contact them early to start a dialog.
I also suggest that you read about Team Sustainability here
In the off season have members of your group sit down and find telephone numbers and addresses of the largest companies in your area. Send the president/CEO a letter and/or all info about your team and your mission. Do follow up calls. Send out 20 and expect 2-3 responses.
Talk to your Superintendent or principal and ask them for possible names of business people they know.
Gather your parents and ask for their ideas.
Look at the First info and see the national sponsors. These people already know the mission and passion. They may be easier to convince than others.
I also think that you should contact local colleges that offer engineering degrees. They can supply $$$ and mentors.
Make sure that you develop fundraisers.