{"id":2728,"date":"2018-07-11T12:42:40","date_gmt":"2018-07-11T19:42:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/?page_id=2728"},"modified":"2025-10-09T10:48:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T17:48:11","slug":"run-a-team","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/run-a-team\/","title":{"rendered":"RUN A TEAM"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<h4><span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><b><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-4125 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2020-12-10-2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"451\" height=\"358\" \/>Join the <em>FIRST<\/em> Robotics Competition!<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High School FIRST Robotics teams are part of a rich culture of young innovators, guided by coaches and mentors, who tackle real-world challenges\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with ingenuity, integrity, and a sense of fun. Patterned after varsity sports, students work with engineers from industry to design, build and prog<\/span>ram their competition robots. We&#8217;re excited to have your team on board!<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h5><div class='printomatic pom-default ' id='id6471'  data-print_target='.print-this-page'><\/div><br \/><strong>GETTING STARTED<\/strong><\/h5>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Why FIRST<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gain access to over $80 million in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> dedicated college scholarships for high school seniors.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forge the connection between classroom lessons and real-world application.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get hands-on coding, rapid prototyping experience, and fabrication experience<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experience a broad range of the STEM fields to see what fits bests for future areas of study and careers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work side-by-side with mentors from a variety of backgrounds: industry,\u00a0 education, and government.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apply the engineering process and learn to find the opportunity in failure.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rise to the top for college admissions, internships, and apprenticeships.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><\/div><\/div>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>FIRST and FIRST in Michigan<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two entities that work together to grow and support teams, FIRST and FIRST in MIchigan.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HQ provides:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0New game and rules each season<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/firstinspires.org\">FIRSTinspires.org<\/a> website (separate from ours)<\/li>\r\n<li>Program information<\/li>\r\n<li>Program resources and grants<\/li>\r\n<li>Team and event registration<\/li>\r\n<li>Payment of all fees<\/li>\r\n<li>Provides the Kit of parts at beginning of the season<\/li>\r\n<li>Provides the game elements and component on the competition field<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan provides:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> programs in Michigan<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li>Michigan specific grants and program information<\/li>\r\n<li>Organizes all Local Events\/Competitions including venue selection<\/li>\r\n<li>Organizes local Workshops and training<\/li>\r\n<li>Local resources for anything a team needs<\/li>\r\n<li>Pairing of rookie teams with veteran teams for their rookie season<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Is your team in the correct FIRST program?<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan (FiM) operates a progression of programs which differs slightly from what you&#8217;ll see on the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> national website. Our programs build on each other rather than overlapping. High school and middle school each have their own exclusive program, while elementary has an early program (K-3) and a late elementary program (grade 4 and up). Preschool students have their own program too.\u00a0 This progression allows students to compete o with other students the same age.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Why school affiliation is key to funding.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The majority of our teams are tied to schools. There is a good reason for this. Michigan is fortunate to have a State Grant that supports FIRST, but the money flows through the School Aid Budget. Hence only schools, public and non-public, including charters and academies are eligible.\u00a0 School affiliation also creates sustainability when the district posts to hire a new coach when one is needed.\u00a0 FIRST also offers substantial grants to all new teams regardless of whether or not they are tied to a school.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Register a team for the season.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step to becoming a team is to create an account on the firstinspires.org website to a temporary team number. The team will get a permanent number once the team registers for their first event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Keep in mind that payment for the season is NOT required at the time of creating a high school team, registering the team, or even when selecting events. Payment is separate and not due until late November, long after teams have selected their events for the season and applied for available grants.<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The are two main grants available to FRC teams. One is from the State ( often referred to as the state grant, the MDE grant or the MEGS+ grant).Teams must be affiliated with a school (public or non-public) to be eligible. Teams not affiliated with a school or ISD are not eligible.\u00a0 Applications are found on the Michigan Dept of Education\u2019s (MDE) online grant application site, called MEGS+. Someone in your superintendent\u2019s office has the password to it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second grant is called the FIRST Robotics Competition Rookie Grant from FIRST Headquarters. This grant is available to all teams regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with a school. To learn more about available grants for the FIRST Robotics Competition, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">please see\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/grants\/\">FRC Grants<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are registered as a rookie high school team before the end of November, please do not pay anything toward your registration fee until FIRST in Michigan notifies you that it is time to pay. . This will occur after the FIRST Robotics Competition New Team Grant recipients have been announced, some time mid November to early December. You will receive instructions from FIRST in Michigan on what to pay and when to pay it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Here is a rundown on how to create your team and register for events:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Why Access to a\u00a0 <\/b><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> Account is Key &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Almost all administrative tasks for the season are done through the team\u2019s key volunteer \u201cdashboards\u201d\u00a0 in their FIRST account on the firstinspires.org website.\u00a0 There are 3 key volunteers that can access the team\u2019s info: the team leader or lead 1, the co-leader or lead 2 and the team\u2019s administrator.