Arboretum Foundation, Seattle, WA
Kaleidoscope: Virtual Programming for the Seattle Japanese Garden
Project Director: Jessa Gardner
$7,749
As interactive cultural events at the garden have been cancelled due to COVID-19, this project will focus on using online resources to educate and host virtual events for the community on Japanese gardens and traditional Japanese culture. The garden will collaborate with local organizations and artisans to create educational programming on topics such as Ikebana, shibori dye, multimedia artists, etc.
Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden, North Salem, NY
The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden Education and Outreach Project
Project Director: Elizabeth Hammer Munemura
$10,000
Create educational video content related to the 54th Moon Viewing Event for K-12 students with an accompanying study guide. Use the video and the study guide to promote the Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden as part of the Three-Year Strategic Development Plan.
Heart of America Japan-America Society, Kansas City, MO
Production of Promotional Videos to Promote the HAJAS GKC Japan Festival Online
Project Director: Pegeen Blank
$8,840
To share high quality videos of performers and presentations online, that would been at the GKC (Greater Kansas City) Japan Festival (cancelled due to COVID-19), and to continue to promote Japanese culture in the Greater Kansas City area. The videos will stay available on their Facebook page and YouTube.
Japan Society of Boston, Boston, MA
Podcast Series: How Has Japan Changed Your Life
Project Director: Naoko Takayanagi
$9,999
To interview experts with close ties to both Japan and the United States, and compiled memoirs about how their lives changed with the Japanese influence. The Podcast will be distributed over a three-month period.
Japan America Society of Chicago, Inc., Chicago, IL
34th Annual Virtual Holiday Fundraiser & Bonenkai
Project Director: Mitsukuni Baba
$8,359
To host the 34th year-end fundraising event online and invite Mr. Katsura Sunshine, the first foreign Rakugo storyteller of the Kamigata Rakugokai, as a guest to raise awareness of the Japan-America Society of Chicago and promote understanding of Japanese culture in the local community.
Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth, Plano, TX
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth
Project Director: Madoka Leonetti
$6,726
To host the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth online and create video content that showcases the 50-year history of the Japan-America Society of Dallas/Fort Worth. At the same time, raise awareness of the Japan-America Society and promote the understanding of Japanese culture in the local community.
Japan America Society of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Virtual Tour of Japan Video + Study Guide for K-8 Students in Greater Cincinnati
Project Director: Anne Golden
$9,984
To create a video and study guide that is customized for 3rd-8th grade students in the Greater Cincinnati region. To give students in the Midwestern United States a deeper understanding and closer look at Japanese culture.
Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
New 2021 Financial Policies and Procedures Manual to position JASGP for Successful remote financial management and cloud-based book keeping and accounting
Project Director: Margo Jackson
$9,360
To review the financial strategy for 2021 and create a Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. Build a mechanism that allows remote office work under the restrictions of a COVID-19 pandemic environment.
Japan-America Society of Hawai’i, Honolulu, HI
2020 Japan America Society of Hawaii Virtual Annual Gala
Project Director: Lila Frisbie
$9,999.54
To hire an Event Planner and Videographer to host the very first Virtual Annual Gala under the restrictions of a COVID-19 pandemic. This Annual Gala will be televised on a local CBS affiliated Station.
Japan-America Society of Houston, Inc. Houston TX
Developing Resilience: New Fundraising Strategies for Improve Financial Capacity
Project Director: Patsy Brown
$9,999.60
To hire consultants to formulate management strategies, such as increasing membership and expand the diversity of the members, from Japanese companies to American companies as well.
Japan America Society of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
Mondale Award and Scholarship Gala
Project Director: Rio Saito
$8,388.00
To host the very first online Gala with the aim of raising awareness of the Japan-America Society. The Gala promotes understanding of Japanese culture in the local community and fundraises scholarships for Japanese language students at the University of Minnesota.
Japan America Society of San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Taiko live performance for Origami Festival at San Antonio Botanical Gardens (SABG): Joint performance of JASSA Taiko team and Isaku Kageyama Taiko team on Oct 22 (Thu) and Oct 24 (Sat), 2020.
Project Director: Hitomi Kinoshita
$9,979
To promote Japanese Drum Culture and the San Antonio Japan-America Society, Isaku Kageyama, a Japanese drum player who lives in the United States, and the Japan-America Society of San Antonio Wadaiko team will co-star at the San Antonio Botanical Garden Festival. A video of the Wadaiko concert will be available on the society’s website.
Japan America Society of Oregon, Portland, OR
Digital Transformation Project
Project Director: Graham Morris
$9,479
To redirect their strategic planning in response to COVID-19 that will help staff, fundraising, and membership. To increase functionality and efficiency of their website by hiring an IT consultant company, for ease of use and for staff to create diverse content.
Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Nashville, TN
JAST COVID-19 Response Plan
Project Director: Ginger Byrn
$9,933.20
To develop strategic planning that stabilizes their operations and organizational sustainability and to implement online events and programs due to COVID-19. This project will feature a cooking series and a women’s leadership series.
Japan-America Society of Washington D.C., Washington, D.C.
Sakura Matsuri 2022 Roadmap
Project Director: Yuko Smith
$9,999.60
To ensure a successful Sakura Matsuri in 2022 by developing a roadmap that highlights matsuri mission and goals, adjusted approaches to the matsuri, and strategic outreach to matsuri supporters. This roadmap will be a focal point for the U.S.-Japan grassroots relationship and will lead to broader bilateral partnerships.
