NASA FRC Sponsorship

Grades

Grades 9-12 (high school students on FRC teams)

Age

Typically 14-18 years old, depends on high school enrollment

Citizenship

U.S. teams only (FIRST Robotics Competition teams in the United States)

Prerequisites

Must be an established FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team with team number and registration; team must be competing in FRC (not FTC or FLL); team must apply for the grant

Steps

1. Ensure your FRC team is registered with FIRST Robotics
2. Monitor NASA Robotics Alliance Project website for application opening (typically September)
3. Access the NASA FRC Sponsorship application portal
4. Complete the application with required team information
5. Submit application before the deadline
6. Await award announcement (typically November)
7. If selected, accept the award to receive grant funds

Materials Needed

• FRC Team number and registration information
• Team contact information and mentors/coaches
• Team background and history information
• Details about team's STEM outreach and community engagement
• Information about how funds will be used (specific to application year's game)
• Possibly team accomplishments, goals, and mission statement

Timeline

Applications typically open in September, awards announced in November. Teams should monitor robotics.nasa.gov starting in late August/early September. Grant covers the current FRC competition season.

Cost

Free to apply; no application fee

What Judges Look For

• Team's commitment to STEM education and community outreach
• Educational impact on students and local community
• Team sustainability and long-term vision
• Financial need and how grant funds will be utilized
• Diversity and inclusion initiatives within the team
• Technical excellence and innovation
• Mentorship quality and student development
• Team's ability to inspire other youth in STEM

Scoring

Specific rubric not publicly detailed on available pages; judging appears to emphasize educational mission, community impact, and team organization

Common Mistakes

• Not submitting before deadline
• Incomplete or poorly organized application
• Failing to demonstrate clear STEM educational impact
• Not showing community engagement or outreach efforts
• Unclear explanation of how funds will benefit students
• Applying if team doesn't meet all eligibility requirements
• Not demonstrating team stability and leadership

Acceptance Rate

Not publicly disclosed; appears to be selective given NASA's prestige and limited annual funding

Applicants

Not publicly available; likely hundreds of FRC teams nationally

Winners / Selected

Multiple teams selected annually (exact number varies by year and available funding)

• Start monitoring the NASA Robotics Alliance Project website in August to catch the September application opening
• Emphasize your team's STEM outreach efforts and community impact, not just competition performance
• Highlight how your team develops student leaders and mentors younger students
• Clearly articulate specific, meaningful uses for the grant funds tied to educational goals
• Demonstrate team stability, strong leadership structure, and long-term sustainability plans
• Show diversity in your team membership and inclusive practices
• Connect your team's work to NASA's mission and national STEM goals
• Document past accomplishments and positive community feedback
• Have your team mentor/coach craft a compelling narrative about why your team deserves funding
• Submit early to avoid technical issues near the deadline
• If not selected in one year, apply again with improvements to your application

How to Prepare

• Get your FRC team established and registered if not already done
• Develop strong community outreach and STEM education programs within your team
• Document your team's impact through testimonials, photos, and metrics
• Create partnerships with local schools, libraries, and community organizations
• Establish mentorship programs pairing experienced students with newcomers
• Develop a clear strategic plan for your team's growth and impact
• Have mentors/coaches draft examples of compelling team narratives
• Track and document all STEM education activities your team conducts
• Prepare budget demonstrating how grant funds will directly benefit students
• Review past application cycles to understand what NASA values

Resources

• NASA Robotics Alliance Project website: robotics.nasa.gov
• FIRST Robotics official site: www.firstinspires.org/programs/frc/
• The Blue Alliance (TBA) - team resource database: thebluealliance.com
• FIRST Robotics subreddit: r/FRC
• FIRST Team resources and documentation
• Local FRC district/regional coordinators for guidance
• Previous grant winners (if identifiable) for insights

Time Needed

Year-round: build and sustain your team's STEM outreach mission. Active application preparation: 2-4 weeks once application opens in September

Successful teams typically demonstrate: strong mentorship programs with industry professionals, significant community outreach (STEM education at schools, robotics camps, youth mentoring), diverse student membership, consistent competition participation, clear educational mission beyond just winning competitions, demonstrated impact on local STEM interest, strong school/sponsor partnerships, and well-articulated vision for using grant funds

NASA grant sponsorship is a significant credential in college admissions - it demonstrates: national recognition from a prestigious government agency, commitment to STEM education, leadership ability, community impact, and team contributions to meaningful STEM initiatives. Colleges view this highly favorably, especially for engineering, physics, computer science, and technology majors. It carries particular weight at competitive universities and shows genuine passion for STEM beyond academics. Students can highlight this in essays and applications as evidence of initiative and real-world technical experience.

• Congressional App Challenge — Tier 3, competition
• ARML (American Regions Mathematics League) — Tier 3, competition
• AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) — Tier 3, competition
• National Science Bowl — Tier 3, competition
• Science Olympiad — Tier 3, competition