Extended Team Support Hours (Global)
Team Support will have extended customer support available until 8:00 p.m. ET on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, through October 30. They can be reached via 1-800-871-8326 or 603-666-3906, extension 0, via Chat and via Email. You might get to talk to Patti!
FTC Hardship Grants - Limited funding is left!!!
New this season, both rookie and veteran teams are eligible for hardship funding through FIRST Tech Challenge. Teams must be nominated by their local program delivery partner and demonstrate that they are experiencing significant financial barriers to participation in FTC. A few things you should consider before asking to be nominated for a grant:
- Grants will be awarded weekly on Wednesdays. We will submit nominations for AZ and Four Corners Thursday afternoons each week.
- Teams can request $325 (season registration) up to $1585 (a new rookie team with full robot kit). Please consider carefully the funding your team needs by looking at the storefront pricing options. Please only apply for the full funding in cases of extreme need.
- Awarded teams will receive a one-time grant which can only be used towards FIRST® Tech Challenge season registration and products in the FIRST Tech Challenge Storefront.
- Teams must meet all the eligibility criteria found below and be nominated by their region’s Partner in order to be considered for funding.
- Need-based funding is limited. Grants will be awarded until the funding is exhausted.
- If you are expecting a grant, please do not check out of the storefront until that grant has been awarded. FIRST will not be able to make changes to orders after checkout. View the complete payment terms here.
- Grant Eligibility:
- Awarded teams must participate in the 2025-2026 FIRST® Tech Challenge competition season.
- Share a "Thank you" post on social media tagging the Sponsors and FIRST Tech Challenge.
- Failure to acknowledge this gift, complete reporting requirements, and participate in the competition season may result in ineligibility for future grants.
- Grant Timeline: Grant will be awarded on a weekly basis on Wednesdays, starting August 6. The PDPs will submit nominations each week on Thursday afternoon.
- To request a grant nomination for your team, please COMPLETE THIS FORM.
- Incomplete forms will not be considered.
- Forms will be reviewed by the PDPs for FTC, and we reserve the right to follow up with teams about your application OR to not submit a nomination if financial need is not demonstrated.
Tournament Registration Grants
Need help with funding to compete this season? Apply for a grant from the CocoNuts for your event registration! Grants will show up as a discount on your invoice for your qualifying tournaments.
Express Enrollment (US & Canada)
Youth registration for the 2025–2026 season is now open through the Express Enrollment application in the FIRST Dashboard. This quick process allows parents/guardians to register youth participants in just a few steps from any device.
To get started, lead Coaches with completed FIRST Youth Protection Screening can generate web links or QR codes in the Dashboard to share with parents/guardians.
🔹 Note: Some regions may require additional local consent/release steps—please share these with your teams.
🔹 Paper Consent and Release Forms are only allowed in cases of demonstrable hardship (no device, no internet access, or significant language barrier).
Learn more and access support resources on the Youth Registration System Walkthrough page or the Field Development Youth Registration Space.
Thank you in advance for helping get youth registered quickly and securely!
Nominations are Open for the 2026 Inspire the Future: FIRST® Recognition Program (Global)
Here at FIRST, recognition is not only part of our name but core to our ethos, and we are proud to launch nominations for the 2026 Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program! We want to celebrate the FIRST educators and schools who impact and inspire their learning communities. Through their work, these educators and schools advance the mission of FIRST. Learn more about the Inspire the Future: FIRST Recognition Program and how YOU can nominate an educator or school that has made a positive impact on your community. Learn more and submit a nomination.
Opportunity for High School Students - ASU
Experience the world of engineering through our Manufacturing Engineering degree or our Robotics and Autonomous Systems degree at Arizona State University on the Polytechnic campus.
The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering warmly welcome you to the event on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at ASU's Polytechnic campus. Space is limited, so sign up today!
The Bachelor of Science program in Manufacturing features a project-based, hands-on curriculum paired with state-of-the-art fabrication facilities, equipping graduates to excel as manufacturing engineers in a fast-paced and globalized supply chain. In a collaborative learning environment, students acquire the skills necessary to creatively integrate products and services within this dynamic and complex industry.
The Bachelor of Science program in Robotics and Autonomous Systems provides students with a thorough education in robotics, controls, automation, and intelligent systems. It is tailored for individuals aiming to gain extensive knowledge in both the theoretical and practical aspects of robotics and automation. The curriculum encompasses systems integration, data fusion techniques, as well as modeling and simulation.
When: Saturday, October 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (check-in begins at 9:30 a.m.)
Where: ASU Polytechnic Campus
Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Building 12 (ISTB12)
6155 S Innovation Way West, Mesa, AZ 85212
What to expect
· Discover career paths in Manufacturing and Robotics engineering.
· Tour state-of-the-art facilities.
· Talk to our students and faculty.
RSVP: Space is limited. Please have interested students register using this link:
https://na.eventscloud.com/msnopenhouse
Please direct questions to Marilynn Aranda at Marilynn.Quintana@asu.edu.
Thank you for sharing this with your teams!
