FRC7429 is in desperate need of some financial help
We started the team in 2019 using rookie grants and state STEM grants. Currently we represent 14 area high schools and 2 middle schools. During COVID, the few sponsors we had accumulated either closed their doors for good or discontinued their sponsorships due to their own financial hardships.
We have had a great competition season, winning both of our district qualifiers, and have qualified for the Chesapeake District Championship.
We need to come up with the funds necessary to register the team for the district championship and potentially even the world championship (if the team qualifies).
An alum has setup a gofundme at the link below and we have been going out into the community trying to find new sponsors with a sponsorship packet.
Please consider helping us out and feel free to send any leads for sponsors nationally or around Chesterfield/Richmond VA our way. We really appreciate your help!
I see that you are a registered 501c3 organization. If youâre asking for donations, I recommend that you ask people to search for your organization in their employersâ giving and donations websites. My company for example matches donations to registered non profits, and on other occasions donates 2X.
Try to send that GoFundMe to your local newspaper, radio station, school posters, etc.
Also join the Amazonâs Smile program, it doesnât cost anyone anything. People just need to order through the special Smile URL of Amazon and has setup your 501c3 as the charity that they want to donate to. Then make sure every parents, families, staff, sponsors, etc everyone knows about those and make all their orders through them. Every little bit counted. Good luck!
If your city/town has a FB group share the links there and contact your local paper - that might help to get the word out about the urgent funding need.
May be a little late for this year but keep an eye on this page. HQ is working to share more grant opportunities that teams can apply for Grant Opportunities | FIRST - it will be refreshed when opportunities open up.
Also, Flipgive (flipgive.com) is an option for helping to fund the team that is not tied exclusively to Amazon. Our team starts the year with a metal drive where we collect metal and take to local recycling plant, usually nets a minimum of $400. In 2020 we approached Krispy Kreme who either donated dozens of donuts or sold them at real low cost to us. We had orders lined up from people in the community and just did the delivery, that made about $800 if memory serves. Bear in mind closest Krispy Kreme to us is about 35 mins away so for people who like them it was a way to support a local team as well as get their fix
I realize these are more ânext yearâ suggestions though.
