Tips on
Raising Funds
Raise
the Funds
Besides the registration
and Kit of Parts (KOP) fee, this program requires money for
additional parts and travel expenses. We recommend that you
begin your fundraising efforts well before the extremely busy
design and build season that starts in January. Start as early
as you can, before the school year begins if possible. Use the
following summer to get a step up on your subsequent season.
THINK BIG!!
Ask for the full
registration amount when you petition for funding, but be
prepared to
graciously accept any offer of help. Most teams survive on many
small donations. If a company can’t or won’t donate money, be
prepared to ask for services such as machining, mentoring, or
meeting/facility space. Other in-kind donations could include
tools, food, printing, copying, or T-shirts.
Visit the following
websites for information and fundraising ideas:
www.fundraising-ideas.org
http://www.fundraiserhelp.com/
http://www.stepbystepfundraising.com/
www.chiefdelphi.com,
a popular, team-run website, not officially FIRST
sanctioned.
The Prospects
1. Look for companies
that:
*Produce innovative
products and have a reputation for creativity.
*Have a high profile in your area related to engineering;
architecture; computers, hardware or software; advertising;
community involvement; industrial or medical suppliers;
pharmaceuticals; patent/copyright offices; technical
development; information technology; manufacturing, or
youth-focused corporations. If none of the above, perhaps
they would just like to support the FRC program.
2. Employ the parents of
team members. Perhaps one or more of the parents can help make
contact with the company through the Corporate Giving
Department.
3. Talk to your principal,
and find out if the school already has partnerships with local
businesses. One of them might be interested in helping you start
a team.
4. Find out who the
largest employers in your area are by calling your state
representative's office for information. Web engines having
custom sorting capabilities, such as Hoovers.com and Yahoo.com,
may provide leads about technical companies in your area. Many
of these local companies may be interested because they have a
stake in your community.
5. Contact the city or
county Chamber of Commerce and ask for the names of companies
that might be interested in partnering with schools on a project
that will help them develop a pool of future employees qualified
in science and technical fields.
6. Research association
websites, especially those involved with engineering.
7. Submit an article to a
local newspaper about your team and indicate the need for
funding.
8. Check out the www.usfirst.org website for information about
the setting your team up as a nonprofit organization. One of our
FIRST Teams has posted helpful information and links dealing
with the requirements, qualifications, costs, and benefits.
The Approach
Approach potential sponsors by showing “what’s in it for
them.” They will be interested in the positive publicity team
sponsorship will provide and the long-term appreciation of the
future student workforce on the team. Don’t limit your search to
just big companies.
Many smaller companies and
individuals make great FIRST sponsors/partners. For instance,
ask a sign company to donate a banner that lists your team’s
sponsors…and include their name on it. Mention that their banner
will travel with your team to your event(s) and that you will
proudly display it in your Pit station.
If you don’t feel
comfortable in this role, find someone else on your team who may
have other contacts or more authority to make a presentation and
subsequent agreement. The school principal or the science, math,
or physics department head might be a good representative. If
you already have corporate support, a well-informed
representative from Manufacturing, Operations, IT, or other
technical discipline would be excellent. Be sure to stress that
the team members will comprise a future, team-oriented workforce
for the potential sponsor.
The Preparation
Before you talk to a potential partner, aka donor, sponsor,
prospect, make sure you know who the best contact person is at
that particular business or corporation. Very often it is best
to try for senior management, such as the head of Engineering or
Human Resources. You might want to talk with a non-technical
person who is familiar with what the company would like to
accomplish in the community relations area. This person may be
able to get the initial legwork done.
With dates and times in
mind, be prepared to ask for and set up a face-to-face meeting.
Know what you are talking about when you call or visit, and
smile when you talk. Understand what FIRST is about, and be sure
you can articulate it to another person. Be brief, but describe
your team’s makeup as to the number of kids and age bracket,
team goals, and awards won or those for which the team plans to
submit. Show enthusiasm!
Provide information on
your total budget and the amount you have already raised through
fundraising and/or other sponsors. You might also bring your own
PowerPoint presentation about your team’s plans for using the
potential sponsor’s donation. Whenever possible, bring the
students to do some of the talking and convincing. Bright,
enthusiastic young people are hard to resist!
In your presentation or
letter, include some of the donation benefits to the potential
partner:
*Grows their company’s visibility in the community
*Presents networking and marketing opportunities with other
sponsors
*Provides a pool for internships and future employees
*Re-energizes and renews the team-involved engineers’ love
for back-to-basics engineering
The Close
Don’t forget to come right out and ask for the money.
Ask high; they may be willing. If there is silence after your
request, don’t talk at all. Wait until the prospect responds,
even if the silence is uncomfortable. Or, ask for a specific
amount for a specific line item. If none of these works, try a
compromise. Ask direct questions to identify objections and
listen to what they are NOT saying.
If the meeting goes
well:
*Thank the donor.
*Tell him/her when you will need the money or promised
support.
*Ask if there are technical or non-technical employees who
might be willing to mentor the team.
*Ask if she/he knows any others who may be interested in
helping in some way.
*Mention that you will follow up with a request for a
digital image of their logo for use on the team’s uniform and
robot.
The Follow Up
Whether or not the prospective partner agreed to help the team,
be sure to follow up with a thank you letter within a week. If
you asked for financial support, include a couple of the
information sheets such as Vision and Theory, Impact, or the
Tri-fold Brochure from the usfirst.org website; a team brochure
if you have one; reiterate your budget needs, and a sentence or
two on how their support will positively impact the future
workforce of the area. Thank the prospect for the meeting.
A Yes: If there was
a promise of funding, machining, or mentoring support, send a
letter of thanks and put down the details of what you understand
is the agreement or what you hope the partner will provide as
support. Perhaps the most important thing to mention is what the
direct impact of the donation will do for your team. Remember to
send an e-mail requesting an electronic copy of the company’s
logo.
For engineering or
technical promise of support, include a list of your needs, the
above-mentioned printouts, and a sample teamwork schedule.
Provide a synopsis of how you will use their support as well as
your team’s approach to the design and build phase. Is yours a
student-build team with curricula in place to support this
method? Do you expect the mentors to do most of the work and
have the students observe and learn that way? Will the students
have a role in managing aspects of the project?
No Commitment: If
you send the letter and there still is no commitment, but you
saw a glimmering of interest, have someone with persuasive
writing skills keep the “prospects” abreast by sending a note
about the team’s progress during the build phase. Include a
picture or two. Generate curiosity. Invite them to an event to
see your team compete – It’s free!
When the season is over,
send a team and robot picture from an event and nail down some
of the experiences, accomplishments, and excitement of the team.
If there were newspaper articles, send copies. Try them again
early during the next season. Be sure to let them know where and
when they can see the team demonstrate or compete. This works.
Read this paragraph again!
Research Grant
Opportunities
A September/October activity: Check the website area pertaining
to grants. Grants are a good way for teams, especially rookies,
to get a leg up on funding. They are usually offered right
around registration time.
The NASA grant information
will be linked from the usfirst.org website. The NASA Regional
grants have the requirement of participation in a NASA-sponsored
event, so you will want to find out which events they are. To
get a head start on the application process, read about the
prior year’s criteria/requested information. Although it is only
a reference, it will provide a starting point. Read about the
various grants and their criteria, get started right away when
the application is available, and comply with the stipulated
deadline date.