Donate
The Firewheel STEM Institute uses Zeffy for its online fundraising efforts. Zeffy is unique in that it allows donors to choose what percentage of their donation, if any, is contributed to Zeffy to support the processing of funds. While a suggested percentage is set by default, donors may adjust this amount or choose to give nothing at all, ensuring that 100% of their donation goes directly to Firewheel STEM Institute to support our programs.
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Listed below are the various programs that you can choose from to donate to
Sustaining Member
A Sustaining Membership is an unrestricted monthly gift that you can pay in a convenient, ongoing way. Each month, we will charge your credit or debit card or withdrawal from your checking account the amount you specify. Your Sustaining Membership will automatically continue unless you choose to cancel or change it. Sustained membership allows us to plan out the budget and activities in the future. We will know what we can provide the students. This funding will go to all areas in need at the organization, from helping us keep the lights on to buying robot parts!
STEM Center
This donation will directly support our mission by helping cover the operational costs of running the one-of-a-kind Firewheel STEM Institute STEM Center, which is provided free of charge to students. In addition to helping to pay for the rent and utilities, it also helps fund the hands-on STEM programs students participate in at no cost, ensuring access regardless of financial barriers. Contibutions will also help fund STEM workshops and competitions. Additionally, this support enables the STEM Center to assist and collaborate with other STEM programs and schools in the surrounding community, strengthening and growing Arizona’s broader STEM ecosystem.
Mobile STEM Center
Your gift powers the STEAM Engine—our mobile STEM center that delivers hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math experiences directly to students who rarely have access to these opportunities. Every donation helps equip the STEAM Engine with critical tools such as 3D printers and filament, a CNC mill with wood and metal stock, and a laser engraver with metal, acrylic, and wood materials, along with robots, laptops, and essential lab supplies. Your support also sustains the mentors who guide students through real-world projects, engineering challenges, and problem-solving experiences. Together, we can bridge the STEM divide and create meaningful pathways to education, careers, and lifelong opportunity.
Binary Bots
This donation will directly support the Binary Bots, a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics team, ensuring students have the resources needed to fully participate in the competitive season. Funds will cover team registration for official FTC events, the purchase of essential robotics components and materials, and the costs of meals, travel, and lodging when students attend regional and qualifying competitions. FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is an international, student-centered robotics program for middle and high school students in grades 6–12 in which teams design, build, program, and operate custom robots to compete in annually themed challenges. The program emphasizes real-world engineering practices, problem-solving, collaboration, and perseverance through a “sports model” of head-to-head matches and alliance play. Each season introduces a new game and incorporates community outreach, helping students build technical skills, leadership, and confidence while preparing them for future STEM education and careers.
Degrees of Freedom
This donation will help fund the Degrees of Freedom Robotics team, enabling students to register for official FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) regional events, purchase critical robotics components, and cover meals, travel, and lodging associated with attending competitions. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international, high school–level program that challenges students to design, build, and program industrial-sized robots to compete in a new, complex game each year. Blending the excitement of a sport with rigorous, real-world engineering and STEM learning, FRC is guided by mentors and industry professionals and emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, fundraising, and team branding. Often described as the “varsity sport for the mind,” the program culminates in high-energy, sport-like events that inspire students and prepare them for future education and careers in STEM fields.
Desert WAVE
This donation will play a vital role in advancing our mission by directly supporting the operational needs of the Desert WAVE team. The funding will enable students to purchase the specialized tools, materials, and components required to design and build advanced autonomous underwater robots, as well as cover essential travel and lodging expenses when the team competes internationally. Desert WAVE competes in RoboSub, an international student competition organized by RoboNation (formerly the AUVSI Foundation), where high school and college teams design, build, and test Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to complete complex underwater missions that mirror real-world maritime tasks such as exploration, mapping, and object manipulation. Through this rigorous, annual challenge, students develop advanced systems engineering skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities, preparing them to become the next generation of engineers and innovators in the underwater robotics and maritime technology industries.