GrantRadar

The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Small Grants

Seed-funding grants from the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation for projects in any field that bring people in the UK and Japan together: arts and culture, humanities, Japanese language, medicine, science, youth and education, and sport. Awards usually fall between £1,500 and £5,000 and only exceptionally exceed £6,000. Applicants must belong to, or be backed by, an organisation that will receive the money. The UK office has three deadlines a year.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£1,500 – £6,000
Deadline
52 days left
15 December
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Organisations and institutions of any kind (for example arts organisations, schools, universities, sports groups and charities), or people who belong to or have the written support of one that is willing to receive the grant
  • Individuals cannot apply for personal projects, but the UK office may consider an individual with organisational backing, e.g. an artist with an invitation from a Japanese residency host and a UK arts organisation willing to receive and administer the grant from a business bank account
  • Projects originating in the UK apply to the UK office; those originating in Japan apply to the Tokyo office, and the same project cannot go to both
  • PhD students must include a supporting letter from their supervisor
  • Previous recipients may apply for new projects
  • Most grants give partial support, so applicants should be seeking or have secured other funding

What it funds

Projects that bring people in the UK and Japan together to deepen mutual understanding, exchange ideas or expertise, or develop lasting collaboration, such as:

  • Festivals, workshops, performances and other events that present aspects of Japan to the UK or the UK to Japan in cultural, scientific, social, sporting and other spheres
  • Exchanges between the two countries that enable participation and interaction, for instance of schools and sporting groups, artists, artisans, performers, scientists and researchers
  • Collaborative projects involving UK and Japanese participants that result in new and innovative outputs for public, academic or professional presentation
  • The teaching and development of Japanese language and cultural studies in schools and higher education
  • Academic research, visits and exchange that push forward the boundaries of knowledge and understanding or involve collaboration and co-production

travel and subsistence in Japan is capped at £2,000 per person for trips of up to 13 days and £2,500 per person for 14 days or more (for up to two people); PhD fieldwork visits of six months or more can receive up to £5,000.

What it will not fund

  • Consumables, salaries or purchase of materials
  • Capital projects such as the purchase, construction or maintenance of buildings
  • Student fees, or travel in connection with study for a qualification (except PhD students)
  • Undergraduate or master's students
  • Retrospective activity (all activity must take place after the Foundation's decision date)
  • Personal projects by individuals without organisational backing
  • Payments to personal bank accounts

How to apply

  1. Download the UK application form (two A4 pages maximum)
  2. Complete it with a project overview (150 words), schedule, what is new, impact, continuity, a cost table showing which items you are asking the Foundation to fund, and other funding confirmed or approached
  3. Email the form, with a detailed budget and any supporting material attached separately, to grants@gbsf.org.uk by the deadline
  4. The Foundation acknowledges receipt and the application goes to the next awards meeting
  5. Applicants are notified in writing; successful applicants sign and return acceptance documents

UK office deadlines are 31 March (decision in May), 15 September (decision in November) and 15 December (decision in March). Projects originating in Japan apply to the Tokyo office (deadlines 28 February and 30 September; email tokyo@gbsf.org.uk).

Have ready

  • Completed UK grant application form
  • Detailed project budget as a separate document
  • Letter of support from the PhD supervisor (PhD students only)
  • Evidence of organisational backing (individuals applying through an organisation)

successful applicants submit a brief post-project report within three months of completion.

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