The FTC engineering portfolio is a visual and technical record of a team's robot development, showcasing design iterations, CAD, and media. Beyond the robot itself, it highlights the team's outreach initiatives, demonstrating their impact on the community. It also outlines the team's season goals, both technical and programmatic, providing context for their work. Crucially, the portfolio includes a budget overview, illustrating responsible resource management. It's a comprehensive document that goes beyond technical specs, presenting the team's entire season from engineering to community engagement and financial planning. 

The FTC engineering notebook is a comprehensive, chronological journal meticulously detailing a team's entire season. It offers an in-depth account of the design process, including brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and revisions. This detailed record captures meeting notes, sketches, code snippets, and reflective entries. Crucially, it also provides detailed documentation of the team's budget, tracking expenditures and resource allocation, and a deep dive into outreach efforts, outlining activities, impact, and lessons learned. It emphasizes the team's thought processes, problem-solving strategies, budget management, and community engagement, providing a deep, narrative understanding of their entire season. 

My team, like many other high school FTC robotics teams secure sponsorships because companies and organizations recognize the value in supporting STEM education, gaining brand visibility within a relevant audience, fostering community goodwill, and potentially cultivating future talent. Teams attract sponsors by identifying local and national businesses (particularly in STEM fields), creating tiered sponsorship packages that detail benefits like logo placement and event recognition, and professionally reaching out through letters, emails, and meetings. The key is offering clear value to the sponsor, demonstrating the team's impact, and building lasting relationships through consistent communication, gratitude.