Established by inventor Dean Kamen, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is a not-for-profit organization that encourages youth involved in science and technology. It declares that FIRST robotics teams who participate in the FIRST series of robotics programs will receive Graduation Grants.
Along with The LEGO Foundation and LEGO Education, FIRST will offer an overall $250,000 (in grants). It will support the newly established FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams such as the experts from FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams.
The LEGO Foundation and LEGO Education will grant $150,000 to the eligible teams for procuring robotic components and materials, whereas FIRST will grant $100,000 for registration and other extra expenditures. These grants will inspire the students to move from one level to the subsequent ones, in FIRST. The grants will be offered on first-serve basis, which is currently available to the U.S. teams.
FIRST founder and president of DEKA Research & Development, Dean Kamen says that students who progress through K-12 family of FIRST robotics programs are provided with competitive benefits, such as opportunities for higher education as well as improvement in skill and proficiency. During this graduation period, FIRST and The LEGO Foundation have resolved ways to promote and honor the students who pursue their careers based on science and technology with the help of FIRST.