http://www.us-jf.org/grants_programs.html

The United States Japan Foundation offers a number of grants to educators and organizations seeking to promote pre-college education, communication & public opinion, and US-Japan policy studies. Their grants include:

Pre-college Education Program

USJF seeks to support programs that:

• Take advantage of new technology to bring Japanese and American teachers and students together
• Build human networks among teachers on both sides of the Pacific with a mutual interest in teaching and learning about Japan, the US, and US-Japan relations, particularly in the fields of social studies and Japanese language instruction (support for language instruction is currently limited to Japanese-language programs in the United States)
• Invest in programs in regions in both countries that have been underserved in terms of exposure to and resources for learning about the other country
• Enlist the expertise residing at institutions of higher learning and other NGOs in support of US-Japan studies programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels in both countries
• Present the products of research and policy studies and media programs on US-Japan issues to an audience of pre-college students and their teachers, with the aim of fostering mutual learning and understanding among the young people who will be the future leaders in both countries, forced to come to terms with making policy and responding to the changing nature of the US-Japan relationship
• Enhance, expand and preserve the study of the Japanese language at the pre-college level in the United States through teacher professional development opportunities, national standards, and performance assessments
• Develop curricula and other products immediately relevant to and useful in meeting the demands faced by teachers at the pre-college level; in the case of Japan, this could include materials that address curriculum changes such as the implementation of sogoteki na gakushu jikan (interdisciplinary studies)
• Continue to support and enhance the US-Japan knowledge of the vast network of teachers and students who have been exposed to US-Japan studies over the years through USJF-sponsored programs

Proposed projects should seek to incorporate one or more of these elements in a way that is particularly suited to the need(s) in pre-college education they seek to address. That said, the above guidelines should not be seen as a deterrent to innovative new proposals and concepts. Applicants are encouraged to contact the staff of the Foundation early on in the proposal development process for feedback and guidance.

See more at: http://www.us-jf.org/precollege_edu.html

Communication and Public Opinion

The Foundation will consider communication / public opinion projects that not only raise awareness about Japan in the US and/or US in Japan, but also deal with concrete issues that affect the bilateral relationship (or are faced by the two nations). As foreign policy increasingly is subject to public opinion (and is often influenced by non-governmental actors), there is a need in both countries for increased and more diversified coverage of international news and current events, as well as strong links between certain non-government organizations (NGOs) to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

See more at: http://www.us-jf.org/communication.php

US-Japan Policy

The US-Japan Foundation supports a variety of policy-related studies, initiatives and exchanges in pursuit of our mission: to promote stronger ties between the United States and Japan through greater mutual knowledge and understanding, to increase broad awareness of important policy issues, and to address common concerns in the Asia-Pacific region through the US-Japan perspective.

See more at: http://www.us-jf.org/usjapan_policy.html

Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award

The Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The award is presented annually to two pre-college teachers in two categories, humanities and Japanese language, and consists of a certificate of recognition, a $2,500 monetary award, and $5,000 in project funds.

See more at: http://www.us-jf.org/elginHeinz.html