\u00a0 The dashboard allows you to create a team, select events, fill out important forms, add students to a team roster, pay for the season, download invoices, change the team name and sponsors and more. This is true for all of the FIRST programs with one exceptions. Only the high school program uses the dashboard to register for events. All of the younger programs use a Google Form hosted by FIRST in Michigan (not FIRST HQ) to register for events.\u00a0 The\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>How to create and access your FIRST account<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Create a <\/b><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> Account<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; This is a \u201cone time\u201d activity for new users. Both the lead 1 and lead 2 must set up accounts before a team can be created: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/my.firstinspires.org\/AccountManager\/Account\/Register\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/my.firstinspires.org\/AccountManager\/Account\/Register<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Note that in the following year, or when setting up additional teams at different levels, you don\u2019t set up an additional account. You will always use this one and your number will stay with your team forever. You access your established team\u2019s dashboard through \u201clog on\u201d at the top right corner of the screen.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Log in to an existing <\/b><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> Account<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; If the user already has a <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> account, team registration and administration is done by clicking on \u201cLog In\u201d at the top right corner of the screen.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Register Your Team For the Season <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0&#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1c8uxGMIyZlAj2vzs0Y6Xv7k_sFiWsVIc6dsxEnXQtDg\/edit?tab=t.0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step by Step guide to registration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; follow the instructions, with screenshots, starting with <\/span><b>Create a FIRST Account<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (if you haven\u2019t done this yet up to <\/span><b>pay for registration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Stop at the point where the team is assigned a temporary team number which begins with the \u201cyear\u201d of the current season. New teams should not pay anything until instructed to do so. You can sign up for your FRC events, and apply for your grants using\u00a0 your temporary number so long as you and your co-coach have no outstanding tasks on the dashboard. You will know if there are any\u00a0 outstanding tasks because on your dashboard you will see either outstanding tasks (please take care of them) or \u201cevent ready.\u201d Event ready means you are cleared to register for your events!\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Register For Your Two Events\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Event sign up for high school is through the dashboard. You don\u2019t sign up for both at once. You register for the first event preference beginning in September.\u00a0 A team that chooses the event closest to them (known as the \u201chome\u201d event, as determined by the computer), the team is guaranteed a spot there.\u00a0 We also hold home events for rookie teams that sign up after the first event period.\u00a0 Once first event Assignments are made and then teams fill out their preferences for their second event.\u00a0 If you miss the first event preferencing, you simply sign up for two during the second event sign up preferencing period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Apply for the State Grant.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>The procedure for applying for the state grant can be found in this <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1c8uxGMIyZlAj2vzs0Y6Xv7k_sFiWsVIc6dsxEnXQtDg\/edit?tab=t.0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step by Step guide.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<h5><b>ORGANIZE YOUR TEAM<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Forming your team.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>What is the allowable team size?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no set maximum number of students on a FIRST Robotics Competition team. We have teams with 3 students and teams with 100 student members.\u00a0 Ideally, a team made up of 10 or more high school-aged students willing to put in time after school and on some weekends is ideal. But getting to 10 may take a year or so. Remember that there is a job on the team for students of all skill levels and interests.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Can <\/b><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> in Michigan place my student on a team?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan does not place students on existing teams unless there is one at your school.\u00a0 We assist new teams in starting by connecting them to local resources to help them be successful and sustainable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Why is a school\/organization affiliation important?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams are encouraged to form within schools or 501c3 organizations in order to be eligible for most grants. This affiliation helps ensure sustainability. If the school\/ organization is invested in the team they will work through issues to keep the team alive..<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Where do teams meet?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams can meet anywhere that is appropriate and safe such as a school, homes of team members, meeting hall, or a sponsor provided location. It is important to set a regular schedule and procedure for team meetings. Things to look for in a meeting site:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safe work space large enough for the team members and their equipment<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safe area for tool usage<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flexible meeting hours<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Internet Access<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secure place to store equipment<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work tables and chairs<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share host duties, if possible<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Finding Coaches and Mentors.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Is one coach\/mentor enough?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every team is required to have two registered adult coaches who have completed the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/resource-library\/youth-protection-policy\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Youth Protection screening process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Any adult can be a coach &#8211; teacher, parent, industry professional, college student. Training sessions, workshops, and a supportive FIRST community are available to help get new coaches\/mentors up to speed. The scope of the roles is at the discretion of the coaches.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>What is the role of a mentor?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mentors provide assistance to teams, at one or more meetings, in their particular area of expertise.\u00a0 They provide valuable one-on-one interaction and serve as a resource in their specialty. Mentors with skills in these areas are helpful, but not mandatory:\u00a0 engineering, programming, tool skills, electrical, build, CAD, business, marketing, communications, administration.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Where can we find mentors?