The MDE State Grant for FIRST Robotics is OPEN in NexSys!!
THE GRANT CLOSES ON JANUARY 6, 2022 AT 4:30 PM.
Note: This closing time is earlier than in prior years when the grant closed at 11:59 pm.
Here are a few details:
WHERE IS THE GRANT LOCATED?
The grant this year is in NexSys which replaced MEGS+.
WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE GRANT?
The name of the grant is “99h: Robotics Competition Grant.” Scroll way down. Grants starting with a number are below those starting with a letter.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Any MDE recognized public or non-public school/district may apply for the grant through their district.
If you are a non-public school and don’t have a SIGMA vendor number with the state yet, you need to set one up as your first step. This will allow the state to pay you what you are awarded. https://sigma.michigan.gov/web
WHO FILLS OUT THE APPLICATION?
The grant must be initiated and submitted by the person in your school/district with Level 5 clearance. This person is usually in the superintendent’s office. The Level 5 can give the coach access to the application to fill it out by granting the coach Level 3 or 4 clearance. Once the coach has finished inputting all info, the Level 5 can review the information and press submit.
SINGLE APPLICATION FOR ALL FIRST TEAMS IN THE DISTRICT.
This application is for the district, not for individual teams. All of the FIRST teams within the district across all levels should be included on the single application- FRC, FTC, FLL-Challenge, FLL-Explore, FLL-Discover. You simply add a separate page for each team.
WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT IS INCLUDED?
The grant provides for three distinct awards:
-Team Support grant for each participating competition team
-Advancement grant for each team that advances (determined later if funds are available)
-Stipend for coaches – one per level of FIRST per building, but once awarded the stipend can be split in any way. A school with multiple teams at one level has one team apply for the stipend as part of that team’s application.
Ex 1
A district has one FRC team in the one high school in the district- the one team applies for the 1500 stipend.
Ex 2
A single K-8 building has 3 FTC teams, 2 FLL-C teams and 1 FLL-E team in the building. The district would have one FTC team, one FLL-C team and one FLL-E team in the building apply for the stipend in their application.
Ex 3
A district has two high schools and each one has one FRC. Each team is in a different building so each can apply for the stipend for their program.
HOW MUCH CAN EACH TEAM GET?
Here are the amounts listed in the application:
FRC- FIRST Robotics Competition (high school and jump-start)
Team Support:
Up to $9,000 Year 1 Rookie
Up to $8,000 Year 2
Up to $7,000 Year 3
Up to $6,000 Year 4
Up to $6,000 Year 5 and older
(the application may just say year 5 without the “and older” so just use this category for teams older the 5 years.)
Stipend for Coaches: Up to $1,500 total for all FRC teams within a single building, applied for by one FRC team in the building.
FTC- FIRST Tech Challenge (middle school)
Team Support:
Up to $2,000 Year 1 Rookie
Up to $1,000 Veterans (returning teams)
Stipend for Coaches:
Up to $1,000 total for all FTC teams within a single building, applied for by one FTC team in the building.
FLL-Challenge (Upper Elementary)
Team Support:
Up to $1,000 Year 1 Rookie
Up to $ 300 Veterans (returning teams)
Stipend for Coaches:
Up to $500 total for all FLL-C teams within a single building, applied for by one FLL-C team in the building.
FLL-Explore (K-3)
Team Support:
Up to $300 Year 1 Rookie
Up to $200 Veterans (returning teams)
Stipend for Coaches:
Up to $300 total for all FLL-E teams within a single building, applied for by one FLL-E team in the building.
FLL-Discover (PreK-early 5)
Team Support:
Up to $300 All teams rookie or veteran
Stipend for Coaches:
Up to $200 total for all FLL-D teams within a single building, applied for by one FLL-D team in the building.
I added the “up to” language because the amount listed is the maximum amount that will be awarded to a team. Awards may be adjusted downward based on the number of districts applying and the availability of funding.
DOES A “DISTRICT BUDGET” HAVE TO BE ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION?
You do not ATTACH a district budget this season because it is now built into the application. You will create a separate team budget for each team you input. When you finish, the application itself will combine all the individual budgets into one district budget.
I suggest just using broad categories for each team’s budget (registration fees, parts, uniforms and marketing, travel).
STUDENT ROSTER
Each district will have just one roster. If you don’t know how many students you will end up with, just guess. You can modify your roster later.
QUESTIONS ON THE GRANT, IN ORDER
Provide this info to your Level 5 for each team:
Program (Select name of the appropriate program in the pull down-FRC, FTC, etc)
Team Number
Team Name (Nickname)
Building Associated with the team (school name)
Number of Students- guess if not known yet
Coach Name
Coach Phone
Coach Email
Coach Stipend (Yes or No)- must say yes to be awarded the stipend
District Match (Yes or No)- must say yes to match or your team will not get the award
Advancement Match (Yes or No) must say yes to get it later
Consider offering Credits or Badges Yes or No- must say yes to get grant
Sponsor Name (company, college or individual)
Sponsor Phone
Sponsor Email
MODIFYING THE GRANT AFTER YOU SUBMIT
You can add a team or make modifications to your district application after you submit so long as it’s before the Jan 6, 2022 deadline. You will need to ask the MDE to reopen the application by emailing Ashley Arras, our MDE contact for the 99h grant, at ArrisA@michigan.gov, or 517-241-6966. It’s always good to create an email trail so leave a message and send an email.
COMMUNICATE RIGHT AWAY WITH YOUR LEVEL 5
January 6 will come very quickly. Contact your Level 5 today and get started.
REACH OUT WITH ANY QUESTIONS
I may not have the answers but I can help direct you to someone who does. You can also try ArrasA@michigan.gov
Create an email trail of problems. Be sure to use your district name and school. This will help the MDE fix them if time runs out.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
2021-22 99h: Robotics Step-by-step Instructions
https://www.techplan.org/downl
2021-22 99h: Robotics Competition Grant Student Roster
https://www.techplan.org/downl
2021-22 99h: Robotics Competition Grant RFP Instructions
https://www.techplan.org/downl
2021-22 Technical Assistance Webinar (recording)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
MDE contact for 99h grant:
Ashley Arras
ArrasA@michigan.gov
517-241-6966
All the Best,
Gail Alpert
248-425-4148
gail@firstinmichigan.org
