FOR DONORS & PARTNERS
Bring higher
education within
their reach
Give financial support to deserving
young Kiwis and help break the
cycle of intergenerational poverty
Lift their burden,
change their future
University education is life changing, but not everyone has equal access to it.
The burden of a student loan has a much greater impact on those from low-income families. Young people with dreams of higher education may need to forgo university, going straight into low-skilled work to support themselves and their families. This has an enormous and long-reaching impact on their futures, and those of their whanau.
Financial assistance does much more than help with university costs. It offers students and their families a sense of opportunity and gives them a strong incentive to attend university. Many of our scholars say receiving this support helped them feel deserving of success. With your help, more young Kiwis can get vital support to reach their potential. By giving much-needed financial help to talented students selected for the First Foundation programme, you’ll help them thrive in higher education – creating a positive ripple effect for generations to come.
Give life-changing support
Help a capable student get the
opportunity and education they need
for a higher paying career.
Create social change
Break the cycle of intergenerational
poverty and prevent another generation
in low-skilled jobs.
Shape Aotearoa’s future
Unleash the potential of New Zealand’s
future leaders, who’ll be role models
for their whanau.
“Not a hand out but a hand up”
“The four-year association with each scholar really helps set up these young people. This is not a hand out – this is a hand up that allows us an opportunity to shape the future leaders of Aotearoa New Zealand.”
GARETH MARRIOTT, OCS MANAGING DIRECTOR
How you can help
Our four-year programme is largely funded by generous businesses, trusts and personal funders, who we call scholarship partners.
First Foundation scholars, who are often first in their family to attend university, say their lives are forever changed by the support our partners provide. Plus, many use their improved finances to help their parents, siblings and wider whanau, which further widens your impact.
Financial assistance
As a scholarship partner, you’ll be a cornerstone of the First Foundation programme, providing vital financial assistance for your scholar’s university fees.
Exposure to the world of work
Most of our scholarship partners also provide part-time paid work experience during the programme, to help students grow their skills and professional network. This is a key pillar in the ongoing success of the programme.
Take a look at the Scholarship Partner journey here.
“Few things are more disheartening than seeing a young person full of potential held back by unaffordability and lack of support.”
“First Foundation empower remarkable young people to step confidently onto the education superhighway, unlocking access to a high-wage economy and a future filled with possibility. As they rise, they lift others with them—sharing their knowledge, skills, and qualifications to strengthen and inspire their communities.”
ASTON MOSS, BRISCOE GROUP