Business, Operations & FundraisingModule 3 of 14

Budgeting, Finance & Fundraising

Robots cost real money. This module covers what an FRC team actually spends, how to build a budget, and how to fund it through sponsorships and grants like NASA and Gene Haas.

Budgeting, Finance & Fundraising is module 3 of 14 in the Business, Operations & Fundraising guide. It picks up where Project Management Through Build Season left off and hands over to Sustainability, Documentation & the Business Plan. Its 3 lessons are about 80 minutes of the guide's ~20 hours.

3 lessons~80 min49 lessons in this guide

Start with lesson 1 All of Business, Operations & Fundraising

In this module

3 lessons

01What an FRC Team CostsLearn the real costs of running an FRC team, from the registration fee to events, parts, and travel.25 min read

02Building and Managing a BudgetCreate a working team budget, track spending against it, and keep clean financial records.25 min read

03Sponsorships and GrantsLearn how to fund your team through corporate sponsorships and the major FRC grant programs from FIRST and partners like NASA and Gene Haas.30 min read

Previous moduleProject Management Through Build Season

Next moduleSustainability, Documentation & the Business Plan

Longer reads

Articles that go deeper on this

How Much Does an FRC Team Cost? A Rookie Season Budget WorksheetWhat a rookie FRC season really costs in 2026 — the $6,300 registration, travel, tools, and spares — plus a copyable budget worksheet and the grants that offset it.7 min read

How to Get FRC Sponsors: A Fundraising GuideA practical guide to funding your FIRST Robotics Competition team: where to find sponsors, grants like NASA and BAE, and how to ask the right way.4 min read

All 14 modules in Business, Operations & Fundraising

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