Q. Who may apply?

A. Any accredited institution of higher learning or non-profit organization in the United States or Japan that carries out work in the U.S.-Japan field — U.S.-Japan relations, Japan studies, public affairs, or the arts may apply. This grants program is only for institutions, and not for individuals.

Q. When are JUSFC’s application deadlines?

A. The deadline is July 1 annually for all institutional grants.  This is not a flexible deadline.  All applications must by submitted by email no later than 5:00 PM EDT on July 1.

Q. What is JUSFC’s grant decision timeline?

JUSFC has only one institutional grant cycle per year. Grants are evaluated annually and not on a rolling basis.

July 1 – Grant application deadline.

September – JUSFC Grantmaking Meeting

Early October – Successful applicants are notified of awards via a formal letter sent by Email. Awardees must formally accept the grant offer in writing (on institutional letterhead) within two weeks of the award notification. This acceptance letter does not establish a contractual agreement for the remittance of funds, but allows JUSFC to execute a grant agreement, which is sent to each grantee after they formally accept the grant offer.

After they have formally accepted the grant offer, Grantees will receive a grant agreement and a payment authorization form from JUSFC. Funds will be disbursed approximately three weeks after the grantee signs and returns the grant paperwork to JUSFC. The funds are directly deposited into the grantee’s preferred bank account via a U.S. Department of Treasury transfer. Funds cannot be disbursed unless the grantee returns the signed grant agreement to JUSFC.

Q. How long is the average duration of a project?

A. Projects may range in duration anywhere from a few months to approximately one-and-a-half years. If a project is longer than this, JUSFC may approve support for Year One, and in principle for the remaining years, pending successful outcome of Year One of the project. In this case the grantee must submit a new application for each successive year.

Q. When should the project begin?

A. The project start date should be within 12 months of the grant application date of July 1. However, the project may continue into the following year.

Q. What is the amount of the “average” grant? How much can I ask for?

A. There is no meaningful “average” for an award. It is recommended that the the applicant itemize a realistic budget based on the needs of the project as fully described in the project narrative. For more information about projects funded by JUSFC grants, please visit www.usaspending.gov

Q. What are Indirect Costs? Does JUSFC cover these costs?

A. Most budgets include indirect costs, which allow a project to bear a portion of the costs of the day-to-day operations of an organization. JUSFC allows up to 15% in indirect or overhead costs. Examples of indirect costs include electricity, usage of copy machines, etc. These are costs that the organization must pay in order to operate and are incurred whether or not the project moves forward. Administrative costs that include staff time, salary and benefits do not count as indirect costs. Please include them as separate line items on the proposed budget.

Q. What budget items does JUSFC support?

A. JUSFC considers expenses associated with a project, including but not necessarily limited to: salary and benefits; travel expenses (on U.S. flag carriers); direct project costs; dissemination or outreach costs; and workshop or conference expenses. As a general rule, JUSFC does not fund hardware, or equipment costs, or costs related to the preparation and submission of the grant application.

Q. Whose CVs should I include?

A. Please include the CVs in English or in Japanese, of all individuals who will be in charge of leading or administering the project.

Q. What should I include in my project proposal?

A. Applicants are advised to focus on program content (its importance and relevance to the United States and Japan), impact, outreach, partnerships, and cost-sharing. Please refer to the How to Apply for an Institutional Grant section of this website.

Q. How should I present the budget?

A. Please refer to JUSFC’s model budget Excel for the submission format. Please be as explicit as possible.

Q. How can I find my congressional district?

A. Please consult https://www.house.gov/representatives/find

Q. What is a Unique Entity Identifier Number (UEI)?

A. Pursuant to 2CFR Part 25, the unique entity identifier is a universal identifier for Federal financial assistance applicants, as well as recipients and their direct subrecipients; and the System for Award Management (SAM) is the repository for standard information about applicants and recipients. Federal grant recipients must have a UEI Number. You may apply for it here.

Q. What constitutes back-up material, and how many copies are necessary?

A. Back-up material is any information that will give the Commissioners a more complete understanding of the nature, background, and costs of the project. Please submit back-up material by email or secure file transfer protocol. Examples may include: full CVs of principals; information about the organization submitting the proposal; examples of the published results of relevant projects the organization has undertaken in the recent past; letters of endorsement, recommendation or confirmation of participation and funding; tapes, videos, catalogs, slides; news clippings, etc.

Q. Will JUSFC cover the cost of preparing the application?

A. JUSFC will not cover the cost of preparing the application.

Q. How do I submit the application?

A. The complete application must be submitted via this link (the link will be active on April 15).