Fundraising Idea - Piggybackr!

Hello everyone,

I came across this company called Piggybackr which is an online way of fundraising for your team.  I have not used it personally but have spent some time looking through the material and it looks like it could be a great way for the children on the team to take an active role in raising funds to help pay for team expenses (robots, registration fees, travel expenses, etc.).

Here's a blurb from them:

Piggybackr is an online fundraising platform that empowers youth to raise support for their teams, causes, and schools. After the "fundraising team leader" sets up the team fundraising page, team members are invited to join the effort, and create fundraising pages of their own. The average donation on Piggybackr is $76, which they believe is so high because the ask comes from the youth participants themselves. Here's an example of what a robotics fundraiser looks like: https://www.piggybackr.com/team980/2013-robotics-student-challenge

To start fundraising: teams can visit Piggybackr, click the orange "Sign up" button, and then enter the invite code FLL2013 at the top right hand corner where it says "Enter code here!" Or if you'd like, you can set up a 10-minute call with Piggybackr Community Director, Brittany Murlas: brittany@piggybackr.com, 510-207-4913.

Here are two sheets you may find useful - an "About Us" page, and a page fundraisers can customize to give out to parents/kids.

Happy FUNdraising! :)

Nature's Fury Team Blast #1 - Registration is Open!!

Hello everyone!

Well, we have just returned from the FIRST World Festival where we saw some AMAZING FLL teams which were inspirational as they told us all about ways that they had solved real issues with which Seniors are dealing.  Of course, there is no stopping FLL and so we move right into the next season with FLL registration for the Nature's Fury season opening today.

Last year we were excited about the 10-year anniversary of FLL in Ontario.  This year, we are excited about the first-ever FLL International Open Championship coming to Toronto, ON, Canada!  This will be an event you WON'T want to miss.  What an exciting time to join the movement of changing our culture to one in which Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) is celebrated and where becoming a technology hero is something to which our kids will aspire!

To learn more about FLL, feel free to check out these sites:

• http://firstlegoleague.org/challenge/thechallenge
• About FLL In Ontario

To join the movement and to register your team, go to: https://gofll.usfirst.org/.  Here's a video explaining HOW to register (including what to buy).

I am very excited to let you know that once again, FIRST Robotics Canada will be offering grants to support the growth of new teams.  If you are interested in starting an FLL team at your school or organizations, please review "How to start an FLL team".  There are additional links on that page which outlines time commitments and costs.

We have GRANTS available for the creation of new teams.  The actual document you need to submit to receive the funding can be downloaded from here.  Grants will be administered in a first-come first served manner and it is anticipated that they will go fast.

There will also be limited (30) grants for existing FLL and/or FRC teams to mentor a new FLL team so if you're an existing FLL team from one of our previous years and want to get a neighbouring school or community group involved and would like some money for your own team, FIRST Robotics Canada has set aside thirty $250 grants for FLL or FRC teams who would like to receive this grant (expectations of you as a mentor are outlined in the FLL Mentor Application and the FRC Mentor Application).

There will also be grants for Jr. FLL (for kids 6-9 years old) which will open for registration in August - for more information on Jr. FLL, please see www.jrfirstlegoleague.org.  Follow us on Twitter andFacebook, and/or FLL Ontario's Blog in order to receive immediate updates on the FLL and Jr. FLL funding as it becomes available.

Go FIRST!

Dave

Dave Ellis

Director, FLL Ontario

FIRST Robotics Canada

www.firstroboticscanada.org

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2013 FLL Nature's Fury Grants

Hello teams,

If you are looking for some help in offsetting costs associated with running a FIRST Team in Ontario we have some good news.

For new teams, we have this grant available.

• New Team Grant

NOTE: limit of one grant per organization/school.

If you are mentoring a new FLL team and you are a veteran FLL team or a veteran FRC team, you can also apply for these grants:

• FLL Mentor Grant
• FRC Mentor Grant (for mentoring FLL teams)

NOTE: limit of one grant per mentoring team.

If you have any questions regarding the grants (after reading through them) please feel free to email david.ellis@firstroboticscanada.org

Thanks and good luck!!

Dave