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Approach area businesses for in kind donations in the form of mentorship. Connect to companies through the parents and extended family, friends,\u00a0 school staff, Board of Education, Community Foundation members, members at your place of worship. Anyone and everyone may have a connection for you. Use them. Try to find a Ford mentor as Ford offers grants to teams with Ford mentors on them. Dow does the same. Reach out other local <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> teams; their experience and knowledge base can be a tremendous resource.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>What is the time commitment?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams will need to arrive at their own optimum time commitment, but generally teams meet 4\u00a0 times per week for 2-3 hours per session. Additional meetings are usually planned as competition time approaches. Many mentors report that the \u201cpush\u201d to meet more comes from the team members! Remember that no team starts off meeting 6 days a week. As interest and passion in FIRST grows over the years, so does the time, but that comes from you.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first season take it slow, build something simple and manage your time. Once the basics are built you can choose to add something\u00a0 more complicated<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Create a Team Budget.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>What is a typical team budget?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\">Here is a typical rookie team budget:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<table dir=\"ltr\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-baot=\"1\"><colgroup><col width=\"433\" \/><col width=\"59\" \/><col width=\"342\" \/><\/colgroup>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>BASE COSTS<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>FIRST HQ Registration: includes team reg, kit of parts, 2 events<\/td>\r\n<td>$6,300<\/td>\r\n<td>Applies to all teams each year<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\"><strong>ADDITIONAL COSTS<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Extra Robot Parts<\/td>\r\n<td>$1,000<\/td>\r\n<td>Increases with robot complexity<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Building Materials for Practice Field<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0 \u00a0$500<\/td>\r\n<td>Game changes each season<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Tools<\/td>\r\n<td>$1,000<\/td>\r\n<td><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vS5n7uNYBOkvBaNN9yd1gBcSf4shSgAQr50Oz0ICOP-h2DyxzbZSFz46gA-v0h2QJFgV6gZaWwJOTj9waQ-cRU\/pubhtml?gid=2002648736&amp;single=true&amp;urp=gmail_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">See Rookie Tool List<\/a>, highest year 1<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Team Uniforms (T-Shirts with sponsor names)<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0 \u00a0$500<\/td>\r\n<td>Yearly cost (sponsors change)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Marketing Items (pit banner, robot signs, pit swag)<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0 \u00a0$500<\/td>\r\n<td>Yearly cost<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Travel Expenses (food at competitions, transportation)<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0 \u00a0$300<\/td>\r\n<td>Varies school to school<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td>\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td colspan=\"3\" rowspan=\"1\">FIRST HQ Cost and Registration site page: <a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/programs\/cost-and-registration#frc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/programs\/cost-and-registration#frc<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p><b>What part of the costs do the rookie team grants cover?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The combination of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HQ and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan Rookie Team Grants covers a team&#8217;s initial start up costs which include the annual team registration fee and kit of parts purchase. A team must be affiliated with a school or established 501c3 organization to be eligible for the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan grant.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>How do teams find funding?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams are encouraged to take responsibility for their budget. Many teams engage in fundraisers and reach out to area businesses for sponsorship in order to sustain the team.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have the parents of team members check with their employers as many companies offer grant funds for youth STEM programs where employees are actively involved.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sponsorship isn\u2019t limited to financial contributions. It can also include mentorship and in kind donations of equipment or work space. This connection between the team and the community is a unique aspect to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recognize team sponsors by including their company name and logo on the robot, pit area, team shirt, social media, etc. Sponsors often visit and volunteer at events; take the opportunity to meet them and say thank you! Downloadable <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Michigan Sponsor Logos are available on the RESOURCES site page.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>What tools do you need?<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>What tools are required?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rookie Suggested Tool List: <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/e\/2PACX-1vS5n7uNYBOkvBaNN9yd1gBcSf4shSgAQr50Oz0ICOP-h2DyxzbZSFz46gA-v0h2QJFgV6gZaWwJOTj9waQ-cRU\/pubhtml?gid=2002648736&amp;single=true&amp;urp=gmail_link\">Rookie Suggested Tool List<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>The Season and Game.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<h2><b>When is the FIRST Robotics Competition season?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The official FRC season runs January through April.\u00a0 Many teams spend the fall recruiting and training students in the fall. However, the \u201cofficial season\u201d<\/span> begins early in January <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when the season\u2019s Challenge is announced at a Kickoff ceremony. Teams have from kickoff until their first event to create their robot. District and Regional competition events start in late February and continue through April. Teams that qualify are invited to FIRST Championship at the end of April. There are also many off-season events in which teams can participate, strategize, hone their skills, learn new technology, meet other teams, and have fun!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Where can teams find help?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many January Kickoff events include workshops, breakout sessions, and a reveal of the season\u2019s game. Kickoff events provide a great chance to network with area teams for ongoing season support. See the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/team-event-search#type=events&amp;sort=name&amp;keyword=Kickoff&amp;programs=FRC&amp;from=2025-09-25&amp;to=2026-09-25&amp;country=USA&amp;stateprov=MI\"><b>EVENTS<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">site page.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/about\/vision-and-mission\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are bedrock tenets of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Reach out to your local <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> community; a valuable source for information and support. Need an introduction? Email <a href=\"mailto:Gail@firstinMichigan.org\">Gail@firstinMichigan.org<\/a> with your request and we&#8217;ll be happy to make the connection.