Talk:Resources Page

Team Handbook Development

Current topics of interest: fundraising and general student expectations

Fundraising Student Expectations

Benchmarking

See article page for handbook links.

Rolling Thunder

Every team member will be allowed to travel to competitions, regardless of standing, but payment for travel from team funds will be determined by participation. A checklist of achievements that are required in order to have trips paid for is at the end of this handbook.
This section discusses the expectations for students who want full payment for their trips. It is the responsibility of the entire team to make sure that there are adequate opportunities to fulfill the achievements. Though the Leadership team will provide guidance, all students, parents, and mentors are encouraged to head up activities that the team can participate in. It is up to the students to take responsibility to fulfill achievements. All students are encouraged to lead activities that they may need for achievements.
Recording of activities for each year’s achievements begins June 1st. As returning team members can be with the team over the summer, and will have an understanding of how the team works, higher expectations are placed on them. New and returning student achievements are detailed separately; new students are defined as those who have NEVER participated in Team 1511 before.
Achievement records will be recorded by team mentors, and are available at the student’s request. Mentors and student leaders will make every effort to check up on students as often as possible. Achievements will be recorded online and made available for real-time viewing by students on a timely basis for all students that have registered on the team forums.
Each activity will have a student responsible for organizing the activity, communicating it to the volunteers, and arranging for transportation, a camera and a team adult participant. Students WILL NOT receive credit for activities for which no photos were submitted, so it is in the best interest of all students involved to ensure that photos are taken and turned in.
Each student is responsible for going to enough patrons to raise the incremental amounts of money that they need for the trips. Each New Student is to select and visit 5 businesses or obtain $250 in donations. Each Returning Student is to select and visit 10 businesses or obtain $500 in donations. Students are encouraged to travel together, however (for example), if two returning students travel together, they must obtain a total of 20 businesses or $1,000.
NOTE: Returning students get to maintain their business connections, and will be allowed to sign up for ALL of their past patrons. No new students will be able to sign up for our previous patrons unless they are marked “OPEN” by a student graduating or leaving the team.
Every returning student will be expected to help organize at least one fundraiser. Organization teams can be from 2-4 students, depending on the size of the event. The organization group will be responsible for all publicity, announcements, forms, estimates, sign-ups, etc. For students to earn their fundraiser achievement, a fundraiser should bring in at least $50 per organizer, after any costs.
To meet the achievement goal, every new student will need to participate in at least 3 fundraisers, and every returning student will need to participate in at least 5 fundraisers, before the preseason ends. (The Patron Drive, Pizza/Candy Sales, and Car Wash are separate events and do not count toward the fundraiser achievement.)
Every student must help out with one day of pizza and/or candy sales throughout the year in order to meet the achievement goal. The times for pizza/candy sales will be posted on the forum calendar...Every returning student must help out with at least one car wash fundraiser in order to meet the achievement goal. Because car washes are generally held over the summer, new students do not need to fulfill this achievement.

TechnoKats

For the past few years, students have raised from $100 - $400 in order to travel to the FIRST Championships. In 2007, the cost was $275. This year, each student can expect to fundraise as much as $350 to be an active member of the team. This money goes to pay student travel costs.
Any person traveling with the team must commit by writing a check and giving it to the team travel coordinator for $100 on or before Wednesday January 30th. This is a commitment deadline for all team members! Final travel money is due on Wednesday, February 27th. Students who have fundraised more than their travel costs will have their travel deposits returned.
Fundraising Method - Services Provided (from Business Plan):

Provide Computer Assisted Design (CAD) services for the community

Use machine shop, providing simple parts and prototypes (brackets, mounting plates, plates, etc.)

Provide labor for community projects

Customers will be charged for all necessary materials for the completion of the project. The actual service provided by the TechnoKats will be free. The team will suggest donations at one-hundred dollar increments depending on the specific project. Any donations offered by the customer will be divided into participating student travel accounts and team funds. Any donating business will be listed as a TechnoKats sponsor and will receive varying levels of recognition.

Chief Delphi (from 2003)

All students are required to participate in all team fundraising activities. The funds raised are typically used for student expenses while we are traveling. A allowance of an appropriate amount is given to each student for food and incidental expenses while traveling with the team. The student is asked to hold any unused funds and apply them to the next event.
Raffle: The past several years we have used a raffle as the teams major fundraiser for the season. Each student is given a package of 60 tickets worth $5.00 @ for a total of $300.00. The student is responsible to sell these tickets by the date listed in the documentation. The student is expected to provide a single check for the amount of the tickets and the stubs to be placed in the drawing.

ÜberBots

Students are required to participate in team fundraising activities throughout the year. Fundraising is an important obligation, as it not only helps the team to bring in necessary financial resources, but it also spreads awareness of our organization and helps to bring in potential sponsors/donors who could be useful partners in the future. These obligations are stated as follows

Chaperones as well as students are expected to pay for their travel and personal expenses.

Fundraising events sponsored by the ÜberBots teams are group fundraisers. The group fundraisers are used for team expense (shirts, tools, robot parts, necessary equipment). Students are asked to participate in as many fundraising activities as possible, as it helps not only the team, but also the individual themselves.

