Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation (MBC) owns and operates a 1,900 mile fiber network in Southern Virginia, with a mission to promote economic development in the region. MBC proudly reinvests in our region through generous sponsorship of robotics teams at the middle school and high school levels. MBC believes robotics team participation teaches valuable digital skills and opens STEM career pathways for students, building a talented workforce pipeline for companies interested in locating or expanding in Southern Virginia.
FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Sponsorship Program
FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams have 10+ student members in high school grades. FRC teams are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format.
Public high schools in the MBC service area with an existing FRC team are eligible for annual sponsorship from MBC. For the 2020-21 season, each existing team will receive $3,000 to cover the costs of team registration, entry for two events and the kit of parts.
Public high schools in the MBC service area wanting to start a new (“rookie”) FRC team are eligible in their first year to receive a $4,000 annual sponsorship plus up to $4,000 in additional funds as a dollar-to-dollar match for their fundraising efforts.
MBC-sponsored FRC teams are eligible for additional funding through the MBC Challenge Cup.
To receive MBC sponsorship for your FRC team, please complete and return the FRC Sponsorship Request Form and the FRC Memorandum of Understanding. Deadline: December 31st, 2020.
- FRC Sponsorship Request Form
- FRC Memorandum of Understanding – Existing Team
- FRC Memorandum of Understanding – New Team
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Sponsorship Program
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams have 10+ student members in grades 7-12. FTC teams are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format.
Public high schools or middle schools in the MBC service area with an existing FTC team are eligible for annual sponsorship from MBC. Each team receives $1,500 a year to cover the costs of team registration, entry for two events and the kit of parts.
Public high schools in the MBC service area wanting to start a new (“rookie”) FTC team are eligible in their first year to receive the $1,500 annual sponsorship plus up to $500 in additional funds as a dollar-to-dollar match for their fundraising efforts.
To receive MBC sponsorship for your FTC team, please complete and return the FTC Sponsorship Request Form and the FTC Memorandum of Understanding. Deadline: December 31st, 2020.
- FTC Sponsorship Request Form
- FTC Memorandum of Understanding – Existing Team
- FTC Memorandum of Understanding – New Team
Questions?
For more information about MBC sponsorship for your FRC or FTC team, please contact Lauren Mathena, MBC Director of Economic Development and Community Engagement, at lauren.mathena@mbc-va.com.