Funding is one of the biggest challenges facing robotics teams, coaches, and organizations, and the Global Robotics and Science Foundation is actively developing grant opportunities to help put resources directly into the hands of students and mentors. While that grant program is under development, this article is the starting point for finding grants, funding sources, and grant-writing resources for VEX Robotics teams in any region. It is written for coaches, mentors, teachers, and organization administrators looking for funding for their teams.
Definitions of the terms used here are maintained in the central glossary.
For grant programs in your country, see:
Grant-Writing Resources
| Resource | What It Offers |
| Funding and Grants for Robotics Programs | Overview article pointing to region-specific funding tables for VEX 123, VEX GO, VEX IQ, and V5 programs, plus grant-writing guidance. |
| VEX Advantages for Grant Funding | Talking points and language to use in a grant proposal to explain the educational value of VEX Robotics to a funder unfamiliar with the program. |
| NASA Robotics Alliance Project | NASA's VEX Robotics partnership page, covering event support and team development funding. |
Grant Search Databases
Use these databases to surface smaller, regional, or newly listed foundations beyond the funders listed in the country articles. Both maintain live, searchable robotics grant categories.
- Instrumentl – Maintains a browsable category of current robotics grants.
- GrantForward – Searchable by keyword, such as "robotics" or "STEM education," and by sponsor.
Tips for Coaches, Booster Clubs, and District Coordinators
- Check your government education department first – Government-legislated robotics grants are currently the most reliable funding category, and several offer larger awards than any single corporate sponsor grant.
- Get, or partner for, nonprofit status – Most non-VEX-branded grants require it. In the US this means 501(c)(3) status; a school parent-teacher organization or local education foundation can often serve as a fiscal sponsor, meaning it accepts and manages grant funds on behalf of an independent club.
- Track deadlines by season, not calendar year – Corporate and foundation robotics grants typically open mid-year, from June through September, ahead of the VEX Robotics season opening.
- Look for diversity and access-focused grants – These tend to be less oversubscribed. TechPoint Youth's "STEM for ALL" grant in Indiana is a good example; check whether your regional affiliate offers a similar program.
- Lead with classroom use for classroom-focused funders – Some foundation grants fund in-curriculum projects rather than after-school competition teams. If your VEX Robotics program genuinely includes classroom instruction, lead with that part of your program for these funders.
- Ask local employers about mentor-linked support – Corporate partners have funded VEX Robotics teams partly through employee mentorship relationships. A parent or local professional volunteering as a mentor can sometimes unlock funding that is not otherwise advertised.
- Use grant databases to expand your search – Databases surface regional foundations beyond the funders listed in these articles.
Where to Start Looking Each Season
- Your government education department. In the US, search "[your state] robotics competition grant."
- The country article for your region:
- Your Program Support Manager, through events.vex.com/support, for current-season funding and the status of future team grant plans.
- Your state or regional affiliate for locally administered grants.
- NASA's VEX Robotics partnership page.
- Instrumentl or GrantForward for ongoing robotics grant searches.