09.04.26 FLL Explore Team E-Blast

99h Robotics State Grant | Refreshed FIRST Dashboard and YPP Requirements | Financial Guarantor and Tax-Exempt Status | Registration and Storefront | Fall Home Events | Festival Readiness | Equipment and Season Materials | DonorsChoose

WELCOME TO THE 2026–27 BIOGLOW SEASON!

The 2026–27 FIRST LEGO League Explore season is underway, and we are excited to begin another wonderful season with our Michigan teams!

Please review the information below and complete your team’s Dashboard requirements as soon as possible. The refreshed FIRST Dashboard has introduced some new steps and challenges, so addressing them early will help your team get off to a smooth start.

Michigan events will support the BIOGLOW Founders Edition this season. When registering for a Michigan team or event, please select the Founders Edition. FIRST LEGO League Explore in Michigan serves students in grades K–3.

1. MICHIGAN’S 99h ROBOTICS STATE GRANT

Eligible teams affiliated with a Michigan Department of Education-recognized school, district, public school academy, or intermediate school district may qualify for funding through Michigan’s 99h Robotics State Grant.

The grant may provide up to:

• $1,140 for an eligible rookie Explore team
• $720 for an eligible returning Explore team
• A coach stipend, with the amount to be determined

The grant is administered through the school or district. Applications must be submitted in the NexSys system by an authorized Level 5 district employee. Grant funds are distributed incrementally through the school’s monthly state-aid payments rather than paid directly to the team.

To prepare for the application:

• Establish or repopulate the team in the FIRST Dashboard.
• Confirm that the team has a permanent team number.
• List the correct school affiliation in the team profile.
• Assign two screened Lead Coach/Mentors.
• Keep registration and equipment receipts labeled with the team number.
• Plan to participate in an official FIRST in Michigan Explore Festival during the 2026–27 season.

Please work with your school or district’s business office or grant administrator to determine who can submit the application through NexSys.

Learn more about Explore grants:

GRANTS

2. REVIEW YOUR TEAM ROLES AND YPP REQUIREMENTS

Following the FIRST Dashboard refresh, coaches and administrators should carefully review their Youth Protection Program requirements. These may include:

• Youth Protection screening
• Youth Protection training
• The annual consent and release requirement

Every FLL Explore team must have two adult Lead Coach/Mentors assigned as Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2. Invitations may be sent and accepted while screening or training is still in progress, but both coaches must complete the required clearances before they can receive full active status and fulfill official event requirements.

Please review each team in your Dashboard and confirm that:

• The correct Team Administrator is listed.
• Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 are assigned.
• Each invited person has accepted their role.
• All required YPP items display as complete.
• Contact information is current.
• The team profile is complete.
• The correct school or organization is listed.

Log in to the FIRST Dashboard:

https://my.firstinspires.org/Dashboard/

3. FINANCIAL GUARANTOR AND TAX-EXEMPT STATUS

The refreshed Dashboard may require returning teams to re-establish their financial-guarantor and tax-exempt information, even if it was approved during a previous season. The financial guarantor is generally the school district, nonprofit organization, or other approved entity that accepts financial responsibility for the team.

A team will need an approved financial guarantor before it can:

• Use a purchase order
• Apply for a sales-tax exemption

To begin the process, open the team in the FIRST Dashboard, go to Team/Account Finances, and search for the organization using its correct legal name and Employer Identification Number, or EIN. If the organization is not available, follow the Dashboard prompts to submit its information for review.

Tax-exempt status requires a separate approval. Connecting a team to a tax-exempt school or organization does not automatically remove sales tax. The appropriate documentation must be submitted to and approved by FIRST Headquarters.

FIRST in Michigan cannot approve financial guarantors, approve tax-exempt status, or manually remove sales tax from a FIRST account. If a pending approval prevents registration, contact FIRST Customer Service and provide the affected team numbers, the organization’s legal name, and any existing case number.

Organizations registering multiple teams with one purchase order should allow additional time and may need assistance from FIRST Customer Service.

