Since 1980, USJF has supported projects that have involved more than 5,000 pre-college teachers in the US and Japan in mutual study and learning on topics related to the US-Japan relationship, including in-depth study of the culture, society and history of both countries. Through these teachers, as well as through a variety of curriculum materials, web-based collaborative activities, and partnerships between US and Japanese schools, tens of thousands of young people in both countries have begun to study and understand their mutual connections and the importance of the friendship and partnership that binds their two nations so closely.

USJF continues to build upon its past successes and support innovative new programs at the pre-college level in both the US and Japan. The Foundation seeks to respond to perceived needs at the pre-college level as identified by experts in US-Japan education and practitioners in the field, rather than relying on preconceptions and assumptions. While proud of successful models of past and present projects (please see the recent grants section for some examples), USJF continually encourages innovation and creativity in the development of new ways to effectively involve Japanese and American young people in the life-long process of learning about and from each other.

USJF seeks to support programs that:

• Take advantage of new technology to bring Japanese and American teachers and students together
  
• Build human networks among teachers on both sides of the Pacific with a mutual interest in teaching and learning about Japan, the US, and US-Japan relations, particularly in the fields of social studies and Japanese language instruction (support for language instruction is currently limited to Japanese-language programs in the United States)
  
• Invest in programs in regions in both countries that have been underserved in terms of exposure to and resources for learning about the other country
  
• Enlist the expertise residing at institutions of higher learning and other NGOs in support of US-Japan studies programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels in both countries
  
• Present the products of research and policy studies and media programs on US-Japan issues to an audience of pre-college students and their teachers, with the aim of fostering mutual learning and understanding among the young people who will be the future leaders in both countries, forced to come to terms with making policy and responding to the changing nature of the US-Japan relationship
  
• Enhance, expand and preserve the study of the Japanese language at the pre-college level in the United States through teacher professional development opportunities, national standards, and performance assessments
  
• Develop curricula and other products immediately relevant to and useful in meeting the demands faced by teachers at the pre-college level; in the case of Japan, this could include materials that address curriculum changes such as the implementation of sogoteki na gakushu jikan (interdisciplinary studies)
  
• Continue to support and enhance the US-Japan knowledge of the vast network of teachers and students who have been exposed to US-Japan studies over the years through USJF-sponsored programs

Proposed projects should seek to incorporate one or more of these elements in a way that is particularly suited to the need(s) in pre-college education they seek to address. That said, the above guidelines should not be seen as a deterrent to innovative new proposals and concepts. Applicants are encouraged to contact the staff of the Foundation early on in the proposal development process for feedback and guidance.

For a description of the application process, please click here.

Comments and questions regarding the guidelines are encouraged.

For more information regarding the Pre-college Education Programs at the United States-Japan Foundation, please contact David Janes, Program Officer for Pre-college Education at djanes@us-jf.org or via phone at (212) 481-8757.