1. FIRST ® Advocacy Don Bossi February 2019

2. Advocacy Overview
Our Goal: Make government funds available to schools to enable and support participation in FIRST programs, with an emphasis on engaging under-represented or under-served populations in STEM.
State Funding (50%)
Local Funding (41%)
Federal Funding (9%)
*Source: U.S. Dept. of Education
* Impact as measured by multiple Brandeis University studies

3. U.S. Federal Advocacy Federal Programs: Resources and Methods
Title IV, Part A: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers
AmeriCorps VISTA Program
Perkins Act / Career and Tech Education (CTE)
Resources and Methods
Part-time DC-based Lobbyist (Jim Burger)
Director of External Engagement (Kerri Maxwell)
National Advocacy Conference
GrassRoots Network of Advocates

4. But… Most funding decisions made at state and local levels
HQ resources are developing replicable models, tools, and templates to support state and local advocacy efforts.

5. State-Level Examples
A growing number of state governments provide support to schools for FIRST teams:
Michigan: $2.5m (avg.) per year for past 4 years
Texas Workforce Commission: $1m per year for 8 years
Iowa Scale-Up Grants: Average of ~$275k per year for 5 years
Washington: Grew from $150k/yr in 2011 to $825k/yr in 2018; currently applying for additional $3M
Oregon: $500K over 2 years, currently applying for additional funding
Florida: $200k, new funding in 2016; increased to $500k in 2017
Wisconsin: $250k, new grant signed at 2016 FRC Regional event
New Hampshire: $375k toward FIRST in every school
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed Assembly Bill 665 into law at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2016 FIRST Robotics Wisconsin Regional Competition

6. FIRST® – 2017-18 Season Recap Teams & Participants by U. S
FIRST® – Season Recap Teams & Participants by U.S. State / Territory
FIRST Season %
State
# FLL Jr Teams
# FLL Teams
# FTC Teams
# FRC Teams
Total # of Teams Across All 4 FIRST Programs
Estimated Total # of Youth Participants
FIRST Participants as % of Total Youth Population (ages )
Alaska 65
194 50 1
310
2,467
1.88%
Alabama 38 95 12 14
159
1,458
0.18%
Arkansas 34 71 20 25
150
1,597
0.31%
Arizona 69
349 60
543
5,356
0.45%
California
667
1753
405
314
3139
29,926
Colorado
157
336 67 36
596
5,200
0.56%
Connecticut
203 40 51
444
4,199
0.72% DC 9 8 11 53
609
0.78%
Delaware 68 79 16 3
166
1,275
0.85%
Florida
569
725
172 80
1546
12,934
0.43%
Georgia
201
749
118 82
1150
10,428
Guam 17 21 2
320
 0.55%
Hawaii 76
124 29
254
2,363
1.11%
Iowa
228
412
210 28
878
7,464
1.40%
Idaho 57
177 33 15
282
2,463
0.77%
Illinois
267
630
181
1135
9,877
0.46%
Indiana
121
324 75 49
5,293
Kansas 39
106 24
1,932
0.37%
Kentucky 70
305
2,515
0.34%
Louisiana 83 31 37
301
2,933
Massachusett
133
465 87 78
763
7,338
0.70%
Maryland
235
398
117
790
6,764
0.69%
Maine 56 89 26
173
1,718
0.89%
Michigan
616
527
436
508
2087
24,972
1.53%
Minnesota
257
641
193
215
1306
13,975
1.49%
Missouri
317
488
187 73
1065
9,501
0.94%
Mississippi 84
176
1,657
Montana 90
139
1,176
0.71%
FIRST Season %
State
# FLL Jr Teams
# FLL Teams
# FTC Teams
# FRC Teams
Total # of Teams Across All 4 FIRST Programs
Estimated Total # of Youth Participants
FIRST Participants as % of Total Youth Population (ages )
North Carolina
248
571
100 66
985
8,706
0.51%
North Dakota 16 98 11 4
129
1,090
0.90%
Nebraska 29
114 22 3
168
1,381
0.41%
New Hampshire
713
176 33 43
965
7,091
3.53%
New Jersey
213
414
185 81
893
8,465
0.58%
New Mexico 88
103 8
221
1,772
0.49%
Nevada 64
101 24 15
204
1,807
0.37%
New York
494
841
262
172
1769
16,612
0.55%
Ohio
373
557
104
1098
9,334
0.48%
Oklahoma
140
199 72 48
459
4,352
0.63%
Oregon
135
432 51
822
7,581
1.19%
Pennsylvania
260
461
136 67
924
8,283
0.42%
Puerto Rico 1 35
295
0.05%
Rhode Island 69 44 6
1,238
0.78%
South Carolina
186
333 37 45
601
5,275
0.65%
South Dakota 31 59 95
723
Tennessee 76
255 25 34
390
3,596
0.33%
Texas
560
1533
670
163
2926
26,399
0.50%
Utah
294 53
443
3,914
0.59%
Virginia
242
569
167 75
1053
9,549
0.70%
Vermont 21 19 17 5 62
573
Washington
229
628
173
102
1132
10,678
0.91%
Wisconsin
383 50 61
657
6,067
West Virginia
118
120 13
254
1,873
0.68%
Wyoming 46
146
1,192
APO
125 27
200
1,558
TOTAL
9,222
18,074
5,159
3,024
35,479
327,114
0.61%

7. Mobilizing State and Local Advocacy
Encourage Governors, Legislative leaders, Commissioners of Education, and School Superintendents to attend events and become advocates within their schools
Encourage corporations and businesses to advocate on behalf of FIRST and STEM funding
Encourage FIRST teams to lobby their state members of congress and governors
Encourage teams to attend local school board and PTA/O meetings
Seek to have Robotics recognized as a 21st-century sport and provide similar recognition and benefits as provided to other sports or activities

8. Join the FIRST Advocay Network
Sign up for the FIRST Advocacy Network –

9. Questions?