SF Japantown Foundation 2008 Grant Applications Now Available

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation is accepting applications for its 2008 grants.

Grants will be up to $5,000 and provided to nonprofit groups with cultural, community and educational activities that the Foundation determines best promotes and supports San Francisco's Japantown. Apply online at http://sfjapantownfoundation.org. A PDF of the application form can also be downloaded from the site.

The application deadline is September 30, 2008, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Applications will be evaluated based on how well they meet our mission is to support cultural, community and educational activities for San Francisco Japantown.

A subcommittee of the Foundation's board will review 2008 requests in October and the board will approve grants in November. We will announce the 2008 recipients in early December 2008.

The foundation's 2007 competitive grants, awarded in December 2007, totaled $25,000 and were divided among 10 organizations in varying amounts of $5,000 or less.  The foundation also approved $15,000 in special grants, made possible by an additional donation from Jack Hirose, to three Japantown organizations.

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation is dedicated to preserving and honoring Japantown's history, to welcoming and serving its residents, visitors, businesses, congregations and community organizations, and to supporting the growth and development of the community. In particular, the foundation supports activities that reflect the Japanese American experience, and activities that engage Japanese of all generations and all experiences in America.

The foundation welcomes additional grants and donations. Donations to the Foundation can be made online at www.sfjapantownfoundation.org or made payable to "San Francisco Japantown Foundation" and addressed to San Francisco Japantown Foundation, c/o Minami Tamaki LLP, 360 Post Street, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108.