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. Stop at the FTC Storefront portion for now.
    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.
  • When you complete this step, you will be assigned a temporary team number!
Do not pay for anything at this point!

Apply for the FIRST HQ FTC Rookie Team Grant.

Funding has been expended. Please proceed to step 3.
Rookie teams apply for this grant using their temporary team number (starts with “2023”). This number is automatically generated and emailed to the person who completed Step 1. Be sure to accurately input your temporary team number in the application or there will be processing delays or the grant will be denied.
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 2022-23 season registration fee. The rest is applied to the robot kit of parts purchased through the team’s FTC Storefront.
  • This grant has a needs-based component that uses a school’s Title I status and free/reduced lunch percentage in the consideration process.
  • Go to the FIRST FTC Grant Form Submission (link) page and apply using your temporary team number.
    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.
  • KEY INFORMATION 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, market team spirit merchandise, sponsorship from area organizations and businesses, crowdfunding campaign, 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 (takes about a week).
  • 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

Rookie teams affiliated with a school or established 501c3 org. are eligible for this grant. The FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant covers the team’s remaining out-of-pocket costs through the FTC Storefront after the HQ grant is applied.
  • 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.
This 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.
OPTION 1: FIM directly applies grant funds (most teams go this route)
  • 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).
  • The team will be assigned their permanent team number once the FTC Storefront purchases are completed.
OPTION 2: Reimbursement
  • Wait until awarded HQ rookie grant funds appear on the team’s FTC Storefront.
  • The grant covers 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).
This grant is funded through the generous sponsorship of General Motors, Consumers Energy, and DTE Energy Foundation. So, your new team already has 3 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.
Visit the RUN A TEAM site page for next steps!