This is Tammy Damrath with middle school FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) program. I'm excited to help you get a team rolling! This is a great time to start a team as the combo of grants makes the kit of parts and season registration fee free to newly forming teams.
FTC PROGRAM ALIGNMENT
In Michigan, we run a slightly different progression of programs from FIRST national. We operate FTC as a middle school only program with teams comprised solely of MI middle school aged/grade team members. Teams must be properly aligned in order to be eligible for many grants and to participate in FIRST in Michigan FTC events. High school students can mentor the FTC team but cannot be team members. This is often a point of confusion as the FIRST site reflects a different age/grade range for FTC.
PROGRAM INFORMATION:
- FIRST in Michigan Progression of Programs Overview: At a glance look across FIRST programs with grants.
- FiM FTC Team Start Up Guide: Overview of the program; addresses many FAQs.
- FTC Team Registration Guide - Follow this step by step guide for registering a team, grants, ordering parts,and other info.
- FIRST in Michigan FTC Event Process - information on events (to date) and event registration process.
REGISTER A ROOKIE FTC TEAM
1) Create a FIRST Account and Create the Team.
- Registration instructions for Rookie Teams; follow the steps in this doc (with screenshots) to start the registration process for your new team but stop at the FTC Storefront portion for now
- Do not pay for anything at this point!
- Rookie teams must apply for this grant using their temporary team number (starts with "2018").
- This is a needs based grant that uses a school's Title I status and free/reduced lunch percentage as criteria.
- FTC Grants and Application Procedures - instructions on applying for the FIRST FTC national rookie team grant are in the first section of this doc.
- Don't pay for anything until a grant award decision is received.
- Example: Team reg. fee and kit of parts (est.) = $1200. If the FIRST FTC (national) grant awards a team a $500 team grant which covers the team's $275 reg. fee and provides $225 towards the team's kit of parts cost, the FiM FTC grant will then cover the remaining out of pocket cost to the team so $700. If a team isn't awarded the FIRST FTC (national) grant, then the FiM FTC Rookie Team Grant will cover the full cost.
- If it presents a hardship for the school/team front the funds for the FTC Storefront purchases, let me know and we can work an alternative plan.
2) Apply for the FIRST FTC (national) Rookie Team Grant.
- Rookie teams must apply for this grant using their temporary team number (starts with "2018").
- This is a needs based grant that uses a school's Title I status and free/reduced lunch percentage as criteria.
- FTC Grants and Application Procedures - instructions on applying for the FIRST FTC national rookie team grant are in the first section of this doc.
- Don't pay for anything until a grant award decision is received.
FIRST in Michigan (FiM) FTC Rookie Team Grant: reimbursement grant
This grant works with the FIRST FTC (national) Rookie Team Grant to cover the team's initial out of pocket costs through the FTC Storefront (cap of $1,200) and completes the loop which makes the 2018-19 registration fee and kit of parts free! FiM FTC teams must be affiliated with a school or an established 501c3 organization (like 4H, Scouts, or a homeschool consortium), to be eligible for the grant.
This grant is funded through the generous sponsorship of GM, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy Foundation, and Ford Motor Co. 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 kit of parts stay with the affiliated school/501c3 organization for reuse year to year.
This grant is funded through the generous sponsorship of GM, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy Foundation, and Ford Motor Co. 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 kit of parts stay with the affiliated school/501c3 organization for reuse year to year.
Once your team has received their FIRST FTC (national) grant award decision, proceed to the FTC Storefront to purchase the season reg. fee and kit of parts then apply for the FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant (link). NOTE: Grant funds cannot be paid out to an individual, only to the team's fiscal partner. The fiscal partner must make the Pitsco purchases for the team.
Let me know your questions!