Michigan · Private Foundation

Michigan FIRST Robotics / Robotics Competition Grants

Grants to help Michigan K-12 teams cover FIRST Robotics competition costs, equipment, and registration fees.

Funding

$500-$5,000 per team

Eligibility

K-12 FIRST Robotics teams

Grade Focus

K-12

Subject

Robotics, Engineering, CS

Deadline

Annual; check firstinspires.org

Type

Private Foundation

About This Grant

FIRST Robotics competition grants help Michigan schools cover the cost of participating in FIRST programs, including FRC (high school), FTC (middle school), and FIRST LEGO League (elementary). Grants typically range from $500 to $5,000 per team.

Michigan has a strong FIRST Robotics community. Grants can cover registration fees, robot parts, tools, and travel. Many corporate sponsors in Michigan's auto industry also provide direct team sponsorships.

Schools starting a new FIRST team often have the highest success rate with these grants, as funders want to expand access to new schools and communities.

View Michigan FIRST Robotics / Robotics Competition Grants

Eligibility

K-12 schools starting or maintaining a FIRST Robotics team
Must be officially registered with FIRST Inspires
Priority for new teams or schools in underserved communities
Teams must have an adult coach or mentor

Allowable Uses

Physical computing hardware (coding kits, micro:bits, robotics)
CS and AI literacy curriculum
Teacher professional development
Robot parts, tools, competition registration, and team travel

Forward Education Products for This Grant

These kits align to the learning outcomes this program funds.

micro:bit Starter Kit — Physical computing for CS education. Aligns to Michigan CS standards for computational thinking and programming at grades K-8.
MicroChat AI Literacy Kit — AI literacy curriculum for middle and high school. Addresses AI and data literacy components of Michigan CS standards.
Coding for Good Kit — Project-based coding curriculum with real-world connections. Strong alignment to Michigan standards.
micro:bit Robotics Kit — Robotics and physical computing for grades 5-12. Supports CS standards across computational thinking and programming.

Keep in Mind

Register with FIRST First

You must be officially registered with FIRST Inspires before applying for team grants.

Apply for Multiple Sources

Layer FIRST grants with local corporate sponsorships. Michigan auto companies sponsor many local FIRST teams directly.

Document Your Team's Need

Grants prioritize new or underserved teams. Clearly state your school's situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any grade level participate in FIRST?

Yes. FIRST LEGO League starts at elementary; FTC is middle school; FRC is high school.

Do we need to be an official FIRST team?

Yes. Registration with FIRST Inspires is required.

Can parents or community members apply for team grants?

Yes. Many grants allow parent organizations or nonprofits to apply on behalf of a school team.

Where can we find corporate sponsors in Michigan?

The Michigan auto industry is a major source. Start with Ford, GM, and local auto suppliers.

How can Forward Education help?

We provide curriculum alignment documents mapped to Michigan CS standards, pricing letters for grant budgets, and letters of support. Contact us before you apply.

Related Michigan Grants

Explore more Michigan funding resources

View all Michigan AI & CS grants →

Grant Support

Need Help Writing Your Grant Application?

Forward Education works with schools and districts to build strong funding proposals. We can help you connect our tools to your grant requirements.

Curriculum alignment documents — Michigan CS Standards mapped to our kits
Program quotes and pricing — classroom sets, bundles, and multi-site pricing
Letters of support — documentation for grant applications
Project ideas and scope-and-sequence — ready-to-use program outlines

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