The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising Dont Panic

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Neutrinos Team 6433

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! How Much? �Registration – $275 �Tournament fees - $100 �T-shirts and Team gear - $300 �Equipment - $2000 �Total Minimum - $3000 Don't Panic!

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Why Fundraising? �Helps purchase supplies �Entry fees for tournaments �Airfares and hotel rooms �T-shirts and Team gear �Equipment upgrades �Spread the word of FIRST

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Sponsors �Sponsorship can be vital to a FTC team, they provide you with the basic things needed to get your team going, from giving you supplies or, quite frankly, giving you money

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Fundraising Safety…? �Always Fundraise with a partner or a group (Fundraising is not a one man job) � Get parents involved, they know what they’re doing and may provide other opportunities More at: http: //www. fundraisingbooklets. com/safefundraising. html

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! How Do I Fundraise? (Examples) � Events � Car Washes � Bulb Sales (FTC’s fundraising program last year) � Bake Sales � Etc. � Sponsorship (Local Level) � Sponsorship (National Level) � Team Member Dues

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Sponsorships…How we Do it. �We, the Neutrinos, are assisted by a 501(c)3 company � Money that is donated to our team is routed through this company, and in turn gives us the money for team related expenses �Other Alternative: County 4 -H �As a team, we create a standard text document that we can edit for different companies

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Sponsorships…Who to Target? �Step 1: Companies that Parents Work for � Extremely easy to target (Last Year; $4, 125) �Step 2: Friends and Neighbors and companies they work for � (This Year; $2, 000)

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Sponsorships…Who to Target? (Cont. ) � Step 3 - Local Businesses (this year $400) � Get information about what firms are headquartered in your city (Local chamber of commerce) � Lakeland: Examples; � Museums � Hardware Stores � Engineering Firms � Get information about what firms are large employers in your city � Lakeland Examples: Publix, Geico, etc,

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! How to target sponsors? � Contact as many companies as you can � We have established a quota per team member of 10 companies minimum � All companies that are approached are documented in a spreadsheet � REMEMBER: anything helps, even if it’s a minimal donation � Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get every sponsorship, keep at it and don’t give up (Hit Rate may be as low as 1 in 20) � Contact ANYBODY, and we mean anybody, you never know who is willing to sponsor!

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Sample Spreadsheet Name of Organization Student/Parent Contact Approach Yes no maybe Comments $500 Unlikely, it has been a while XX Clinic, Lakeland xx Cold XX Hospital xx Dr. XX He Knows CEO ? ? YY Hospital xx Dr. XX He Knows CEO Regal Honda xx Mr. XX, owner Cold No Lowes xx Cold MOSI xx Cold XX Global xx XX known person Unlikely, it has been a while XX Engineering xx XX known person $1, 000 Radiology Group xx Dr. XX Contact $500 Total $2, 000

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! How to Approach a Potential Sponsor? � Write a personal letter/email from an individual on the team � Introduce yourself as a member of the robotics team � Introduce your team � Attach Photos of your team/Awards and the Robot � Mention how the donation will be received � Non-Profit, 501(C)(3), or 4 -H � Introduce First � Provide Links to First and Robotics Related Resources, STEM benefits

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! How to Approach a Potential Sponsor (cont. )? � Things to think about… � Do you ask for a specific amount? � Yes or No, Depends on the situation Large or Small Company etc. � Inform sponsors that this isn't a donation but that it is an investment � Their Logo will be advertised on the robot, t-shirt, etc. Also they will be helping building a community of scientists. � Offer to demonstrate robot to local sponsors (its impressive!)

The Hitchhikers guide to FTC Fundraising: Don't Panic! Questions? �Questions… �We would like to make this interactive so if anyone has any ideas about what their teams do, please come up and share your ideas