A growing number of US states fund competitive robotics directly through their state Department of Education or state legislature, and national corporate and foundation funders support robotics education as well. This article lists US grant programs that can help fund VEX Robotics teams, including robot kits, registration fees, competition travel, and coach stipends. It is written for coaches, mentors, teachers, and organization administrators looking for funding for their teams in the United States.
Definitions of the terms used here are maintained in the central glossary.
For an overview of where to start your funding search, see Finding Funding for Your VEX Robotics Team. For a broader table of US funding opportunities across all VEX programs, see US Funding Sources in the VEX Library.
State Grant Programs
These programs are funded and administered by state governments, independent of any national robotics organization. Amounts, deadlines, and eligibility rules are set by each state and can change each year, so always confirm the details on the state's own page before applying.
| State | Program | Amount | Details |
| Alabama | Alabama Robotics Grant Program | Up to $3,500 per school | Competitive grants administered by the Alabama State Department of Education to support robotics equipment, curriculum, professional development, and competition participation. Applicants must be Alabama public school local education agencies applying on behalf of their schools. The program is announced annually on the department's site. |
| Indiana | Indiana Department of Education K-12 Robotics Competition Grant | Tiered: up to $50,000 (6 to 12 teams), $75,000 (13 to 18 teams), or $100,000 (19 or more teams) per applicant | Statewide legislative grant open to public, charter, and state-accredited nonpublic schools. Requires a business, higher education, or technical sponsor partnership and a commitment to competition participation. Requires at least a 25% local match from private or community sources, and funds are paid as reimbursement after expenses are incurred. School corporations with teams at multiple schools submit one application covering all eligible teams, so team counts can be combined across a district to reach a higher tier. This is a separate program from the TechPoint Youth grants below and can be combined with them. |
| Wisconsin | Robotics League Participation Grant | Up to $6,000 per eligible team | Administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for teams of students in grades 6 through 12. Open to public schools, charter schools, private schools, and home-based education programs. Requires a dollar-for-dollar match, which must be secured by the time the application is submitted; in-kind donations do not count toward the match. Funds are paid as reimbursement after the team competes. |
| Maryland | Maryland State Department of Education Robotics Grant Program | $5,000 to $20,000 per award | Approximately 35 awards per year from a $350,000 annual pool. Open to Maryland public schools and to nonprofit organizations partnering with public schools; a nonprofit's robotics program membership must be at least 51% public school students. The annual application deadline falls in late summer, so check the current cycle for exact dates. |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire Department of Education Robotics Education Development Program | Estimated $2,000 to $15,000 per proposal | Two-year competitive grants for New Hampshire public and public charter schools. Requires a partnership with a business or higher education sponsor and identification of at least one competitive event the team will attend. |
A local match means your school or organization contributes funding alongside the grant, and a reimbursement grant means you spend the money first and the state pays you back for approved expenses. Plan your team budget with both in mind.
Check Whether Your State Has a Program
State-funded robotics grants have expanded rapidly in recent years, and a new program may exist for your state even if it is not listed here. Search "[your state] Department of Education robotics grant" or "[your state] robotics competition grant" each summer for the latest opportunities.
If you know of a state-level grant program not listed here, reach out to your Program Support Manager through events.vex.com/support so it can be added.
Regional and Affiliate Grant Programs
State and regional affiliates and nonprofit partners sometimes run their own grant cycles, and these are historically some of the least competitive funding sources available.
TechPoint Youth offers annual After School Robotics Grants to Indiana schools and nonprofits, with separate grants for Elementary VEX IQ, Middle School VEX IQ, Middle School V5RC, and High School V5RC teams. Eligibility is measured per grant type, so a school can qualify for a grant at one level even if it already has a team at another. TechPoint Youth also offers a "STEM for ALL" grant for adding a team made up of at least 50% girls, students of color, or students from under-resourced backgrounds. This is a separate program from the Indiana Department of Education grant above, and the two can be combined.
Check for an equivalent affiliate program in your state. Your Program Support Manager can tell you whether your region has a similar locally administered grant program; reach out through events.vex.com/support.
Corporate and Foundation Grants
These national funders support STEM and robotics education generally, and VEX Robotics equipment, class packs, and competition teams are typically an eligible use. Eligibility rules and preferred framing vary by funder, so read each funder's guidelines carefully before applying.
| Funder | Focus and Award Size | Details |
| Toshiba America Foundation | Grades 6 to 12: grants up to $5,000 (four annual deadlines) or larger project grants over $5,000 (twice yearly). Grades K to 5: smaller direct-to-teacher grants. | Funds classroom project-based learning, including robotics and coding equipment. Explicitly excludes club and after-school programs, so this funder is suited to in-school VEX Robotics curriculum use rather than a standalone competition team. |
| Motorola Solutions Foundation | Technology and engineering education grants up to $50,000 | Prioritizes underrepresented and underserved students. Applicants must be a US 501(c)(3) organization or school district. Geographic priority is given to communities near Motorola Solutions offices. |
| Best Buy Foundation – Teen Tech Center | Funds construction, staffing, and equipment for community tech-education hubs | Robotics is a common program track. Invitation-only, through local 501(c)(3) partners serving underserved teens. |
| Lockheed Martin – STEM Education and Charitable Contributions | Varies | US giving requires alignment with the company's STEM workforce pipeline focus and proximity to a Lockheed Martin site. No unsolicited requests are accepted, so this is a fit only if you have an existing local connection. |
| DonorsChoose | Teachers at eligible public schools post itemized classroom project requests funded by individual donors and corporate matching campaigns | General crowdfunding platform. Robotics kits, tools, and class packs are common, fundable requests. |
| National Science Foundation – Foundational Research in Robotics | $174,000 to $5 million | Research-grade federal funding requiring a principal investigator at an eligible academic or research institution. Not designed for a K-12 competition team, but relevant if your district partners formally with a university robotics lab. |