Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) Competitive Team Grant Program connects schools and organizations with resources to support a competition team.
Before You Apply
Before applying for a RECF Grant, we recommend reviewing the FAQ Page for the program you are interested in. These pages will answer most questions about the program, including timeline, equipment needs, registration, equipment costs, team size, and other additional resources.
- Aerial Drone Competition
- ADC Pro (coming soon)
After reading the FAQ, please contact your Drone Regional Support Manager (RSM) if you still have questions about the Aerial Drone Competition.
If you have questions about the grant process or requirements, please contact a Grant Support Manager (GSM) at grants@recf.org.
All RECF Grants recipients are required to:
- Attend at least one competition during the current season.
- Register their teams for the following competition season and attend at least one competition during 2nd season.
- Understand the following about grants:
- Grants are intended for competition teams and event partners only, not for general classroom use.
- Grants typically cover part of the total cost, not all expenses.
- Grants may not be available for returning organizations; fundraising is encouraged.
Available Grants
Last updated June 2, 2026
Grant availability varies based on funding, location, and eligibility criteria. We encourage you to complete the grant application process. Our grant team will then work to match you with the most appropriate grant opportunity available at the time of review.
NOTE: A "team" typically consists of 3 to 5 students, and it's common for a school or organization to have more than one team. When applying for a grant, please consider the total number of teams you plan to register, as this will impact funding and registration needs.
The grants listed below are for reference only and may not reflect current availability.
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ADC Pro
- Coming Soon
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Aerial Drone Competition
- Coming Soon
Definitions
New Organization:
A school or group that has not participated in the RECF program for the specific grant in any of the previous three seasons.Returning Organization:
A school or group that has participated in the RECF program for the specific grant in at least one of the previous three seasons.
To Apply
Step 1: Create an Account on RECFevents.org for Team Registration.
Create an account on RECFevents.org following these instructions.
Step 2: Complete Background Check
Complete a RECF Background Check online with Sterling Volunteers. This is a requirement for all primary coaches, secondary coaches, and event partners.
Coaches can find the background check instructions in the REC Library.
Step 3: Register your Competition Teams
Register your team(s) on RECFevents.org following these instructions and select Pay Later during checkout.
At this stage, you're simply registering the number of teams you'd like to have—there’s no need to know which students will be on each team or how many students will be on each team. Coaches may enter that information, which can be added later.
If the RECF is able to award you a grant for team registrations, the corresponding number of team registrations will be marked as paid.
Step 4: Create an account in our Grant Management System
Submit your grant application by using this grant application link.
- Use the same email address in your grant application as you used to create your RECFevents account. This helps us accurately match your records.
- To ensure you receive important communications, add the following emails to your safe sender list:
- mail@grantapplication.com
- noreply@yourcause.com to your email's safe sender list.
- If you don’t receive a confirmation email, be sure to check your spam or junk folder.
Step 5: Select Your Organization
- Start typing the name of your organization and wait for the list to populate.
- If your organization's name appears in the list, select it.
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If it does not appear, select "Add Organization" and enter your government tax identification number.
- If you are unsure of your government tax identification number, please enter your RECF Drone team number or your school's NCES number in the required field.
Step 6: Fill out the required fields
Step 7: Add Authorized Users (if Necessary)
If another person is required to apply for the grant and/or accept the grant's terms and conditions on behalf of your organization, please follow these steps:
- Add the authorized representative as a co-applicant on the grant application.
- Also, add them as an organizational contact in the team contacts.
- Once the authorized representative is added to the grant application, the primary applicant will receive an email requesting confirmation of the addition.
Step 8: Communicate with a Grant Support Manager
After you submit your grant application, a Grant Support Manager will review it. The following outcomes are possible:
- Additional Information May be Requested: RECF may reach out to request clarification, documentation, or further details.
- Your Grant May Be Approved: If your grant meets the criteria and funding is available, your grant may be awarded.
- Your Grant May Be Placed Under Future Consideration: If no grants are currently available or your school/organization does not meet eligibility criteria, your application will be placed under 'future consideration.' If additional funding becomes available, the grant team will revisit your request to reassess eligibility.
Please note: While RECF strives to support as many applicants as possible, grant approval is not guaranteed. The Grant Team reviews applications in the order they are received.
Step 9: Get Started
Check out the Getting Started Page in our REC Library!
Need Help?
- For questions about your grant, contact your dedicated Grant Support Manager at grants@recf.org.
- For questions about your competition team, contact your Regional Support Manager or email drones@recf.org
- For technical questions about the CoDrone EDU, reach out to our product partner, Robolink. at support@robolink.com.