S.F. Japantown Foundation announces 2013 grants

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation’s  board of directors approved $35,000 in grants to 11 nonprofit organizations, it announced on its Website, Aug. 21.
The grants will go to the following organizations, which have “demonstrated the value of their organization to the Japantown community, the effectiveness of their services and/or activities, and their financial sustainability”:
• Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach ($1,000)
• GenRyu Arts ($1,000)
• Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California ($5,000)
•  Kimochi, Inc. ($5,000)
• Kokoro Assisted Living, Inc. ($1,000)
• National Japanese American Historical Society ($5,000)
• Nichi Bei Foundation ($5,000)
• Nihonmachi Little Friends ($5,000)
• Nihonmachi Street Fair ($1,000)
• Parent Teacher Community Council of the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program ($1,000)
• Sakura Matsuri Inc. ($5,000)
The 2013 grants program differed from previous years in two ways, by: providing direct grants without requiring a matching fund requirement; and awarding grants that aren’t “designated for specific projects or programs, allowing recipients to use the funds for a variety of purposes (with some restrictions).”
The foundation was formed in December 2006 through endowments by Kintetsu Enterprises of America, Jack Hirose, Hats and Amey Aizawa, Union Bank, and Minami Tamaki LLP. The Foundation’s mission is to support cultural, community and educational activities for San Francisco Japantown. Including its 2013 grants, the Foundation has provided more than $635,000 in funding since 2007.
For more information, visit http://japantownfoundation.org.