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<h5><b>EVENTS<\/b><\/h5>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Event Structure.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Will there be an event in my area this year?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are official FRC events across Michigan. A list of events can be found on this website under \u201cevents\u201d (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/events\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/events\/<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) as well as on the FIRST HQ website\u00a0 (https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/robotics\/frc\/event-experience)<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>How many events does a team participate in?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ach team must participate in two FIRST in Michigan official qualifying events, called district events,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to complete their season. Many of the grants, including the State MDE Grant (99h) carry this requirement to keep your award.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>FRC Event Types:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>District Events:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official FIRST events, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with 40 teams<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> each, where teams earn qualifying points to advance to the State Championship. 160<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">teams <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">advance to the Michigan <\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Robotics Competition State Championship.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Michigan FRC<\/b><b>\u00a0State Championship:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Official event that qualifies teams for advancement to the <em>FIRST<\/em> Championship, consisting of 4 divisions with 40 teams each<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> Championship: <\/b><em>FIRST<\/em>\u2019s flagship event\u00a0where the top teams from around the world compete! The number of teams from each state that advance to the <em>FIRST<\/em> Championship is based upon the state\u2019s percentage of FRC teams in the world.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><b>What does it cost to participate?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Costs can vary from team to team.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some basic cost parameters:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$6300 Registration Fee: includes the annual team registration, robot kit of parts, plus two qualifying events<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional costs for travel, food, team shirts and other items will vary. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A typical rookie team budget can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1Eulps4uM8sH5fv8d5EnovoWEVAzQeas0FuL8K25ehoc\/edit?gid=0#gid=0\">here.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong>Grants and fundraising to pay for the season.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST offers many fundraising opportunities and teams are encouraged to create their own. <a href=\"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/grants\/\">Grants<\/a> are also available, as well as local, regional and national sponsorships offered by many corporations.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST believes that no team that wants to participate should have to bow out due to lack of resources. We will do everything possible to make funds available to all teams who need extra help.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>How does our team register for an event?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the Lead Mentor 1 and 2 for your team has completed all the current season requirements, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/my.firstinspires.org\/Dashboard\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Team Registration System<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will give you the option to print an invoice for the registration fee.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Awards.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Why are there Judged Awards at events?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Judged awards represent another positive way to recognize teams that embody important values like teamwork, creativity, innovation, and the value of the engineering design process. At competition, all teams rotate through one 15 minute judging session. These judging sessions enable students to practice and hone presentation and public speaking skills.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Are any Judging resources available?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/resources\/library\/frc\/awards\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Award information<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> link has detailed information on each award available at the FRC events.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class='shortcode-toggle'><div class='shortcode-toggle-head'><i class=\"fa fa-plus\"><\/i>Advancement.<\/div><div class='shortcode-toggle-box hide'><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>How do teams advance to States and the <\/b><b><i>FIRST<\/i><\/b><b> Championship?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The District ranking system is built to utilize the points and processes that are outlined by <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for all <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Robotics Competition (FRC) Districts. The end result is a ranking of all Teams by geographic area, based on factors such as performance in competitions and awards won. Final rankings are used to advance Teams to higher level competitions (such as their District Championship).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The full details of the system are available through the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.firstinspires.org\/resource-library\/frc\/competition-manual-qa-system\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official FRC Admin Manual<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> website.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scores will change while events are in progress, this is normal and expected. Please do not contact <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FIRST<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> regarding an event&#8217;s scores until at least one business day following the conclusion of the event.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Join the FIRST Robotics Competition! High School FIRST Robotics teams are part of a rich culture of young innovators, guided by coaches and mentors, who tackle real-world challenges\u00a0with ingenuity, integrity, and a sense of fun. Patterned after varsity sports, students work with engineers from industry to design, build and program their competition robots. We&#8217;re excited to have your team on board! &nbsp; GETTING STARTED ORGANIZE YOUR TEAM EVENTS<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/run-a-team\/\">Read More &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["entry","page","publish","author-tammy","post-2728"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2728","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2728"}],"version-history":[{"count":167,"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2728\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6427,"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2728\/revisions\/6427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/firstinmichigan.us\/FRC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2728"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}