How to Win the Connect Award

The Connect Award is one of the most prestigious judged awards in FTC. It recognizes teams that connect with their community in meaningful ways, particularly through corporate and community partnerships. Here’s how to position your team for success.

Understanding the Award

According to FIRST, the Connect Award goes to the team that:

“Most carefully has carefully explored and carefully integrated a deep respect for and knowledge of the engineering profession into their team.”

In practice, this means demonstrating:

Strong sponsor/mentor relationships
Understanding of corporate engineering practices
Professional interaction with the business community
Sustainable long-term partnerships

The Three Pillars of Connect

It’s not just about getting money—it’s about building genuine partnerships.

What judges look for:

Long-term sponsor relationships (multi-year)
Mutual benefit (what do sponsors get back?)
Regular communication and updates
Involvement beyond just funding

Action items:

Create a sponsor newsletter (monthly or quarterly)
Invite sponsors to team events and competitions
Offer to present at sponsor offices
Send thank-you notes after every interaction
Feature sponsors prominently on your materials

2. Engineering Integration

Show that you’ve learned from your sponsors’ engineering practices.

Examples:

Using design review processes learned from an engineering firm
Implementing project management tools used by sponsors
Applying manufacturing techniques from a machining sponsor
Adopting safety practices from industry partners

How to demonstrate this:

Document specific examples in your portfolio
Have team members explain what they learned
Show before/after improvements
Connect practices to specific sponsors

3. Community Connection

Extend beyond your team to impact the broader community.

Ideas:

Host STEM events for younger students
Volunteer at community organizations
Partner with local businesses for outreach
Create educational content (like this blog!)
Mentor rookie teams

Building Your Connect Narrative

Start Early

Don’t wait until awards season. Begin building relationships now. The best Connect Award winners have multi-year stories to tell.

Document Everything

Keep records of:

Every sponsor interaction
Hours of engineering mentorship received
Community events attended/hosted
Feedback from sponsors
Thank-you emails and letters

Tell a Story

Judges hear dozens of presentations. Make yours memorable:

Hook: Start with your most impressive connection
Journey: How did these relationships develop?
Impact: What changed because of these connections?
Future: How will you sustain and grow these relationships?

Judge Interview Tips

What to prepare:

A concise 5-minute pitch
Specific examples and anecdotes
Knowledge of your sponsors’ industries
Evidence of two-way benefit

Common questions:

“Tell us about your relationship with [sponsor].”
“How have you incorporated professional engineering practices?”
“What has been the impact of your sponsors on your team?”
“How do your sponsors benefit from your relationship?”

Red flags to avoid:

Talking only about money received
Not knowing your sponsors’ names or what they do
One-sided relationships
Short-term, transactional thinking

Sample Connect Award Portfolio Entry

Our partnership with XYZ Engineering began in our rookie season when founder Jane Smith reached out after seeing us at a local STEM fair. Over three years, this relationship has evolved from initial sponsorship to deep engineering mentorship.

We meet monthly with XYZ engineers who review our designs using the same design critique process they use for client projects. We’ve adopted their version control practices, documentation standards, and safety protocols. Last year, team members completed a job-shadow day at XYZ, gaining firsthand experience with professional engineering.

In return, we’ve presented at XYZ’s annual company meeting, hosted a robot demo for their clients, and helped them recruit interns from our local high school. Three of our alumni have joined XYZ as interns.

The Judges’ Perspective

Judges want to see:

✅ Genuine, long-term relationships
✅ Specific examples of lessons learned
✅ Mutual benefit clearly articulated
✅ Passion when talking about sponsors
✅ Plans for sustaining relationships

Judges are skeptical of:

❌ Name-dropping without substance
❌ Lists of sponsors without depth
❌ Only talking about funding
❌ Vague claims about “community impact”
❌ Rehearsed scripts without genuine enthusiasm

Final Thoughts

The Connect Award isn’t won in pit interviews—it’s won through months and years of authentic relationship building. Start today by reaching out to a potential sponsor, thanking an existing one, or planning a community event.

Remember: the relationships you build will benefit your team far beyond any award. Winning Connect is just a bonus.

Good luck! If you have questions about awards preparation, reach out to us—we’re always happy to help fellow teams.