Team Grants

2025/2026 Grant Applications Open September 15

FIRST in Texas works hard throughout the year to raise money from corporate, Government, and individual donors – both to help fund program delivery, but also to enable us to provide teams with direct financial support in the form of Team Grants.  The total amount of money that FIRST in Texas is able to make available for team grants changes from year to year based on the giving priorities of our sponsors.   Some of our sponsors also restrict the application of funds they provide to teams that meet certain criteria defined by the sponsor.  

 FIRST in Texas strives to make it easy for teams to navigate this complexity.  With only one application, teams can be considered for funding from multiple statewide partners.   In this manner, teams don’t need to worry about what sources of funding they might be eligible for or in what amounts – FIRST in Texas works behind the scenes to "match” team applications to funding sources and can bundle proceeds from multiple sources in order to maximize the proceeds provided while minimizing administration.

Round One Applications

We will award Team Grants in three different “rounds” this season. By spreading awards across three rounds, we can award funds early in the season, expand funding opportunities as the season continues, and ensure teams have the opportunity to apply later on and still be considered.  

Submitting an application does not guarantee funding, but our team is working diligently to support as many teams as possible. We want every team to enjoy the season to the fullest, and we’re working hard behind the scenes to make that happen. 

$345,000 in grants will be available for Round 1 and this application will open September 15 and will close on October 15. Funding for Round 1 will be allocated approximately as follows:  

$70,000 – FLL 

$100,000 – FTC 

$175,000 – FRC 

Timeline for Round 1: 

  • September 15 – FIRST in Texas will start accepting team applications for Round 1 
  • Within 3 Days of application submission - Teams will receive a confirmation email from FIRST in Texas that their application has been received 
  • September 15 to October 15 – FIRST in Texas reviews applications as they come in and ensures that they are complete.  Where additional information is required, we will email teams to obtain the missing data 
  • October 16 – Last day for applications to be considered for Round 1.  Applications received after this date will be considered in Round 2 and 3 
  • October 22 - Last day for teams to provide any missing information in response to email requests from FIRST in Texas 
  • October 30 - Final decisions will be announced, and teams will receive email communications letting them know if they have been approved for a Round 1 grant, or if their application has been moved forward into Round 2 
  • November 30 - Teams selected for Round 1 grants will receive funds through the mechanism they specified on their application (direct deposit, check, or vendor credit) 

Round 1 Application

Important Details

The actual amount awarded to each team will be determined on a case-by-case basis, disclosed privately, and influenced by the number of applicants, total funds raised, and sponsor restrictions. 

When filling out the application for grant funding you may notice some questions that feel a little awkward or highly detailed. This is because every dollar we award comes directly from generous sponsors who believe in empowering students through FIRST ® in Texas but have specific restrictions for how their contributions can be used. These restrictions may be based on: 

  • Geography 
  • Program (FLL/FTC/FRC/FA) 
  • School type (public/private/homeschool) 
  • Student Demographics (gender, socioeconomic status, etc.) 

Collecting this information is necessary for us match your team to the right funding opportunities.  If seeking out the answers to some of these questions requires awkward or uncomfortable conversations within the team, don’t stress – just provide approximate answers to the best of your knowledge. 

 

Save These Dates

Below are your team’s windows of opportunity! Each round gives you a chance to be considered for funding, and your one application will carry through all three. If your team isn’t funded in Round 1, you’ll automatically remain in the running for Rounds 2 and 3. 

Grant Application Rounds: 

Round 1: September 15 – October 15 

Round 2: November 1 – November 30 

Round 3: January 1 – January 31 

 

FIRST® Grants

Separate from FIRST in Texas, FIRST HQ manages a national database of team grant opportunities. New grant opportunities are posted throughout the year, so check back often.

FIRST Grants

We know you are sharing important details about your team and community. Please know that your information will always remain confidential and is used only to match your team with the most appropriate funding opportunities. 

You can read our full Privacy Policy for additional details on how we protect your data.