OPEN:         May 14, 2024 (registration for year opens)
CLOSES:     November 1, 2024
AMOUNT:  $926
NOTE:

• Carefully review the grant parameters especially regarding additional teams out of the same school/organization.
• Reimbursement style grant. Covers qualified team’s out of pocket costs incurred for the initial purchase of the team’s FIRST FLLC season registration fee, challenge set, and initial kit of parts (SPIKE Prime) purchase.
• The team’s FIRST proof of purchase must be uploaded as part of the application process. If parts were purchased by P.O., proof of payment of the P.O. is required as well.

This grant covers the team’s initial out of pocket costs incurred through the FIRST Storefront and makes the 2024-25 registration fee and kit of parts free! Teams must be affiliated with a school or an established 501c3 organization (like 4H or Scouts) to be eligible for the grant.  If it presents a hardship for the school/team to front the funds for the FIRST Storefront purchases, email Michigan FIRST LEGO League director with a request for an alternative plan.

The team’s fiscal partner can register at the FIRST Storefront to purchase the season registration fee, challenge set, and kit of parts, then apply for the FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grant. Grant funds cannot be paid out to an individual, only to the team’s fiscal partner. The fiscal partner should make the FIRST Storefront purchases for the team.

Teams are responsible for following the FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge grant instructions, parameters, and requirements outlined below. Especially key to note is that veteran teams from a given school/organization must be registered for the current season before rookie teams out of the same school/organization can be eligible for the grant.

Apply for FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge rookie team grants at this link: FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grant Application.

This grant is funded through the generous sponsorship of General Motors. These sponsors view the grant as seed money for a new team. Team members and coaches may move through the program but the FIRST LEGO League Challenge team number and kit of parts stay with the affiliated school/501c3 organization for reuse year after year. Sponsor logos are available for download on the RESOURCES site page.

FIRSTin Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grant Instructions, Parameters, Requirements:  

1. WHO MAY APPLY:
   1. FIRST in Michigan aligned upper elementary school FIRST LEGO League Challenge team comprised entirely of upper elementary school team grade/age members only.  Upper Elementary grade designation is as defined by the local school district where the team is located. Teams may consist of any 4th and 5th graders. (The team may also consist of 6th graders ONLY IF 6th graders in the district are part of a K-6 elementary. K-8 schools should follow the guidelines of other schools in their district.)
   2. Teams must be affiliated with and recognized by an entity such as a school (public or private) or a youth enrichment 501c3 type of organization (scouts, 4-H, etc.) that agrees to serve as the team’s fiscal partner and owner of the team number/kit of parts. The intent is to have teams affiliated with a sustainable entity for ongoing team support and to keep the reusable team number and kit of parts “in play” year to year. The “Payee” name for the reimbursement check should be the team’s fiscal partner (school, 501c3 organization). Grant checks cannot be remit to individuals. Grant applications will not be processed if the payee field lists and individual.
   3. Multiple teams from one school/organization:
      1. If your school/organization did not participate in the past, each of the teams you register this season may apply for a grant.
      2. If your school/organization participated in FLL in the past, and the number of registered teams from your school/organization this season will exceed the highest number of teams registered in past seasons – the additional incremental teams may each apply for a grant.
         1. EXAMPLE:  School/organization with 1 existing team which re-registers for 2024-25 season, 2 rookie (new) teams in that school/organization register for 2024-25 season, making 3 total.  The two new teams may apply for the rookie grants.
         2. EXAMPLE:  School/organization with 1 existing team which does not re-register for 2024-25 season, 1 rookie (new) team in that school/organization registers for 2024-25 season.  The new team is not eligible for the rookie grants.
2. WHEN TO APPLY:
   1. All of the following must have occurred before a grant form can be submitted:
      1. The team is registered for the 2024-25 season on the FIRST website:  http://www.firstinspires.org/
      2. Two Lead Coach/Mentors have been identified and are working towards completing the team profile, electronically signing FIRST & FIRST in Michigan Consent/Release forms, and completing the background screening process (YPP)
      3. Rookies:
         1. The team has a permanent team number. Applications with temporary team numbers will not be processed. A permanent team number is only 5 digits.
      4. The team’s fiscal partner has completed the purchase of the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Kit of Parts through the FIRST Storefront. Note that the payee name entered on the grant form must match the purchaser name on the submitted proof of purchase.
         1. The FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grant is a reimbursement-style grant. If it presents a hardship to the team’s affiliate to front the money, email the Michigan FIRST LEGO League director to work out an alternative arrangement.
      5. Teams must upload their Proof of Purchase confirmation as part of the grant application submission.
         1. The Purchase Confirmation can be downloaded from the FIRST Storefront after the team completes their Kit of Part purchase (do not send the quote version or screenshots). Or, create a pdf from the emailed confirmation sent to the individual that executed the initial kit of parts purchase on behalf of the team.
         2. If the purchaser pays by PO, the PO payment confirmation must also be provided as part of the file upload showing the PO paid in full.
         3. Have document(s) in pdf format for uploading. File naming convention: FLL<Team Number>.pdf. Example: FLL12345.pdf.
      6. Please have the following information ready to share: Ensure that the information in these fields is input accurately and conforms to formats accepted by mailing/shipping services. FIRST in Michigan will not verify this information. Any inaccuracies could result in delays or lost checks/equipment.
         1. Payee name for reimbursement check (team’s fiscal partner, cannot be an individual)
         2. Mailing Name (max 40 characters; i.e. school/organization)
         3. Mailing Address 1 (max 40 characters)
         4. Mailing Address 2 (if needed, max 40 characters)
         5. Mailing City (max 25 characters)
         6. Mailing State (max 2 characters i.e. MI)
         7. Mailing Zip (xxxxx or xxxxx-xxxx format)
         8. ATTN First Name (optional; max 25 characters)
         9. ATTN Last Name (optional; max 25 characters)
3. TERMS OF THE GRANT:
   1. Team that receive a grant are required to build a robot from the kit of parts and participate in at least one official FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge qualifying fall event (listed at the FIRST in Michigan Events page) during the 2024 season.
   2. Grants are restricted for use in support of the receiving FIRST in Michigan Upper Elementary FIRST LEGO League Challenge team and their current season related expenses.  Teams must keep record of how grant funds are used and be able to provide proof of fund usage upon request.
   3. Grant recipients agree to recognize sponsor(s) support and agree to provide photos and stories of their season upon request.
   4. Reimbursement award amount could be adjusted lower based on the team’s submitted proof of purchase confirmation/receipt.  Purchasing significantly less equipment than recommended or not providing required receipts could result in a lesser award or a declined grant.
   5. The FIRST LEGO League Challenge Kit of Parts (a LEGO SPIKE Prime kit), made possible through the grant, is reusable year to year. The Kit of Parts and corresponding Team Number are the property of the team’s affiliated school or 501c3 organization. Please work with your team’s affiliated organization as to the usage terms of this property.
   6. Teams and their affiliates that accept these grant funds agree to sustain the team from year to year.
   7. As grants are limited in number and the Kit of Parts is reusable year to year – FIRST in Michigan retains the right to request a team’s sustainability plan prior to approval.
   8. If the team accepts a grant award and fails to comply with the terms and requirements of the grant, the team must return all equipment purchased with the grant to FIRST in Michigan or reimburse FIRST in Michigan for the full amount of received grants.
4. TIMING:
   1. Teams approved for grants will receive the funds when team registration is verified and kit of parts proof of purchase is received.  Grant applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis once teams have completed a qualifying event.
5. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS:
   1. By submitting the grant form, the FIRST LEGO League team and their affiliate (henceforth referred to as “they”) understand that they are required to build a robot from the kit of parts and compete in an official FIRST in Michigan event in the 2023 season. They understand that the Team Number and Kit of Parts is reusable and they agree to sustain the team from year to year. They understand that if they do not comply with these requirements, the kit of parts will have to be returned to FIRST in Michigan or the team/affiliate invoiced for the value of the grants.
6. TO APPLY:   
   1. Apply for FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grants at this link:
      FIRST in Michigan FIRST LEGO League Challenge Rookie Team Grant Application. An individual grant form must be submitted for each individual rookie team, even if they are from the same organization. 

