The Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Schools program raises up US-based K-12 schools based upon educator and student engagement in FIRST programs, the embodiment of FIRST Core Values, and demonstrating a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.  FIRST wants to help our community learn effective implementation strategies and share out best practices to bring FIRST to more students. 

Recognized schools undergo an application process requiring detailed documentation that a panel of reviewers will review to select the schools whose applications embodied FIRST. 

Awards are made at two levels using a better application process:

• FIRST Recognized school (200+ points)
• FIRST Recognized District (200+ points)

Award Recipients will be recognized (still need to decide details and insert)

Recognized schools and districts will be posted on the FIRST website with the school program, description, pictures, video links, etc.  To learn more about this program, please visit (insert website page)

The application window for the 2023-2024 school year is June 1, 2023, to December 18, 2023.  

Thanks to the generous support of the DEKA Foundation and Bosch, FIRST® is excited to announce our need based FIRST® Tech Challenge Rookie Team Grant for teams participating in the 2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Season! 

2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Rookie Team Grant Details

Only new (rookie) FIRST® Tech Challenge 2023-2024 season teams in the US, Canada and USA military APO are eligible to apply for our Rookie Team Grant. 

• Awarded new teams will receive a $750 grant to use towards FIRST® Tech Challenge season registration and products in the FIRST® Tech Challenge Storefront.
• Teams must apply for the grant and meet all criteria to be eligible
• Grant is need-based
• Hardship funding is limited, grants will be awarded until the funding is exhausted- please remember your Gracious Professionalism® and apply only with real need.
• If you are expecting a grant, please do not check out until that grant has been awarded. FIRST will not be able to make changes to orders after checkout. 
• View the complete payment terms here: https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/payment-terms 

Eligibility for the 2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Rookie Team Grant

• Applicants must be FIRST® Tech Challenge participants
• Only one application per team is allowed
• Grant applicants must plan to participate in the upcoming 2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge season
• Teams will be required to prove their participation at the end of the season
• If a new mentor has an existing team as well as a new team, the existing team must be registered before the new team can be eligible for this grant
• If awarded, teams will not receive their grant funding until the team's Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 are both successfully screened
• If you are expecting a grant, please do not check out in the storefront until that grant has been awarded. FIRST will not be able to make changes to orders after checkout. 
• View the complete payment terms here: https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/payment-terms 

Expectations for the 2023-2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge Rookie Grant Recipients

• If chosen, grant sponsors may invite you to share your FIRST® Tech Challenge experiences with them. They are very interested in your progress as a team and will be excited to hear more about your season.
• Additionally, if chosen, please send us a digital “sponsor thank you” to our generous sponsors the DEKA Foundation and Bosch as an acknowledgement of their contributions. Failure to acknowledge this gift and complete reporting requirements may result in ineligibility for future grants.
• Digital thank you files including letters of thanks from the team, pictures, presentations and whatever else you can think of can be sent to the following email: ftcteams@firstinspires.org 

**Please include "2023-2024 Rookie Grant Sponsor Thank you" in the subject line**

General questions about the grant can be sent to: teamgrants@firstinspires.org