AZ & Four Corners Kickoff Events, Hardship Grants, Season Manual Preview!

Welcome back from summer to the 2025/2026 FIRST Tech Challenge Season DECODE!!! Don’t just dream it, DECODE it. Got what it takes?

Team Registration - Now Open!

Registration is now open for returning and rookie teams! Go to www.firstinspires.org, login to your Dashboard, and complete your team registration for the 2025/2026 FTC season. Teams should pay their season registration with FIRST ($325) as soon as possible (unless you are waiting for a grant, then please wait!). All teams can indicate their intent to return this season on the dashboard while waiting for grant funding to come through. All teams must be paid for the current season with FIRST at least one week prior to their first official tournament. 

Coming soon: NEW training for mentors through your dashboard through the Mentor Development Initiative!

Arizona Kickoff & Workshops

• Date: September 6, 2025
• Location: Valley Christian Schools K-8 Campus
• Address: 6101 S. River Dr, Tempe, AZ 85283
• RSVP and submit a workshop proposal HERE!
• Workshop proposals are due by August 28 for consideration.
• Schedule: 
• 7:30 AM: Doors open
• 8:30 AM: AZ Season information
• 9:00 AM: DECODE game reveal
• 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM: Workshops

Four Corners Kickoff & Coaches Training

We have funding for 10 new "RezBotics" teams for the 2025/2026 season! Interested schools can apply HERE.

• Date: September 12 & 13
• Location: Chinle, AZ
• Schedule:
• Friday: 2 pm to 6 pm MST
• Saturday: 8 am to 3 pm MST
• Teachers can earn PD hours from NAU for attendance. This training is open to veteran and rookie RezBotics coaches. Training will take a close look at this year's game, team management, robot building and programming sessions, including advanced concepts for veteran coaches. Please RSVP to Nathan at nathan.tohtsoni@navenergy.com to reserve your spot.

Tournament Dates - Updated 8/13/25

We're already getting questions about tournament dates and locations! We love the enthusiasm for the upcoming season. While many of our tournament directors are still working to secure dates, we do have a few confirmed. We will update this list as we confirm tournaments, and plan to open qualifying tournament registration by no later than September 6 (kickoff). Details coming soon!

• ARIZONA REGION:
• Nov. 8: High Country Qualifier, Coconino HS, Flagstaff
• Nov. 15: Roadrunner Qualifier, Gilbert Christian HS, Gilbert
• Nov. 15: Red Rock Qualifier, Microchip, Chandler
• Nov. 22: Prickly Pear Qualifier, Sonoran Trails MS, Phoenix
• Dec. 6: Turquoise Qualifier, Valley Christian K-8, Tempe
• Dec. 6: Painted Desert Qualifier, Brophy College Prep, Phoenix
• Dec. 13: Diamondback Qualifier, San Miguel HS, Tucson
• Jan. 24: Saguaro Blossom Qualifier, Microchip, Chandler
• Jan 24: Petrified Wood Qualifier, Brophy College Prep, PHX
• Jan 31: Ironwood Qualifier, Copper Canyon HS, Glendale
• Feb. 7: Copper Qualifier, American Leadership Academy, Queen Creek
• TBD:
• TBD:
• TBD: Arizona Championship
• FOUR CORNERS REGION:
• TBD: Kayenta Qualifier
• TBD: Shiprock Qualifier
• TBD: Four Corners Championship, Chinle

FTC Hardship Grants

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.

FTC Program Updates for the New Season

• Advancement (ex: qualifiers to region championship and region championships to Worlds) will be changed this season. Please read the blog post from FTC for more details.
• FTC World Championship capacity will be increased to 336 teams (from 256 last season!) 
• FTC also anticipates adding additional Premier events to allow more teams to advance beyond the Region Championships.
• The preview version of the season manual is HERE and includes updates on awards and robot requirements.
• Motivate Award has been removed
• New team awards: Reach Award & Sustain Award
• FTC teams can now apply for the Digital Animation and Safety Animation Awards

Apply Now for FIRST® LEGO® League Grant Funding – Round 2 Now Open!

 

Hello Coaches & Mentors,

Welcome to the 2025-2026 FIRST LEGO League UNEARTHED season!

 

As we kick off the new FIRST® LEGO® League season, ASU is excited to offer financial assistance to help Arizona FLL teams get up and running. Whether you’re starting a brand-new team, expanding an existing program, or facing budget challenges, we encourage you to apply.

 

Ø  Round 1: Open now with a deadline of August 5^th

Ø  Round 2: Opens August 6^th (only if funds remain)

 

We encourage teams to apply as soon as possible. Funding is limited and will be awarded based on need and availability.

 

ASU-managed grants will give priority to teams that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Rookie (first-year) teams
• Teams transitioning to FLL Challenge after participating in FLL Explore
• Teams affiliated with Title I schools
• Returning programs planning to expand with new team(s)
• FLL Challenge teams seeking financial support to transition from LEGO EV3 to SPIKE Prime

 

We encourage all interested teams to apply early, as funding is limited and awarded based on need and availability.

 

If you meet at least one of the criteria above, you can apply for a grant by filling out this form.

 

Fill out one application per Arizona-based FLL team. One coach/mentor/admin can apply for several teams, but please submit one application per team. You can submit applications for FLL Explore and FLL Challenge.

 

Grants are funded by our generous donors:

Ø  Caris Foundation

Ø  Intel

Ø  Resolution Copper

Ø  Tooker Family Foundation

 

Questions: Contact Elaine Michaud at elaine.michaud@asu.edu or emichaud@firstpartners.org.