FIRST Chesapeake Travel Incentive Grant

Objective: The primary objective of this grant is to support and encourage FRC teams registered in densely populated areas, particularly Severn, MD, and Owings Mills, MD, to travel to remote events such as Blacksburg, VA, in order to diversify the geographic distribution of FRC competitions. By doing so, we aim to promote the growth of FIRST programs in rural and underserved communities.

Grant Details:

• The grant will provide a $500 travel stipend to each eligible FRC team that successfully travels to a remote event.
• Priority will be given to teams that must travel the farthest distance to attend their chosen event.
• The grants will be issued on a rolling basis, allowing teams to plan their travel in advance.

Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible for the FIRST Chesapeake Travel Incentive Grant, teams must meet the following criteria:

• Be registered for an FRC event in Severn, MD, Falls Church, VA or Owings Mills, MD.
• Be willing to move the above registration to Blacksburg or Portsmouth.
• Submit their application by the application deadline of October 26, 5:00PM

Application Process: Teams interested in applying for the FIRST Chesapeake Travel Incentive Grant should complete the online application form, which will be available on the FIRST Chesapeake website. The application will require teams to provide information about their FRC event registration and travel plans.

Selection Process: Grant recipients will be selected by a review committee comprised of FIRST Chesapeake Staff and FRC Team Advisory Committee members.

Grant Award Disbursement: Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis, and recipients will be notified promptly upon selection.

• Receiving Funds via Hack Club Bank Argosy is partnering with Hack Club Bank (HCB) for this grant opportunity. Teams designated to receive funding (via the spreadsheet) will be required to set up an account with HCB in order to receive the money directly from HCB.
• A representative from HCB will reach out to FRC Teams designated for funding to notify them of their approved funds and share next steps for setting up an account and accessing funds.
• Team accounts established at HCB will be set to transparency mode. Transparency mode supports accountability to funders, in addition to helping student team members better understand the team’s resources and spending.

Key Dates

• Thursday, October 26 – Deadline to apply for travel stipend. 
• Tuesday, November 8 – Deadline for identified FRC Teams to set up an account with HCB

The FIRST Chesapeake Travel Incentive Grant, sponsored by the Argosy Foundation, is a unique opportunity for FRC teams to contribute to the growth of FIRST programs in underserved areas while receiving support for their travel expenses. By participating in more remote events, teams can help create a more inclusive and accessible robotics community.

We encourage eligible teams to apply by the October 26 deadline, and we look forward to supporting and celebrating your commitment to FIRST values and inclusivity in STEM education.

For any questions or additional information, please contact Isaiah Marriner or reach out via the #frc-events Slack channel.