Grants

Supporting future STEM standouts!

2025-2026 Panasonic Foundation Grant

Panasonic is again awarding $300 grants to 30 SoCal FTC teams for the purpose of registering for league meets. Applications are open Friday, September 1st, 2025 through Thursday, October 2, 2025. Notifications to recipients will be Oct 6th week. Questions should be directed to info@socalftc.com. The link to apply is here.

2025-2026 FIRST® Tech Challenge Hardship Grant (North America)

Do you need some help getting started? SoCal has an opportunity to nominate new and veteran teams that are experiencing financial barriers to participation in the FIRST Tech Challenge 2025-2026 season. 

If you meet the grant eligibility requirements, you could receive funding up to $1,585. The funds can only be used for FIRST Tech Challenge season registration and products in the FIRST Tech Challenge Storefront.   Teams are nominated by the SoCal PDP (Patrick Brophy and Theresa Klemme). If you are interested, please send an email to Abigail at info@socalftc.com with team number, team name, mentor #1 name and email, mentor #2 name and email, and a short summary of why you need help. You need to have started the registration process with FIRST to be considered. You don’t need to complete payment.

HAAS Grant

Haas Automation, founded by Gene Haas in 1983, is a major American manufacturer of CNC machine tools. Haas believes in giving back to the community and has created the Gene Haas Foundation to introduce to and educate individuals for the field of manufacturing technologies specifically CNC machining. https://www.ghaasfoundation.org/

They have been providing FIRST grants to FRC public and private 501c3 high school teams for several years, and this year have extended to FTC teams.  If you are interested in applying, go to: https://www.ghaasfoundation.org/apply-now, select “Secondary Scholarship Programs”, create an account, fill out the grant request.  There are specific requirements, please read details on the site. 

Rapid Access

15% off Sheet Metal and Machining for all student robotics projects in the SoCal region. Apply HERE.

Pitsco

  1. Giveaways throughout the month of September, including $100 Pitsco.com vouchers and TETRIX® parts packs and spare parts. Simply fill out this giveaway form.
  2. Pitsco awards one $150 grant each month to a competitive team. Teams can apply to be considered through our online application.
  3. Two great resources chock-full of inspiration, tips, and tricks to help teams plan and build their bots:

DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose and 3M is awarding Educators to cover the cost to of important materials to support their FIRST teams. Teachers create a classroom project funding request. Find out more information HERE.

©  2025 Southern California First Tech Challenge.