Help us support tomorrow’s property and construction leaders
A win-win partnership that gives talented young people a chance to get into the property and construction industry.
Is your organisation passionate about paying it forward to the future generation of property and construction leaders? Do you want to reduce the barriers to success and help bright young people make their mark on the industry?
With your support, we can do exactly that.
Every year, we receive scholarship applications from many more deserving students than we can currently fund.
The more industry support we have, the more students we can help – it’s that simple.
As a Keystone Trust sponsor, you’ll be joining a group of forward-thinking property and construction businesses. Businesses working together to lift the entire industry up. Businesses who believe in a hand up, not a hand out.
If you’re interested in a partnership that makes a difference in the lives of young people, cultivates a positive culture within your organisation and ultimately helps you win more business, a Keystone Trust sponsorship is the perfect fit.
“At Hawkins we have been selective about where we invest, ensuring our energy is aligned with the right partners and outcomes.
Supporting Keystone Trust just feels right and links nicely to the pillars of our business. Attending your Awards Evening cemented for me that it is highly valuable, and the quality of individuals the industry is supporting is something else.”
Murray Robertson – CEO at Downer New Zealand
A sponsorship with unexpected benefits
Our sponsors generally join the Keystone Trust family because they care about investing in the future generation of leaders, but they quickly find the partnership has benefits for their business too.
Win more business
Government and private contracts are increasingly being won by organisations who can demonstrate a track record of positive impacts within the community in which they operate.
Attract the best talent
In this competitive sector, attracting top talent is crucial for success – and the best employees are looking for forward-thinking employers who prioritise people over profit.
Lift employee retention
When your employees feel good about your organisation, it boosts team morale and breeds a positive culture – one where employees stick around and become powerful advocates.
Build student relationships
Through mentoring, work placements, site visits, job shadowing and events, you’ll meet high-performing students and alumni seeking roles in the industry.
Network with industry peers
Meet like-minded businesses, build valuable partnerships and make lasting connections at the networking events we hold throughout the year.
Strengthen brand image
The work we do creates incredible marketing content and PR opportunities for your brand, giving you more visibility and reinforcing your social license to operate.
“Essentially, if you want to take them up, there are unlimited networking opportunities with leaders of the industry. These connections are just as valuable for alumni and sponsors.
In my day to day work as a lawyer I often connect with companies whose CEO is involved with Keystone, and because of my involvement in Keystone, I’ve often already built a relationship.
Keystone does the hard work for the sponsors, and casts their net wide to potential leaders in the industry. There’s a genuine need to help these people enter and progress through the industry – but there are also many benefits for their companies.”
Josh Leckie – 2004 Scholarship Recipient
Partner at Lane Neave
FAQs
Why should we support Keystone Trust?
Over the last three decades, we’ve developed a model that works – our alumni are proof of the programme’s success. Our sponsors tend to support us for a very long time (some have been sponsoring us since 1994) because they want to leave a legacy in our community. They’ve seen what the trust can do for young people, what it’s doing for the industry and what it can do for their own bottom line.
How will our sponsorship funds be used?
Your sponsorship will cover the running of Keystone Trust, the financial assistance we provide to each student and the activities that benefit the students (like networking events, mentoring, workshops and the study buddy programme).
Do we need to commit to a minimum timeframe?
We usually ask sponsors to commit for three years, but we’re happy to accept one-year sponsorship contracts if you can’t commit to a longer timeframe.
Where do you find scholarship applicants?
We advertise to students through:
- Our social media platforms – Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Tertiary providers who we have direct scholarship links with, like the University of Auckland
- School careers advisors
- Direct contact with around 500 schools (with school visits held throughout the year)
- Our sponsors, who share information about Keystone Trust on their websites and social media platforms
- Scholarship information websites, like StudySpy and NZ Careers
How many students apply for scholarships each year?
Each year, we typically receive applications from 70-100 students for school leaver scholarships and around 300 students for tertiary scholarships.
How many students do you support?
In 2023, we have 54 students on our programme studying at eight different tertiary providers around New Zealand. We awarded scholarships to 25 new students in 2023 – 14 school leaver scholarships and 11 tertiary scholarships.
How do you process each scholarship application?
We have a rigorous selection process. Once scholarship applications close, we download each one and ensure the required documents are attached. Next, we read every single application and produce an initial shortlist. We then review the shortlist, decide who to interview and complete the interviews. Finally, we select the scholarship recipients. Our office team and trustees are primarily responsible for the selection process, working closely to select students for the scholarships.
