We Need More
Collector Car
Technicians
Now is Your Moment to Help.
Give To What You Love
Young or old, we all love the look, the feel, and the sound of classic cars. A generation of craftspeople built rewarding careers keeping the cars we love on the road. Now they’re retiring and the collector car industry needs new technicians. Young people are interested in learning the trade, but they need help from the car community to get the education and hands-on training they need.
You can help preserve the cars and culture you love.
“Everyone is interested in cars, whether it is the paint, the body lines, the mechanics of it, there’s something for everybody […] there’s a lot of young people who have the interest but they don’t know how to get there …” — Jacob Koehn, 2022 Piston Scholar
Sponsor a Piston Scholar
The Piston Foundation awards trade school scholarships to aspiring collector car technicians to help them learn the automotive skills they need to begin their career. Scholars receive up to $5,000 per school year to help pay tuition costs at an accredited automotive technology school. Our scholarships are given to deserving students from diverse backgrounds who want to build a career in automotive restoration.
You can help a student get their start.
“The scholarship has helped me pursue my dreams, not only through financially supporting my education…but also just through support and opportunities. They stand as an… incredible network that truly cares about educating the next generation of automotive restorers.”— Victoria Bruno, 2022 Piston Scholar
100% Goes to Scholarships
When you sponsor a Piston Scholar, 100% goes to our scholarship program.
Choose YOur Sponsorship Level
As an individual, a private foundation, or a business you can sponsor one scholar, two scholars, or more. When you do, you’ll be making a difference in the life of an aspiring technician and 100% of your gift will go to our scholarship program.
Individual gift of $25 or more
One scholarship, a $5,000 gift
Two scholarships, a $10,000 Gift
Three scholarships, a $15,000 Gift
Every Gift Counts
Gifts of any size are appreciated. Donations of less than $5,000 will be combined with others to fund a scholarship. As a community of car enthusiasts, we can make a difference.
As a sponsor, you’ll be recognized through our scholarship awards, website, and marketing communications. Visit our program page to learn more about our skilled trades scholarship for automotive restoration.
Good for Everyone
100% Goes to Our Scholarship Program
When you sponsor a Piston scholar, 100% of your donation goes to our scholarship program. Together, we’re creating the next generation of collector car technicians.
Creating Career Opportunities
We’re creating a path into the collector car industry so young car enthusiasts can turn their interest into a career. We’re removing barriers and increasing access for everyone.
Your Gift is Tax Deductible
The Piston Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity working to serve the grassroots needs of the car enthusiast community. Your sponsorship gift is tax deductible.
Make a Big Impact
Over the past two years, we’ve awarded scholarships to a diverse group of talented and deserving students who are pursuing careers as classic car technicians. By sponsoring a Piston Scholar you can be recognized as a scholarship sponsor and supporter of the auto restoration profession.
The high cost of education and limited access to hands-on training makes it difficult for young car enthusiasts to enter into the auto restoration trades. Together, we can help aspiring technicians overcome these barriers and put them on a career path into the collector car industry.
You can ensure the future of collector cars.
“A lot of the technicians right now are retiring and there’s a lot of knowledge that’s not being passed down. […] The younger generation is the gap that needs to be filled to keep the industry alive and keep these cars on the road.”— Zoe Carmichael, 2022 Piston Scholar
How to Sponsor a Scholar
It’s easy to sponsor a Piston scholar and support automotive education for aspiring collector car technicians. There are two ways you can make a donation. Download our pledge form to make a gift by check or wire transfer or donate securely through our website.
Sponsor a Piston Scholar today.
“It’s through the Piston Foundation that I’ve been able to achieve my dreams and attain my goals through their support of not just me, but also of educating the next generation of automotive restoration specialists.”— Victoria Bruno, 2022 Piston Scholar
If you have any questions, please contact us to request more information.
Financial Transparency
We are proud to have received a Platinum Transparency seal from Candid in our third year of operations. We embrace our responsibility to steward the gifts of our donors for the greatest possible impact.
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