Niwano Peace Foundation Grants for Projects related to Poverty in Japan

The Foundation does not support any specific religious group. Respecting the uniqueness of all religions and embracing the spirit of tolerance, it aims to build a world of peace and coexistence. The Foundation makes grants in order to actively encourage activities undertaken in the spirit of religious principles grounded and conducted in such a way as to invite broad social participation.

Strategy for this yearPriority of the Activity Grant for this year (FY2023) will be given to projects related to poverty in Japan.

• The Niwano Peace Foundation recognizes that the problem of poverty in Japan is rapidly and severely worsening.
• Considering this serious situation, the Niwano Peace Foundation will give priority to support projects related to poverty in Japan implement by organizations of Japanese nationality.
• Please note that this is a priority but not a concrete policy which limits the nationality, the target or the issue of support completely.

Focus Areas

• This year, the NPF is particularly interested in activities that address the following issues while meeting the “areas of focus” listed below:
  • Poverty
  • Migrants, Refugees and Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs)
  • Gender disparity
  • Initiatives by religious organizations and believers to address social issues (including the use of religious facilities)
  • Effective use of technology

Funding Information

• The grant amount which one applicant can apply will be up to 1,000,000 Japanese Yen. (For foreign applicant, the grant amount which one can apply will be up to some USD equivalent to 1,000,000 Japanese Yen).

Duration

• Providing grant is for one year, from 1st April to 31st March in every year.

Fields eligible for support

• Social activities based on the spirit of religious principles
  • Social activities based on the spirit of religious principals are defined as those undertaken for individual and community welfare and peace, both physical and spiritual, based on the spirit of religious principles that emerge from reverence for God, Buddha, or other universal spiritual reality.
  • In particular, these include peace-making activities related to education, volunteer work, development cooperation, environmental protection, human rights or the social problems of aging societies done in the spirit of religious principles which transcend religious boundaries.
• Grass-roots activities deployed in a local community
  • Activities to vitalize local communities through interdisciplinary workshops and meetings with particular emphasis on collaboration by groups and individuals from diverse organizations and religious groups.
  • It is expected that local communities will come up with some new values with an independent mind.
  • Examples would be workshops and outreach programs to inspire people to think about how people living in faraway countries are related to their own lives, or to encourage development of local activities in which people “think globally, and act locally.

Project/Activity eligible for support

• Practical activities, short-term or long-term, directly related to peace building.
• Activities which stimulate activities not only in one’s own field but as well in other fields and can be creative and pioneering models for realization of peace.
• NPF also pay attention to the following points;
  • Activity should be specific and target serious issues in society.
  • Activity that approaches the problem using innovative and effective methods.
  • Outcome of the activity has sustainability and has a broad impact, and those functions are built in as a system in the activity.

Eligibility Criteria

• An application may be made by either an individual or an organization.
• Nationality is not a criterion for eligibility.
• Any group which has been in continuous existence for a reasonable length of time is eligible to apply, whether or not it is legally incorporated.

Ineligible

• Project/Activity ineligible for support are:
  • Activities undertaken for the benefit of a specific religious group.
  • Activities based on or for the advancement of a specific political ideology.
  • Activities for profit.
  • Activities the purpose of which is holding conferences only as such.
  • Projects for which the applicant’s primary intention is to publish the results of activities. (This does not apply to past grant recipients.)
  • Grants are not scholarships as such, and are not to be used as financial support for Study abroad.

For more information, visit Niwano Peace Foundation.