Do you have any students or alumni looking for a job?
Many of our sponsors offer paid work experience and internships to our students while they’re studying. If this is something you’re interested in, we can work with your HR Manager to refer a student to you for these opportunities. We also work with our recent graduates to ensure they gain their first role at the end of their final year. Our alumni often say they’ll only work for Keystone Trust sponsors, because they had their back while they were studying.
“The personal support Keystone offers, and the exposure to people in the industry, sponsors and the like, is incredibly valuable.
Without the scholarship, my tertiary experience would have been very different. It gave me financial stability and freedom that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I wouldn’t have come out of the other end with the grades and experience I had.
The scholarship programme offers strong opportunities for Keystone sponsors to get to know students who have already gone through the thorough selection criteria, so you can be confident that the students are of a high calibre.”
Mary Henry – 2003 Scholarship Recipient
Registered Architect & Associate Principal at Jasmax
What’s the process of becoming a sponsor?
- We’ll start with a phone call. You’ll speak with Amanda Stanes, our General Manager, about what you’re hoping to achieve and whether a Keystone Trust sponsorship can support these goals.
- Next, we’ll generally meet you in person to chat further and share some ideas. Based on this conversation, we’ll tailor a sponsorship package that meets your organisation’s needs.
- If you decide to move forward, we’ll send you a sponsorship agreement and an invoice for your first annual contribution. If preferred, we can put a payment plan in place.
- Once the invoice has been paid and your sponsorship agreement has been signed, we’ll add your logo to our website and put you in touch with our PR writer. She will craft a joint press release that will be published on our website and potentially by relevant publications.
- From there, we’ll bring you into the Keystone Trust family. You’ll begin to receive all sponsorship benefits and communications, including event invites and an introductory meet-and-greet session for you and your wider team.
What’s the investment required?
We have four sponsorship packages available, which can be tailored to suit your organisation’s goals and budget.
Keystone Sponsor
As a Keystone Sponsor, you’ll help us make a huge difference in the lives of talented young people, giving them the hand up they need to become industry leaders.
Your annual contribution will be used to cover the cost of our school leaver scholarships and will directly impact 36 students studying towards their degree.
Here’s what you’ll get in return for your generosity
- Your logo on all Keystone Trust collateral
- Opportunities to work with students and mentor them
- Brand awareness via the Keystone Trust website and marketing materials
- Networking events:
- 4 tickets to Auckland Thank You Evening
- 4 tickets to each Regional Thank You Evening
- 8 tickets to annual Awards Evening
- Opportunity to attend other networking events organised throughout the year, including our incredibly popular Rugby Lunch and the Keystone Talks Series (where we look at emerging industry issues like mental health, inclusivity, neurodivergence and gender identity)
- Use of the Keystone Trust logo in your marketing collateral
- Company profiling opportunities (like site visits and sponsor showcases), allowing you to invite students and alumni in and help them see your company culture
- Impact Report delivered to you annually, demonstrating what the trust has achieved (with impressive stats you can include in your reports, tenders and marketing)
Your investment
$10,000 + GST per year
School Leaver Scholarship Partner
As a School Leaver Scholarship Partner, you’ll step up to a higher level of involvement by supporting a particular student, who you’ll directly sponsor and champion through their degree.
Together, we’ll create a scholarship tailored to your company’s needs. We’ll then work with relevant schools to promote your scholarship (and your company) to students.
The scholarship we create will be jointly branded and you’ll be invited to actively participate in the applicant selection process.
Your annual contribution will be used to provide the student you select with much-needed financial support ($5,500 per year towards tertiary fees for three years), plus paid work experience and other support (like stationery and access to a photocopier).
Here’s what you’ll get in return for your generosity
In return for your generosity, you’ll get all the standard inclusions shown under the Keystone Sponsor package, plus:
-
- Primary brand placement on Keystone Trust collateral
- Creation of a jointly branded scholarship tailored to your needs
- Active participation in the applicant selection process, ensuring the recruitment and mentoring needs of your organisation are met
Your investment
$13,000 + GST for the first year, followed by $15,000 + GST per year for the next two years
(then the cycle begins again when your student graduates and you can recruit a new student)
Tertiary Scholarship Partner
As a Tertiary Scholarship Partner, you’ll have the opportunity to select a student who perfectly matches your organisation’s needs and directly sponsor them for one year.
