Greetings Mentors! Yet some more legislation for you to consider.
Did you know that Maryland has a robotics grant program, available for teams affiliated with public schools? I certainly did not! (The link is to the 2017 process, but I assume there will be a similar one in 2018, assuming the money is in the 2018 budget.)
As mentioned however, the grant program currently is only available for programs affiliated with public schools. So, if your team is NOT affiliated with a public school, then you are currently ineligible. However, a bill currently making its way through the Maryland legislature is Senate Bill 665. This bill would modify the language of the bill to allow any robotics club to apply for grant funding, regardless of whether it is affiliated with a public school.
If this sounds like something you are interested in supporting (or even opposing), please see this document for instructions on how to submit commentary, or for planning to attend the hearing (which is scheduled for 28 February, 2018).