Japanese Arts Foundation, Chicago, IL
JAF Virtual Engagement Expansion
Project Director: Saira Chambers
$9,991.24
To create a new website including virtual programs that cover educational content on Japanese arts and traditions, such as Tokyo House Party. This project will lay the foundation for sustainability of future programs and expand opportunities for their community to connect virtually with Japanese arts.
Japanese Cultural Center, Tea House & Gardens of Saginaw, Inc., Saginaw, MI
Saginaw-Japan Week (Digital Event)
Project Director: Masumi Azu
$9,840
To host a digital Saginaw-Japan week event featuring local experts and experts from Tokushima, Japan in pre-recorded introduction videos on authentic Japanese tea houses, gardens, demonstrations of arts and crafts, live seminars etc. The event will further strengthen Michigan and Tokushima’s sister city relationship and provide the community with opportunities to connect and learn Japanese arts and cultures through a virtual platform.
Japan Friendship Garden of Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ
Tale of RoHoEn, 鷺鳳園物語-Japanese Culture Video Production Project
Project Director: Reiko Yasui Reavis
$9,256
To conduct a video production project that includes five educational videos on Japanese culture, that will promote the education and appreciation of Japanese culture and traditions to the community as well as contribute to fostering a mutual understanding of people in the U.S. and Japan. Sister City Himeji will participate as well.
Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA
Japanese Friendship Garden Virtual Programming
Project Director: Emiko Scudder
$9,295
To create virtual lectures and programs that emphasize Japanese cultural heritage, such as bamboo fence making and lanterns by local artists and artists from Japan. As core operations and indoors are closed to the public, this grant provides support for online resources and software.
John Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center for International Exchange US, Washington, D.C.
CIE-U.S. Outreach and Online Engagement Initiative
Project Director: James Kelly
$ 6,999
To launch a webinar series and online outreach activities, such as seminars for allies and potential candidates to travel to the next Grassroots Summit. The goals of the project are to keep the CIE-U.S. and Japan-America Grassroots Summit viable, ensure an engagement of network, and encourage a more systematic discussion of the U.S.-Japan cultural and societal ties among the local and alumni.
Japan Society of Northern California, San Francisco, CA
U.S.-Japan Healthcare Connection: MedTech Emerging Growth Companies 2020 Roadshow
Project Director: Miho Greenberg
$10,000
To hold a three-day virtual conference dedicated to MedTech for Japanese and US companies, financial institutions, universities, and governments. To provide stakeholders with opportunities to contribute to the dialogue and network formation regarding cutting-edge medical care.
Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, San Diego, CA
Strategic Planning-Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Project Director: David Tuites
$10,000
To develop and define a new strategic plan for the next 2-3 years due to COVID-19 to help address important areas in the future of fundraising and educational events, staff and volunteers for Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana. The strategic plan will help the organization move forward and shape future events and programs so they can be shared with the community.
Kubota Garden Foundation, Seattle, WA
Kubota Garden Business & Operating Plan (Phase 1)
Project Director: Thomas J. Martin
$10,000
To conduct and establish a business and operating plan for revitalization as well as formalize the relationship between Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden, Delray Beach, FL
Virtual Morikami
Project Director: Sharyn Samuels
$8,450
To create an online virtual museum and Japanese garden. Virtual Morikami will be developed, designed, produced, distributed and viewed on multiple digital platforms. People can enjoy behind the scenes views of exhibitions and take online origami, cooking classes and many other courses.
National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., Washington, D.C.
National Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Ceremony
Project Director: Lillian Iversen
$9,851.75
To hold its annual National Cherry Blossom Festival next spring online and emphasize Japanese traditions through diverse performers by developing innovative programming.
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
JC Raulston Arboretum Koten Engei Display and Education Project
Project Director: Mark Weathington
$4,160
To host an online symposium for the younger generation of Americans to promote the Japanese classical horticultural, Koten Engei.
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Foundation, Irvington, NY
The Future of Climate: A U.S.-Japan Dialogue Series and Strategic Planning Program
Project Director: David P. Janes
$9,802
To host three climate related webinars and create a detailed report to inform a strategic plan for the OIST Foundation for 2021.
Omaha Botanical Central Inc., Omaha, NE
Building a Midwestern Japanese Garden: A Virtual Tour
Project Director: Victoria Schoell-Schafer
$10,000
To promote the Japanese Garden in Omaha City by creating multiple online videos about the gardens under the supervision of a Japanese garden designer in the United States. Also, to raise the awareness of the friendly relations in the Midwestern United States with Japan.
Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OR
Digitizing Cultural and Educational Programing
Project Director: Akihito Nakanishi
$9,997
To promote the Portland Japanese Garden and to attract visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic by creating multiple online contests to understand the appeal of the Japanese Garden in the Portland area as well as the appeal in the rest of the United States.
Shinzen Friendship Garden, Inc., Fresno, CA
Shinzen Japanese Garden, Educational Modules
Project Director: Susana Figueroa-Joya
$10,000
To develop educational audio and video programming about Japanese gardens such as Toro Nagashi, Bonsai collection, etc. for 3rd-12th grade level classrooms and promote Japanese style gardens and address the presence of Japanese traditions in American culture.
Yume Japanese Gardens and Museum of Tucson, Tucson, AZ
Digital Solutions: Strategic and Innovative Enhancement of public outreach and operational efficiency at Yume Japanese Gardens and Museum of Tucson
Project Director: Cristiana Bertoldi
$9,690
To increase interaction with the public and providing information about Japanese arts and culture by redesigning the website. Features will include The Stroll for Well-Being program of therapeutic guided walks, for example.