Grantee Profile

Stories at the Heart of U.S.-Japan Collaboration

Our Grantee Profile series shines a light on the individuals and organizations making a difference through support from the United States-Japan Foundation. These stories go beyond outcomes to explore the people, their motivations, challenges, and ideas driving our grantees’ work. From grassroots changemakers and nonprofit innovators to scholars, artists, and policy leaders, each profile offers a glimpse into how cross-border partnerships can shape a more inclusive, resilient future.

We believe that grantmaking is about more than funding—it’s about relationships, trust, and long-term impact. The Grantee Profile series captures those stories, one project at a time.

“This isn’t just a film about baseball. It’s about relationships—how something as simple as a game can bridge divides and bring people together.”

Center for Independent Documentary (2024)

A Home Run for Cultural Diplomacy: Diamond Diplomacy and the USJF

This feature-length documentary chronicles the history of baseball in Japan and its role in fostering people-to-people diplomacy between Japan and the United States. By blending sports history with cultural exchange, the film offers a rich narrative of how baseball has united two nations across political and cultural divides for more than a century.

“We do good—but using more sustainable, financially resilient programming. That’s where the world is going.”

AlphaMundi Foundation (2025)

Bridging Continents: How U.S. and Japanese Mentors Are Powering Africa’s Climate and Gender Solutions

The AlphaMundi Foundation’s new initiative brings together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Africa with mentors from the United States and Japan. These entrepreneurs are tackling two of the most urgent challenges of our time—climate change and gender inequality—and the program gives them tools, guidance, and networks to scale their impact.

“In a time when human rights are under attack around the world, cross-border collaboration and solidarity have never been more critical.”

LEDGE (2025)

Bridging Legal Worlds: How U.S.-Japan Partnerships Are Expanding Access to Justice

Founded in 2023, LEDGE is Japan’s first full-time public interest litigation organization. They are launching a project designed not just to win cases—but to build the legal ecosystem necessary for more lawyers, more firms, and more clients to pursue justice through the courts.