Learning to work effectively as a group, developing personal relationships, fundraising, and accepting and discharging scheduled commitments are elements essential to the growth of the team, and are provided through these fundraising activities. Team members may be randomly chosen to participate in fundraisers. Those who were picked must participate in the fundraiser. Examples of possible fundraisers are; pasta dinner, entertainment books, car washes, selling butter braids, Flatbread and Ninety Nine dinners, and displaying the robot in front of Wal-Mart and Stop & Shop.

Paragon

Participation is mandatory in community-based fundraisers unless an acceptable reason is approved by a team coach in advance of the fundraiser...fundraising events sponsored by Team Paragon are used to cover the teams traveling & lodging expenses, team shirts, tools, robot parts, and other necessary items. Students are asked to participate in as many fundraising activities as possible, as it helps not only the team, but also the individual themselves. The team coaches decide participation requirements...If a team member chooses to not participate in fundraising efforts, he/she may be denied the opportunity to attend or participate in away events.
Travel costs to away events are covered as much as possible from funds raised by the team. Based on the number of students on the team, events to attend and funds available, the team leaders determine the travel roster and any amount team members must pay out of pocket for travel costs per event.
If a team member can no longer participate on the team, the team will attempt to return any “out of pocket” payments made by the team member unless those funds have been used to make non-refundable purchases. For example, if a non-refundable airline ticket or hotel reservation has been purchased.
Limited travel grants may be available for team members needing travel assistance to attend an event. If the team leaders are notified early enough, they may be able to find a way to get funds to off set trip costs.

Lightening Robotics (862)

Students will be required to pay for various expenses. Total travel costs to an out of state competition generally range from $300 - $400 per student, depending on location and travel arrangements. Several fund raising activities will occur throughout the year. Some of these will be strictly to help pay for team expenses, while others will be available to help defray the student expenses. Each team member will also be expected to pay an annual fee to cover the costs of the team uniform, which is the student's to keep, and it also pays for the food RPM brings to the build meetings and banquets.
There is a Participation Fee for each student on the Lightning Robotics team. The Fee covers the cost of team shirts (for Lightning team members), kick-off celebration, year-end banquet, food for build-season meetings, mentor appreciation gifts, and operational costs associated with fundraising. The current Participation Fee is $45 per student.

A student that participates in RPM fundraising can earn money into their Fundraising Account as follows:

The first $100 earned is put directly in the Fundraising Account.

After a student has earned $100, 75% of fundraising money is placed in the Fundraising Account, and 25% goes to the RPM General Fund.

The Fundraising Account funds may be used to pay for travel expenses (for both Lightning team members and chaperoning parents) and Participation Fees.

Any balance left in a Fundraising Account, after the student graduates, is transferred to the RPM Team Account.

Power Knights

Team 501 is independently funded. As the team does not have a dues structure, all team members are required to participate in the Cash Calendar fundraiser by selling 10 calendars each, plus two other team fundraising events, as agreed upon yearly by the Steering Committee. All of the monies collected from these events will be deposited into the General Fund. A student’s participation in fundraising events where the monies earned are deposited into the student’s individual escrow account is not mandatory. For each of the three mandatory fundraisers missed by a student who does not have a reasonable excuse, as determined by the faculty advisor, the student will lose a third of his/her team subsidy for any and all trips. After the first unexcused absence from a mandatory fundraiser, the team advisor may dismiss that student at his discretion.

MOE

Summary: Students pay for (at least) meeting meals, shirts, and travel buses and airline tickets. Students' schools can help cover these costs.

Blue Cheese

Each student is responsible for raising part of the team’s budget by doing one or more of the following: 1) Actively participating in at least two major fundraisers 2) Bringing in a new sponsor or family donation

Raider Robotix

All students are required to participate in all team fundraising activities. The funds raised are typically used for student expenses while we are traveling. Travel costs are supplemented by money from the team treasury obtained as a part of our sponsorship grant. Every student has an individual fund raising account maintained by the coaches. Profits made from fundraisers are accumulated in these accounts and spent for travel expenses with the team. In the event a student leaves the team the travel account is forfeit and is absorbed in the general treasury of the team.

Duct Tape Bandits

(In order to compete) Sell minimum of 10 pies. If a member joins the team after pie sales, that member is required to pay the cost of 10 pies to the team ($120), due to the fact that pie sales go towards lowering team’s travel expense. The more pies sold, lower travel fees will result, if any.

Team 1720

It is the expectation that each team member will solicit at least one minor sponsor...This contribution is used for purchase of food, team uniforms, and travel/lodging to competitions. Each team member is required to contribute to the team. However, if financial difficulties are preventing a team member from contributing, he/she should consult with a member of the Executive Team, since no student will be denied membership in the team due to lack of funds.

Team 612

All students are expected to participate in the numerous fund raisers throughout the year to support team functions such as craft fairs, dry cleaner card sales, food sales, and car washes. Although many expenses are subsidized by fundraising efforts, students are responsible for registration and some competition expenses. These may include transportation, meals, incidentals, and general spending money. Students experiencing difficulty with expenses are encouraged to speak to the faculty advisor. No student will be denied team participation due solely to financial constraints.