Together, we’ll create a scholarship tailored to your company’s needs. We’ll then work with relevant tertiary institutions to promote your scholarship (and your company) to students studying towards the qualifications that tie into your scholarship.
The scholarship we create will be jointly branded and you’ll be invited to actively participate in the applicant selection process.
Here’s how your annual contribution will be used:
- $5,000 will provide the student you select with much-needed financial support
- $3,000 will be dedicated to the management of the scholarship you create (covering things like promotion and the application process)
- $10,000 will help pay for the running of Keystone Trust (including the planning and implementation of opportunities for scholarship recipients, such as networking events, mentoring, workshops and the study buddy programme)
Here’s what you’ll get in return for your generosity
In return for your generosity, you’ll get all the standard inclusions shown under the Keystone Sponsor package, plus:
- Primary brand placement on Keystone Trust collateral
- Creation of a jointly branded scholarship tailored to your needs
- Active participation in the applicant selection process, ensuring the recruitment and mentoring needs of your organisation are met
Your investment
$18,000 + GST per year
Premium Partner
As a Premium Partner, you’ll have the opportunity to tailor a sponsorship package that suits your focus area of investment.
Your annual contribution will be used according to your organisation’s goals, with your sponsorship funds directed towards the areas you most want to support.
If you wish, you will also be able to create a scholarship that recognises an individual within your organisation – a brilliant way to honour someone within your company and help them leave a legacy.
Here’s what you’ll get in return for your generosity
In return for your generosity, you’ll get all the standard inclusions shown under the Keystone Sponsor package, plus:
- Premium brand placement on Keystone Trust collateral
- A targeted funding stream into your area of choice
- The opportunity to create a scholarship that recognises an individual within your organisation
- Additional event tickets:
- 6 tickets to an Auckland networking function
- 4 tickets to a regional networking function
- 10 tickets to an awards function
- Priority table at the Rugby Lunch
Your investment
$50,000 + GST per year
“Holmes Consulting is a staunch supporter of Keystone.
Whenever there’s an event or chance to contribute, we’re never short of volunteers willing to lend their time, energy, expertise — and even their credit cards — to the cause.”
Chris Mackenzie
Business Development Director at Holmes Consulting
Who will you be standing alongside?
You’ll be joining a group of passionate, like-minded organisations from all facets of the property and construction industry.
Three of our incredible sponsors – Bayleys, Bell Gully and Stride Property – have stood alongside us since the trust was first established nearly 30 years ago and many others have supported us for at least a decade.
Our sponsors tend to stick around because they’re committed to investing in the next generation of leaders. They’ve seen what the trust can do for young people. They’ve seen what it can do for their bottom line. And they wholeheartedly believe in the good it’s doing for the entire industry.
PREMIUM PARTNERS
KEY SCHOLARSHIP
PARTNERS
KEYSTONE SCHOOL LEAVER
SCHOLARSHIP PARTNERS
Sponsors
Supporters
PREMIUM PARTNERS
KEY SCHOLARSHIP PARTNERS
KEYSTONE SCHOOL LEAVER
SCHOLARSHIP PARTNERS
Sponsors
Supporters
“I grew up in Manutuke, south of Gisborne, and the eldest of five tamariki, raised by a single mum on the benefit. When it came time to apply for tertiary study and scholarships, I almost didn’t bother.
My life would’ve been so different if I hadn’t taken the leap to apply for the Keystone Study Award. Keystone Trust really is a game changer.
The Keystone Study Award offers more than just scholarship money. The networks and other wrap-around support you’re given are incredible. Through this opportunity, I’ve worked in some of the best companies and on some of Aotearoa’s biggest projects.
Today, I’m a Director of C3 Construction, a company I started with a couple of mates from uni. Together, we’ve also launched a property development company and a building maintenance company. Overall, we have 40 employees across the property investment, development, construction and maintenance industries.
We’re proud sponsors of Keystone Trust and I’m a trustee on the board too. We love employing Keystone Trust students and alumni and being part of the Keystone Trust whānau.”
Tamati Parker – 2004 Scholarship Recipient
Director at C3 Construction
Ready to support tomorrow’s property and construction leaders?
As a sponsor, you could play an active role in shaping the future generation of property and construction stars, while also seeing the positive effects on your company culture and bottom line.
The sooner you come on board, the sooner you can start doing good and noticing the impact within your own organisation, so now’s the time to make it happen
To chat with us about sponsorship options, get in touch with our General Manager, Amanda Stanes, on 09 375 7453 or amanda@keystonetrust.org.nz.
