START A ROOKIE TEAM WITH GRANTS

Complete all 3 steps to get your new FTC team rolling and maximize available grants!

Create or Log in to your FIRST Account

Your account gives you access to the FIRST Dashboard, where you can create your middle school FIRST Tech Challenge team.

  • You can log in to your account anytime using the top navigation on www.firstinspires.org,
  • Registration instructions for Rookie Teams (link); follow the steps in this linked document (includes screenshots) to start the registration process for your new team.
    • If you don’t have a team name yet, just put “TBD” for the team name at this point. The field can be updated at a later time.
    • Stop when you reach the FTC Storefront portion for now.
  • When you complete this step, you will be assigned your permanent team number!

Do not pay for anything at this point!

Apply for the FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant.

Opening in May for the 2025-2026 season!

The FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant is open for application! Be sure to accurately input your FTC team number (from Step 1) in the application or there will be processing delays or the grant will be denied.

This grant has a needs-based component that uses economic indicators like a school’s Title I status and free/reduced lunch percentage in the consideration process. For newly forming teams that might not meet the needs-based eligibility requirements for the FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant, check out the Argosy FTC SIM rookie team grant on the FiM FTC GRANTS site page (under Rookie Teams): https://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/grants/.

Grant eligibility and criteria

  • All veterans out of the same school must be registered for the current season before a newly forming team can be eligible for the FIRST HQ and/or FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant.
  • The grant award amount is $750; $295 covers the team’s 2024-25 season registration fee. The rest is applied to the robot kit of parts purchased through the team’s FTC Storefront.
  • General questions about the grant can be sent to: ftcteams@firstinspires.org.
  • Review Process:
    • Applications will be reviewed by HQ on a periodic basis. Application cycles will close the third Tuesday of each month and funds will be awarded no later than the following Friday.
      • HQ application review dates: June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19
    • If awarded, teams will not receive their grant funding until the team’s Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 are both successfully screened.
    • Any applications sent after a cycle date will be reviewed in the following cycle. Applications which do not receive funding in the first cycle may be considered in future cycles.

 

TO APPLY

Go to the FIRST FTC Grant Form Submission (link) page.

  • The link above will have you create or log in to your “Submittable” Account and provide access to the grant application. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to get to the Submittable login links.
Please review: Tips for the Application

TIPS for the application:

  • Input your free/reduced lunch percentage. To find your school’s percentage and/or Title 1 status: https://nces.ed.gov/globallocator/. If you are a non-public school, use your nearest area school percentage as applicable.
  • Answer “No” to the question “Is your Team anticipating receiving another registration grant this season?”.
  • For the fundraising question, choose “epic” fundraising and provide all 4 ideas.
    • Ideas: bake sale, can drive, sell team spirit merchandise, sponsorship from area organizations and businesses, crowdfunding campaign, community car wash fundraiser, host a pancake breakfast/spaghetti dinner fundraiser, etc.
  • Where possible, include your team’s/school’s/city’s unique challenges and include any demographics (underserved populations) that would assist in establishing need.
  • After submitting the HQ grant, do not pay for anything in the FTC Storefront until you receive a grant award decision from FIRST HQ (see review cycle).

 

Teams must apply for the FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant and receive an award decision before the team’s FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant will be processed. Please forward your team’s FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant award decision to tammy@firstinmichigan.org.

Apply for the FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant

Opening May 14th for the 2025-2026 season! 

Rookie teams affiliated with a school or established 501c3 org. are eligible for this grant. The FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant works with the HQ grant to cover a new team’s 2024-25 season registration fee of $295 and reusable robot kit of parts.

Grant eligibility and criteria

  • Newly forming (rookie) teams affiliated with a school or established 501c3 org. are eligible for this grant.
  • All veterans out of the same school/501c3 org. who were past grant recipients must be registered for the current season.
  • Grant funds cannot be paid out to an individual, only to the team’s fiscal partner.
  • For a rookie team forming out of a school that is new to FTC, the FIM FTC Rookie Team Grant will cover one partial set of the season’s game elements (value est. $350). This order will be placed after FIRST HQ reveals the new game in early Sept. If more than one new team forms out of a school new to FTC, the expectation is that the partial set of game elements is to be shared among the teams.
  • FiM FTC has a partnership with Google.org which provides additional support for new school-based middle school FTC teams that meet Google.org’s grant criteria. Criteria considered: percentage of economically disadvantaged youth, percentage of underserved/underrepresented youth, locale. school is new to FTC. If you think your new team meets the eligibility requirements to be a Google.org team, reach out to me at tammy@firstimichigan.org.

 

This grant is made possible through the generous sponsorship of FIRST in Michigan FTC sponsors. These sponsors view the grant as seed money for a new team. Team members and coaches may move through the program but the FTC team number and reusable kit of parts stay with the affiliated school/501c3 organization for reuse year to year. Sponsor logos are available for download on the RESOURCES site page.

TO APPLY

The FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant can either be reimbursement-style or FIRST in Michigan can execute the team’s FTC Storefront purchases and directly apply grant funds. Visit the GRANTS site page for full grant requirements and expectations.

Path 1: FIM directly applies grant funds to costs. Most teams go this route.

FIM directly applies grant funds (most teams go this route)

  • FiM will execute the FTC Storefront purchases on behalf of the team and directly apply any awarded FIRST HQ Rookie Team Grant Awards and directly apply the FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant to cover the remainder of the approved FTC Storefront purchases.
  • Invite FiM FTC as Team Administrator (temporarily) through the Team Dashboard “Contacts” using tdamrath@firstpartners.org as the email address. Do not use my FIRST in Michigan email address.
  • Fill out the FIRST in Michigan linked grant form to provide a mailing address for the kit of parts and to accept the grant parameters. FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant-FiM purchase (link).

 

Path 2: Reimbursement to team's fiscal partner

OPTION 2:

  • The team’s fiscal partner makes the FTC Storefront purchases after the FIRST HQ FTC grant award decision is received. If awarded, wait until the HQ grant funds appear on the team’s FTC Storefront before making any purchases.
  • A check will be remitted to the team’s fiscal partner covering the qualified out-of-pocket costs incurred for the payment of the team’s FIRST FTC season registration fee and initial kit of parts purchase made through the FTC Storefront.
  • The team’s FTC Storefront (Pitsco) 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. must be uploaded as part of the application process as well.
  • Sales tax will not be reimbursed. Schools/501c3 organizations must have their sales tax exemption form already uploaded before purchasing parts.
  • Fill out the FIRST in Michigan linked grant form, upload proof of purchase documents, and accept the grant parameters. FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant-Reimbursement (link).

 

Visit the RUN A TEAM site page for next steps!