About Us...

RESOURCES

The member teams of the Great Lakes Science Center's FIRST® Robotics Initiative are committed to supporting each other and the FIRST® Robotics community.

Before starting any project, our students and mentors reach out to veteran teams to research “best practices.” By doing this, we are able leverage the collective

knowledge of multiple teams. Armed with this knowlege, and the latest technology, tools and training, we are able to build better robots and future STEM leaders and innovators.

This page is list of reputable resources for students and mentors gathered from some of the top FRC teams from the United States and Canada.

FUNDRAISING & GRANTS

Fundraising 101 – A resource that covers the basics of fundraising. An important part of being sustainable year after year is raising enough money to support your team. Fundraising allows your team to develop both technically and as a program by providing sufficient funds to grow and expand your team.
Fundraising Toolkit – Tips and tricks to elevate your team's fundraising efforts.
Grant Opportunities – A list of available grants that FIRST is aware of and information on how to apply. Teams can use the filters to sort by location, program, and other filters.
FIRST Grants FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers related to Grants.
How To: Sponsor Relations – A resource to help manage your relationships with sponsors and ideas on what to provide them to keep them engaged.

GAME-SPECIFIC & TECHNICAL RESOURCES

Game Manual & Season Specifics – A webpage hosting resources related to each season’s game including the manual, team updates, and more.
Kit of Parts – A webpage that includes information on the Kit of Parts (KoP) that is included with every team's registration fee.
Safety – Learn about the importance of safety and how to implement safe practices by viewing resources including our safety manual, UL Safety Learning Portal, and more.
Technical Resources – a webpage consisting of a collection of technical-oriented resources to help teams.

MARKETING RESOURCES

What’s FIRST Robotics Competition? – A video that describes what FIRST Robotics Competition is and includes students, mentors, and volunteers explaining the program.
FIRST Robotics Competition: How it Works – A flyer that describes the FIRST Robotics Competition program.
FIRST Logos and Branding Standards – Information on FIRST standards and policies when using the FIRST logo and brand.
Season Content and Logos – A webpage that hosts season-specific marketing content such as logos and more.
FIRST Robotics Competition Promotional Photos – A collection of promotional photos that can be used only for the following purposes; celebration, advertisement, or promotion of FIRST programs, events, or scholarships; or, for journalistic needs.
Imagery for FIRST Teams – a resource created by Hall of Fame Team 1902, Exploding Bacon, that shares helpful recommendations for teams when teams are deciding on imagery/branding for their team
Using Social Media – a resource created by Hall of Fame Team 1538, The Holy Cows, that shares how to utilize different social media platforms effectively.

RECRUITMENT

Editable Recruitment Flyers – Editable flyers that teams can use as a starting point when creating flyers to recruit new students to the team.
FIRST ED&I Student Recruitment Strategies Tip Sheet – Helpful strategies for recruitment of all students for FIRST teams.

TEAM ORGANIZATION

How To: Organize Your Team – A resource that shares ideas on how to organize your FIRST Robotics Competition team.
How To: Effective Leadership – A resource that shares best practices for effective leadership.

MENTOR RESOURCES

Guide to Running a FIRST® Robotics Competition Team – A guide intended to help teams with best practices for running their FIRST Robotics Competition team.
Effective Mentoring – This guide is intended to help new or prospective mentors
FIRST® Robotics Competition Calendar – The official calendar for FIRST Robotics Competition which includes important deadlines. If you click on a specific calendar item, you can also download those items to your own personal calendar.
Youth Protection Program – Check out this webpage to learn more about the Youth Protection Program that provides coaches, mentors, event volunteers, employees, Program Delivery Partners, team members, parents, guardians of team members, and others working with FIRST programs with information, guidelines, and procedures to create safe environments for FIRST participants.
How To: Organize Your Team – A resource that shares ideas on how to organize your FIRST Robotics Competition team.
How To: Effective Leadership – A resource that shares best practices for effective leadership.