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The United States-Japan Foundation (USJF) announces its 2026 First Quarter grantees, comprising 16 organizations advancing work that strengthens U.S.-Japan relations while addressing shared social, educational, humanitarian, and policy challenges. This cohort includes projects with grant agreements finalized between January 1 and March 31, 2026.
The projects supported in this quarter advance U.S.-Japan cooperation across a range of concrete issue areas, including end-of-life dialogue, social innovation ecosystems, historical advocacy and reparations, traditional maritime craftsmanship, wine tourism and rural revitalization, youth political participation, and Indo-Pacific security leadership. Additional initiatives focus on survivor-centered trauma recovery, cross-border leadership networks, home-medical care research, and the documentation of Black pioneers in Japan. Together, these initiatives reflect the Foundation’s continued support for nonprofit, academic, and civil society efforts that link local action with bilateral and regional collaboration.
- Sachi House, "Creating a Multilingual, Interactive Web Platform for 414 Cards: A Cross-Cultural Tool for End-of-Life Dialogue and Peacebuilding"
- Auttrianna Projects, "Too Much Like Right: Japanese American Redress and Black Reparations in Dialogue"
- Douglas Brooks Boatbuilding, "Building the Cormorant Fishing Boat"
- Center on Impact Economy, Shizenkan University, "The US-Japan SSIR Knowledge Exchange Initiative"
- Feed the City, "Hokkaido Wine Tourism: Strategy & Support in 2026"
- Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies (YCAPS), "Subic SQUAD Forum"
- Filmsnoir Motion Pictures, "POLARIS"
- Akiya Collective, "Everyday Systems: How We Learn to Live Together"
- Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities (ETIC), "Japan-U.S. Social Innovation Network (JUSSIN)"
- Our Wave, "Bridging Borders and Disciplines: An International Conference and Online Art Exhibition on Survivor-Centered Trauma Recovery"
- Desolate Dreams, "Desolate Dreams by Kex Studios"
- UNERI, "Investigating 'Impact Officer' Good Practices: An Exploratory Project on Professionals Integrating Social Solutions and Business Growth"
- Japan Youth Council, "Learning and Exchange Project on Developing Political Leaders and Promoting Democracy in the United States"
- National Association for Black Engagement with Asia, "The Pioneer’s Manuscript"
- Down to Earth BEYOND HEALTH INSTITUTE, "Developing a Longitudinal Home-medical Care Cohort: Bridging Research and Practice in Japan and the United States"
- Perennial, "Perennial Gathering"
The full project descriptions can be found on the Foundation’s Grants Awarded page. USJF accepts grant applications on a quarterly basis. Information about the application process, including submission deadlines and eligibility, is also available on the Foundation’s website.
Since its founding, the United States-Japan Foundation has awarded more than $100 million in grants to organizations and individuals in both countries. An independent philanthropic organization, USJF supports initiatives that strengthen bilateral ties, bolster civil society, and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders in the United States and Japan in addressing shared challenges.