NEW! (Sept 2024)… We have received word about a sponsor-driven DonorsChoose funding opportunity generously supported by 3M for teachers with FIRST teams. After you have created your project, fill out this Google form managed by DonorsChoose, and your project MAY be funded.

For teams where a coach/mentor is an educator:The DonorsChoose program has a FIRST affiliation that has really paid for several of our Michigan FIRST teams.

• Eligibility: Full-time educators and school district employees in the United States from public or charter schools, Head Start Centers, or Bureau of Indian Education Schools who work directly with students at least 75 percent of the time can create a project funding request on DonorsChoose.org. Classroom projects are then fulfilled by generous citizen donors and will be matched by FIRST.
• Projects: Eligible teachers can create projects for additional FIRST materials. To qualify for match funding, teachers will need their FIRST team number, which can be found by visiting the FIRST Dashboard.
  Funding has helped teachers cover the cost of important materials to support their FIRST teams such as LEGO® robot or building sets, laptops, tablets, and more! FIRST will not apply funding to projects that include team registration costs.

You can create your project at DonorsChoose

Teams should connect to companies in their area for additional grant opportunities. Encourage team parents/mentors to reach out to their employers. Many companies have grants available to employees who are engaged in youth STEM programming.

• Application lists the team’s correct team number. Most grants require the team’s permanent team number. Temporary team numbers start with ‘2021’ and are 9 digits long, but permanent numbers are only 5 digits.
• Where required, uploaded proof of purchase document(s) must be properly labeled with team number
• The “remit to” name on the grant check must be the team’s fiscal partner. The team’s fiscal partner is the School, District, 501(c)(3) Organization, Foundation, or other entity that administrates grant funds on behalf of the team. Grant checks cannot ever be made payable to individuals. Grants will not be processed if the payee field lists an individual’s name.
• Veteran teams at a given school or organization must be registered for the current season.
• Team should have two screened coaches.
• Team profile on your FIRSTinpsires.org Dashboard account should list your team’s school or organization affiliation.

Say “thank you” to grant sponsors by recognizing their contribution on the team’s social media outlets and include their brand on the team’s robot, pit swag, team shirts, engineering book, etc. Sponsors often serve as volunteers at events and visit the teams that accept their funding. Logos are available for download on the RESOURCES site page.