SPFUSA/USJETAA Partnership to Promote JET Alumni Engagement in U.S.-Japan Relations

This project aims to encourage American JET alumni in deepening and strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance through soft diplomacy and educational activities that promote mutual understanding between the United States and Japan. Since 2016, SPFUSA and USJETAA have offered a competitive mini-grant program vis-à-vis the 19 JET Alumni Associations (JETAA) chapters and sub-chapters aimed at increasing their capacities to host meaningful and impactful programming that highlight the bilateral relationship in their local communities. In 2018, SPFUSA and USJETAA expanded their partnership to include programming that enabled JETAA chapter leaders and individual JET alumni to stay engaged and informed on current issues within U.S.-Japan relations.

Sasakawa USA Chapter Grant Program

This grant program supports JETAA chapters in hosting robust events that further U.S.-Japan relations at the grassroots level. All projects should have a clear focus on a particular aspect or issue of U.S.-Japan relations. Applicants should think critically about the application questions and elaborate as much as possible on how the event contributes to U.S.-Japan relations in their local community.

By receiving this grant and working with Sasakawa USA/USJETAA, JETAA chapters will be impact the U.S.-Japan relations at the local level, elevate their leadership role in their local U.S.-Japan community, and strengthen the JET alumni network in the United States. Our goal is to build the capacity of the chapters to have greater impact beyond the activities of this grant. The program also provides support and training for event planning so that chapters can take on more ambitious programs than they could without the grant. In addition, it provides JETAA chapters an opportunity to learn about how grant application processes work for those interested in applying for larger grants at other organizations in the future.

Please contact Bahia Simons-Lane at USJETAA office with questions or to discuss ideas at any time: 202.653.9800 or director@usjetaa.org.

Deadlines

We are now accepting proposals for the 2019-2020 Sasakawa USA/USJETAA Mini-Grant Program for JETAA Chapters & Sub-Chapters. Interested JETAA chapters and sub-chapters can apply through the USJETAA website. The first deadline is June 1, 2020. Activities must be held between August 2020 and February 2021. Chapters are encouraged to apply as early as possible to ensure funding is available.

First application deadline: June 1, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT

Rolling deadline: June 2, 2020 – November 1, 2020

• • First round grantees will be selected by July 1, 2020
    • No programs or promotion can begin until grant is approved and the first meeting with USJETAA and Sasakawa has been held.
  • Programs can be held as early as August 1, 2020.
  • Applications received between June 2, 2020 and November 1, 2020 will be evaluated on their merits and awarded if they fit the requirements of the grants.
    • No funding is guaranteed to be available after June 1, 2020.
  • All programs, including the post-event review meeting with USJETAA and Sasakawa USA, must be completed by February 15, 2021.
  • Final reports are due one month from the post-event review meeting or no later than February 26, 2021.

Application Instructions

Download the narrative application form and the budget template below, complete, and send to Bahia Simons-Lane at director@usjetaa.org. If you have any questions, please let us know!

• Narrative Application: 2020-2021 Narrative Application
• Budget Template for Preliminary Budget: 2020-2021 Sample Budget
• Find the application, templates, event examples, and example documents in our template repository.
• Have questions? Check out the FAQ.

Eligibility

1. Applicants must be a JETAA chapter or sub-chapter in the United States.
2. The chapter president and the individual coordinating the grant project (if a different person than the chapter president) must be signed up as a member of USJETAA. If you are not a member you can sign up for a free membership here: https://usjetaa.org/membership/individual-membership/.
3. Your chapter must be a member of USJETAA. Not signed up yet? It just takes a few minutes. Do it here: https://usjetaa.org/membership/chapter-membership/
4. Must submit a completed application.
5. Proposals must be for events that are AT LEAST 2 months away.

Expectations

Successful grantees will do the bulk of the planning and execution of the events. However, USJETAA and Sasakawa USA will be available to guide JETAA chapters through the grant writing and execution processes as needed. The support will be customized to individual chapters’ needs and may include assistance such as: workshopping during the early planning stages of conceptualizing the event, brainstorming or requesting speakers, and providing limited logistical support. Grantees are expected to abide by the grant agreement, which includes: meeting with USJETAA/Sasakawa USA periodically, tracking the usage of the funding, participating in a post-event review meeting, acknowledging the grantors, and promoting the event via social media (to advertise the event and to recap the event once it’s finished).

Previous Grantees

Year 4: 2019-2020

In the fourth year of the program, Sasakawa USA and USJETAA awarded grants to three JETAA chapters. The selected JETAA chapters were:

• JET Alumni Association of Southeast – Alabama Sub-Chapter - Opportunities to Strengthen Japan-Alabama Ties (REPORT)
• JET Alumni Association of Washington, D.C. - Maintaining the JET Momentum: The Post-Exchange Pipeline to Successful U.S.-Japan Leadership (REPORT)
• New England JET Alumni Association - One Bite at a Time: Building Bridges Through Japanese Culinary Arts

Summary of events.

Read the 2019-2020 grant report.

Year 3: 2018 – 2019

In the third year of the program, Sasakawa USA and USJETAA awarded grants to four JETAA chapters.

• JET Alumni Association of Florida - Career Development Workshop
• JET Alumni Association of Minnesota -Japan-Minnesota Grassroots Forum
• JET Alumni Association of New York - JETs at The Met
• New England JET Alumni Association - The Cultural Significance and History of Kimono

Read a summary of these events in the 2018-2019 Grant Report.

Year 2: 2017 – 2018

In the second year of the program, Sasakawa USA and USJETAA awarded six grants from five JETAA chapters.

• JET Alumni Association Heartland
• JET Alumni Association of New York
• JET Alumni Association Pacific Northwest
• JET Alumni Association Rocky Mountain
• JET Alumni Association of Texoma

Read about these events in the 2017-2018 Grant Report.

Year 1: 2016 – 2017

In its inaugural year, Sasakawa USA and USJETAA awarded a total of eight grants to seven JETAA chapters.

• JET Alumni Association of Chicago
• JET Alumni Association of Florida
• JET Alumni Association of Minnesota
• JET Alumni Association of New York
• JET Alumni Association Pacific Northwest
• JET Alumni Association of Southern California
• JET Alumni Association of Washington, D.C.

Read about these events in the 2016-2017 Grant Report.