Suggested Renewal Format

“Renewal Proposals” only apply to subsequent years of an approved multi-year project.

Overall length of the Renewal Proposal

In general, the shorter the better. Please keep the length of the narrative portion (i.e. excluding the expenditure and budget figures) of the proposal to under 4,000 words, using normal font type. The proposal must be written in English.

Narrative Review of the Preceding Year’s Activities

In a narrative report of the project’s preceding year’s activities, please describe how the past year (or in some cases 18 months) of the project achieved what it had planned as described in the original grant proposal. Rather than an item-by-item listing of the preceding year’s activities, a narrative that would give a fuller view of the project and the project team’s experiences would be very much appreciated. For example, if there were any unexpected obstacles (intellectual or logistical), it would be helpful to learn what they were and how they were overcome, or at least how it would be proposed to overcome them in the future. If the project involved a partner institution with whom you had never worked before, please include your impressions and observations about them. Please remember that you are not required to convince the Foundation of the merits of your project. The renewal proposal is more focused on process and progress, since the concept of your project has already been approved. (Approx. 1,500-2,000 words)

Note: It is understood that in some cases the project may still be on-going at the time of renewal application. In this case, please submit additional information about the previous year’s activities, in the form of the required financial and narrative reports, once the grant is completed.

Project Description of the Upcoming Year

Please describe in detail your plans for the upcoming year. If carried out as planned, what would the coming year look like? Please be as specific as possible, elaborating on words like study, explore, and examine. What is (are) the specific, concrete objective(s) of the project for the period under consideration? Please focus on the portion of the project that is being considered for a grant, and do not restate the rationale and the overall objective of the entire project. (Approx. 2,000 words).

Project Activities Timeline

On a separate page, provide a detailed timeline of all the planning and programmatic activities of the project for the coming year. Include (tentative) dates, tasks, and the staff responsible for implementing each step or activity.

Interim Expenditure Report

Please include an expenditure report of the preceding year. It is understood that in many cases this report must be an interim one. Where expenses are on-going, please provide the best possible projection. A suggested format for the expenditure report is below for your reference. Please remember that you are required to submit a final expenditure report on the grant within ninety (90) days of the completion date for the grant. Check the grant letter for the official completion date.

Suggested Interim Expenditure Report Format

Note: included figures are for illustrative purposes only and are NOT meant to reflect real, or realistic costs.
Please present your budget figures in three columns (an illustrative model is provided below): (Column 1) the total expenditure for the grant; (Column 2) the amount originally approved from the US-Japan Foundation; (Column 3) the actual amount expended from the USJF grant. Where there is a variation of plus or minus 10% between the amount initially approved by the Foundation (Amount Approved for USJF Grant) and the actual expenditure (Amount Actually Expended from USJF Grant) please provide a brief narrative explanation of the reasons for the discrepancy.

Definitions

In-kind Contribution: For USJF purposes here, “in-kind” contributions are defined as non-cash contributions such as hotel rooms, air tickets or air ticket upgrades, meals, etc. If there are significant amounts of in-kind contributions, feel free to add a fourth column and provide the details (i.e., best estimate market value) for each line item.

Overhead: For USJF purposes here, “overhead” includes rent, telephone, fax, copying, computer, mail, etc. USJF will contribute no more than 10% of the sub-total of the project’s expenses in overhead.

Funding Parameters

USJF will not contribute to the honorarium for those who are not making any material contribution (e.g., professional service, presentation briefing, paper, etc.) to the project.


Suggested Budget Format

Note: included figures are for illustrative purposes only and are NOT meant to reflect real, or realistic costs.

Items Total Expenditure Amount Approved for USJF Grant Amount Actually Expended from USJF Grant*
I. Salary $50,000 $25,000 $25,000
Project Director(25% time for 12 months) $25,000 $25,000 $25,000
Administrative Assistant (50% time for 12 months) $15,000 $0 $0
Secretary (50% time for 12 months) $10,000 $0 $0
II. Consultants $4,400 $4,200 $4,200
International Education Consultant (2 days @ $200 per day) $400 $200 $200
Curriculum Consultant (3 days @ $500 per day) $1,500 $1,500 $1,500
Japan/America Scholar(s) (5 days @ $500 per day) $2,500 $2,500 $2,500
III. Travel $36,700 $30,700 $6,000
Tokyo-New York (5 people @ $1,500 per trip x 2 trips) $15,000 $10,000 $5,000
Hotel (5 people @ $150 per day x 10 days x 2 trips) $15,000 $15,000 $0
Meals (5 people @ $40 per day x 2 trips) $400 $400 $0
Admission Fees (i.e. museums and cultural events) $300 $300 $0
In-country transportation (5 people @ $400 x 3 trips) $6,000 $5,000 $1,000
IV. Program Costs $400 $300 $100
Books (5 people x 2 books @ $20 each) $200 $200 $100
Curriculum Materials $200 $200 $0
V. Publication $10,000 $5,000 $5,000
1,000 copies x 15 page report $10,000 $5,000 $5,000
Subtotal $101,500 $65,200 $36,300
Overhead $20,000 $6,520 $13,480
TOTAL $121,500 $71,720 $49,780

*Where there is a variation of plus or minus 10% between the amount initially approved by the Foundation (Amount Approved for USJF Grant) and the actual expenditure (Amount Actually Expended from USJF Grant) please provide a brief narrative explanation of the reasons for the discrepancy.

Complete Budget for the Upcoming Year

The budget should be presented and calculated according to the Foundation’s Budget Guidelines. A renewal proposal that does not include a complete budget or only a budget summary will not be considered. The grant may be requested in either U.S. dollars or Japanese yen. Please refer to the Budget Guidelines for more information.

Additional Materials

If you wish, please feel free to submit copies of products (e.g. books, reports, videos, etc.) from the preceding year. (Please note that these materials cannot be returned). Please remember that you are required to submit all materials produced as part of the previous year’s grant within ninety (90) days of the completion date of the grant.


Final Narrative Report

In the case of renewal grants, the renewal proposal will take the place of the Final Narrative Report (please see Suggested Renewal Grant Proposal Format). We understand that often the grant year is not fully completed when the renewal proposal is prepared.

Final Expenditure Report

As with any grant, please submit a final expenditure report on the grant within ninety (90) days of the completion date for the grant. This can be submitted separately from the Renewal Grant Proposal. Please check with Foundation staff if you have questions.

The renewal grant proposal is applicable only for those grantees who are in their second (or in rare instances, third) year of activities of a given project. All other grant applicants should refer to the Suggested Grant Proposal Format.

Contact Information
United States-Japan Foundation
145 East 32nd Street, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 481-8753
Questions about the Grants
should be directed to programs@us-jf.org