Contact FIRST Customer Service:

https://help.firstinspires.org/s/contactsupport?language=en_US

4. REGISTER FOR THE FOUNDERS EDITION

Michigan FLL Explore teams should select the $150 BIOGLOW Founders Edition registration. Michigan events will support the Founders Edition during the 2026–27 season.

Returning teams should repopulate their existing permanent team numbers instead of creating replacement teams. A permanent team number belongs to the affiliated school or organization and should remain in use from season to season.

Before completing registration, confirm that:

• You selected the BIOGLOW Founders Edition.
• The team profile is complete.
• The correct school or organization is listed.
• The correct financial guarantor is associated with the team.
• Any requested tax-exempt approval is complete.
• Purchasing and contact information are accurate.
• Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 are assigned.

If the registration process asks whether the team has access to or will purchase LEGO Education SPIKE Essential equipment, new Michigan teams receiving a set through FIRST in Michigan should answer “Yes.”

5. SPIKE ESSENTIAL SETS FOR NEW TEAMS

FIRST in Michigan has one LEGO Education SPIKE Essential set available for each newly registered Explore team.

Teams must first complete and secure their BIOGLOW Founders Edition registration through the FIRST Dashboard. Once the team is registered, equipment may be ordered through the FIRST in Michigan Storefront. Storefront orders are subject to approval, and orders for teams that have not completed registration will not be approved.

The FIRST in Michigan Storefront is separate from the FIRST Dashboard and FIRST Storefront. Coaches will receive the appropriate ordering link and instructions from FIRST in Michigan.

Returning teams should continue using their existing SPIKE Essential equipment when it remains available and functional.

6. FALL HOME-EVENT ASSIGNMENTS

Each registered FLL Explore team may submit up to three preferred festivals. Event assignments are based on team preferences, location, and available capacity. Priority is given first to a team’s first-choice festival and designated home event, followed by its second and third choices when necessary.

Teams should plan to participate in their assigned fall festival. Many successful Explore teams meet once per week and are ready to participate by November.

Fall festivals are held from November through February. Teams that begin later in the season may participate in a spring festival, held during April and May.

View the current Michigan FLL Explore event listing:

https://firstinmichigan.us/FLL-Explore/events/

7. IS YOUR TEAM FESTIVAL-READY?

Please review your team’s Dashboard information now rather than waiting until festival assignments begin.

A festival-ready team should have:

• A permanent team number
• A completed team profile
• The correct school or organization affiliation
• An assigned Team Administrator
• An assigned Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2
• Current coach and administrator contact information
• Accepted team-role invitations
• Completed Youth Protection screening and training
• Completed annual consent and release requirements
• A completed student roster
• Completed registration and payment
• A confirmed festival assignment or registration

Explore Festivals are celebratory events where teams share their models, coding, teamwork, and season learning with reviewers and other participants. All team members receive a medal, and each team receives an award certificate.

8. EQUIPMENT AND SEASON MATERIALS

The LEGO Education SPIKE Essential set provides the reusable building and coding components teams need for the Explore season.

The BIOGLOW Explore materials include the season-specific elements and resources teams use to explore the challenge, create their team model, and prepare for their Festival experience.

Season materials are also available digitally. Teams can begin learning about the BIOGLOW challenge, practicing the FIRST Core Values, developing teamwork skills, and exploring ideas even while they are waiting for physical materials to arrive.

Explore season resources:

RESOURCES

9. ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH DONORSCHOOSE

Eligible educators may use DonorsChoose to request support for additional team materials, including LEGO Education sets, laptops, tablets, storage supplies, and other classroom resources.

DonorsChoose projects cannot be used to pay FIRST team-registration fees, but they can help educators obtain equipment and materials that support their teams throughout the season.

Learn more and create a project:

https://www.donorschoose.org/teachers

We know the refreshed registration process has created additional questions this season, and we appreciate your patience as everyone works through the changes. Please reach out if you need help getting your team started—we are excited to support you throughout the BIOGLOW season!

Heidi Ferguson
FIRST in Michigan FLL Explore Program Director
heidi@firstinmichigan.org
(989) 513-1841