Fundraising Documents

Returning Sponsor Email Template (Edit for Yourself)

ATTACH SPONSORSHIP LEVELS SHEET (files)

YETI Robotics FRC 3506 - Sponsorship              

Dear M . __________


My name is Anoop Reddy, and I am the Finance Manager this year at YETI Robotics. Last season, we were able to accomplish so much because of our arsenal of committed sponsors, including [COMPANY NAME]. Thank you for your continued support of our team and providing us with much needed funding, which got us to the FIRST World Championship!


This off-season, we have moved to a new location, 2102 Cambridge Beltway Drive Suite B Charlotte, NC 28273! Due to inflation, we are in need of around $68,000 at the non-profit level to build our field which is very expensive. With your help, our goals of further spreading FIRST and impacting our community can be achieved. Last year, [COMPANY NAME] donated $[AMOUNT] to our team, for which we are very grateful. Can YETI Robotics count on [COMPANY NAME]'s support at the financial level for this upcoming new season? We understand it is difficult, but we also know how valuable this program is for so many of our students. Therefore, we would like to ask [COMPANY NAME] to consider sponsorship this upcoming season at any level that is financially possible so that we can continue to offer this opportunity to as many students as we can. Our sponsorship levels have changed this past year, so for your convenience I’ve attached it to this email.


Thank you so much for your continued support, and we hope to work together with you for many years to come.


Sincerely,

Anoop Reddy

YETI 3506 - Finance Manager

732-823-2134

New Sponsor Email Template (Edit for Yourself)

 Emails must be proofread by Anoop and Ms. Iaiela, and BCC’d to anoop.reddy@gmail.com and iduni.1994@gmail.com before being sent to a company

Email Checklist

Highschool, regional, competitional, robotics team, a non-profit, functions like a business, we are an Impact award team, team starter. Target points for companies:

- Math related: We teach fundraising and money management, or the math

we use.

- Parts or Construction related: Talk about the robot.

- Code or Technology related: Controls side

- Non-Profit: Mention how we function similarly and how every student

fundraises.

- If you don't think they’re connected to anything, talk more about how far

our advertisements reach.

  1. Publicity (Look at sponsorship levels sheet, mention ads on our social media): Stress how this can help them because for a relatively small price, they can get their name in front of thousands of people. If needed mention how YETI has a good reputation, and how the people who see our ads will take them seriously

  2. Involvement in the community (If they want to look like they’re helping society)

Mention that “for [their] convenience” you will be attaching the sponsorship levels

sheet to the email. This sheet will let them see all the rewards/benefits from sponsoring YETI that you don’t mention in the email.


Sample Email (DO NOT COPY):

[name and role] [what is YETI, why we are different and cool, why we should matter to the company] [what we need from them] [what they get in return] [sponsor sheet] [conclusion][contact info]


Hello (name), 

My name is Ashwin Deverashetty, and I am a member of YETI robotics, a competitive high school robotics team that specializes in multiple activities. Our members participate in many activities; we don’t just build robots, we try to help our students learn how to code, introduce them to marketing, and we teach them to build life size robots that can compete at competitions. We function as a non-profit business, in order for us to continue as a team we need sponsors that can provide us with volunteer mentors, funding, and robot parts. As a matter of course, your help will not go unacknowledged. If you’re willing to sponsor us you will receive thanks in numerous ways, including promotion through social media, company logos on our immense robots which will be viewed by hundreds to thousands of people at our competitions. For more information, I have attached a file that gives in depth details of our sponsorship levels. YETI’s  outreach over the last 13 years has put us in touch with thousands of people, and with your help, we can continue to spread the message, both inspiring students to pursue in STEM and business, and that of your company. If you have any questions please reply to me through this email. We would love it if you can make a small contribution that can make a big impact on our community.

Thank you, 

Ashwin Deverashetty

9th grade

Mechanic and programmer

YETI Robotics Team

Cold Calling Script (Personalize It!)

YETI Script 2024 season


Students: Practice this script and modify it so you can say it naturally. It is important for you to be able to talk confidently with potential sponsors. Apply what you learned in presentation training. 


Hello or Good morning/Good afternoon, I am (say your name). I am a member of a high/middle robotics team called (_______). Our team is looking for companies who will help us learn valuable skills that may one day be needed by your company.

 

We would like to talk to someone at your organization about providing support.  In return for funding or other resources, we offer publicity for your company through recognition on our website, displaying your logo on our robot, T-shirts, team banners and banners possibly at our new home and in the media.  We are also offering you the opportunity to make a difference in the lives and career choices of our student team members.

 (Pause –take a breath—let the other person respond)

 

If they ask what you specifically want … ONLY FOR YETI STUDENTS (Other students please work on what you would like to say for this!) 

Our team, YETI Robotics, is looking for support which will allow us to build a 150 lb robot to compete in North Carolina District Tournaments throughout April 2024.  This support can be in the form of money, mentors, or materials.  YETI has a history of success in our competitions each year. YETI was the NC State Champions in 2016 and advanced to the FIRST World Championships in St. Louis, MO. The IMPACT award is the most prestigious award a FIRST Robotics team can win.  Today, I would like to talk about meeting with someone to present about our team and or demo our robot.

(Pause –take a breath—let the other person respond)

 

If they ask about FIRST or your competition …Our team competes in a national competition organized by FIRST Robotics.  FIRST Robotics’ mission is to promote careers in science and technology for high school students.  FIRST Robotics was founded by Dean Kamen, who you may know as the inventor of the Segway scooter and the life saving portable insulin pump.

(Pause –take a breath—let the other person respond)

 

If they ask why they would want to support our team…Your company (name of the company) could be associated with other high quality organizations that sponsor FIRST teams like ours across the nation.  For example:  NASA, 3M, FedEx, Autodesk, Google, Microsoft, National Instruments, Rockwell, UTC, Lead Technologies, Celgard, BASF, and Duke Energy.  Supporting a FIRST team helps your company by making it better known to future professionals and current professions who use technical products, services, and information.

 

(Pause –take a breath—let the other person respond)

FINISH:  Always remember “the ask” or why you called get a name and phone # to follow up with….

Who could we talk to about setting up an appointment to make our presentation? 


OR If you are talking to the decision maker …..


When can we schedule a presentation to you and your company?


Ending, be polite even if they say no!  They may say yes next year.

Consider asking if any of their employees might want to be involved as mentors


Contact me at (Your Phone Number) or email me at (Your Email)

Thank you