New Apple

Costs covered by N.E.W. Apple Corps Team Members: Partial cost of competition travel, Cost of apparel, Meal costs at competition events, Invitational competition expenses. This year we will require students to participate in at least two fundraising events. Proceeds from these fundraisers will be distributed among those who contributed based on total number of hours worked. [Costs not covered by the Booster Club/Fundraising are paid out of pocket.]

Northern Force

To be considered for travel to a regional competition, students must have contributed at least 30 hours of work. These 30 hours may include fund raising activities, work with a subteams, and clinic attendance. At least 4 hours of this time will be used working on fund raising activities.

Team 1241

the fundraising quota of $300 must be met by Tier 1 students and a $50 entrance fee must be paid by all students by December 2, 2004.

Notes

[Siri:]

• A lot of these teams have very consistent major corporate sponsors. This tends to correlate to those who don't require much fundraising. Of course, there are exceptions (Rolling Thunder). Major corporate sponsorship does tend to correlate with powerhouses, though.
• Virtually all these teams tie fundraising directly to student travel, largely because that's all it has to pay for. As far as I know, we don't have the luxury of operating under this assumption. While it's a good idea (it's a definite benefit of the program), we may want to consider another level.
• Teams vary on actual requirements. Some require participation (in hours or events/projects, etc), some mandate a certain success rate (in dollars), and some don't require anything--it can be paid out of pocket.
• The constant, however, is that teams students can fundraise, and it correlates directly to dollars that don't have to come out of their pocket. (This makes sense.)
• Most if not all of these teams do more fundraisers than we do.

--Siri 00:13, 27 July 2010 (UTC)

Ideas

[Siri:]
Note: my personally-imposed deadline for a draft of this section is 29-July-2010 (ie send the email before the Steering Meeting). I don't plan on reinventing the wheel (or even the chassis, for the most part). This is the 29-July draft plus some Steering Meeting notes.

• That pesky key functional spec: What do we actually want from this? How much? For what, exactly? etc.
• I like the 1511 Patron Drive entire method. In full, though it may be too much for us to handle organizationally and for the students to accept in just one year. It probably takes some doing to really get rolling. (Luckily, we have friends in high places over there to give us hints.)
• Tying successful fundraising efforts to competition attendance and/or price makes sense. Given the choice between the two, I'm inclined towards adjusting the price, with attendance itself based on overall involvement (which would probably also come back to this in some sense).
• The competition attendance criterion is good, but I wonder if we don't want an "active member" requirement as well. (If nothing else, it will force the efforts to spread out over the year without making kids base all this work on something so far in the future.) - Revised: this is much more common in the new benchmarks. I like this idea.
• On that note, quarterly benchmarks or something of the sort would probably help. They'd probably have to be prorated based on new members' join dates, though. Note: several (maybe even a lot) of teams have an annual join deadline. I'm not sure we can afford this right now.
• The TechnoKats refundable travel deposit idea is pretty cool. This solidifies travel commitment while adding the incentive of actually getting money back.
• We could consider correlating credit not just with project participation, but with leadership/effort. That might get more students to step forward into organizational roles. - Revised: Rolling Thunder does this very well.
• Required community fundraiser participation (in addition to sponsor recruitment) is really tempting, with the number based on how many we have. I can't say I'm a fan of the random selection method, both from lack of people and for potential resentment (especially in the first round). It also lacks the personal investment of the Rolling Thunder system.
• I will make sure to explain the purpose and benefits in the draft (a la ÜberBots, etc). Other than this, I'm leaning towards just modifying the Rolling Thunder system to include the above.
• (Obviously) we still need a provision for non-discrimination based on family income. I think the this sort of setup would cover it well, and Foster's 90%-10% (80%-20%?) split with the universal pot is still appealing here. - Revised: I like the Lightening Robotics method, especially the first $100 and the post-graduation transfer. Not wed to the percentages though; that probably goes back to the key functional spec.
• Tangential: All these teams have very elaborate student requirements outside of fundraising. (Will be benchmarked soon)

--Siri 00:13, 27 July 2010 (UTC) --Siri 23:07, 27 July 2010 (UTC)

Draft Notes

[Siri:] Grants and major corporate sponsor solicitation has proved interesting. Given the quota system, you sometimes (even usually) don't get an answer in the quarter/half you did the work. Options:
- Allow the equivalent requirement to be deferred until you get an answer (or n months have gone by).
--This is somewhat complicated, and leaves students in the position of not getting credit for hard work. On the other hand, giving them credit without the team getting money is sort of problematic.v - Work for x times more money than you actually need to achieve. If you need $100 in fundraising credits, apply for $100x grants.
--This has the same issue of getting credit while potentially not actually bringing in the money.
- Have a separate grant/major sponsor solicitation requirement and leave the credit requirement for community fundraising.
--I like this one. It's what I went with.
My planned deadline for the next draft is 7 August, but I won't set it until after the Steering Meeting.
--Siri 22:08, 29 July 2010 (UTC)