SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Japantown Foundation’s 2012 matching grants program runs through Tuesday, July 31, at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
In order to qualify for the matching grants program, projects needed to meet one or more of the following criteria:
(a) Promotes Japantown by increasing tourists and others to visit the area;
(b) Promotes business and branding for the Japantown area;
(c) Promotes civic engagement in the Japanese American community and between other communities in the region; and/or
(d) Enhances Japantown’s characteristics through beautification or historical preservation, provided that the project or program that has already secured all requisite government and community approvals.
“This matching grants program, our fourth round of grantmaking since our founding, reflects our ongoing commitment to support organizations, groups and individuals working to advance the Japantown and Japanese American communities,” said foundation board president Donald K. Tamaki, a partner with the Minami Tamaki LLP law firm.
The foundation will match donations made to the following organizations’ projects up to the amount listed:
• Children’s Day Activities ($4,000), a project of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California
• Japantown Youth Leaders ($2,000), a project of the Japanese Community Youth Council
• J-Pop Summit Festival ($2,500)
• Michiya Hanayagi Dance Studio ($1,000)
• Nihonmachi Street Fair ($2,500)
• Nikkei Community Internship ($3,000), a project of the California Japanese American Community Leadership Council
• Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival ($5,000)
• Northern California Soy and Tofu Festival ($1,000), a project of the Nichi Bei Foundation
• O-Hanami Grove ($500), a project of the Parent Teacher Community Council, Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program, Rosa Parks Elementary School
• San Francisco Japantown Educational Heritage Program ($5,000), a project of the National Japanese American Historical Society
Here’s how to make a donation to one of these projects:
By check — Download the form, complete it, and mail to the postal address listed on the form. The check must be received by July 31 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time in order for the donation to qualify for the match.
By credit card — The foundation is using Network for Good to process online payments via credit card. Before you proceed to the online donation page, note the following:
(1) You must fill in the field titled “Designation (Optional)” with the organization or project you’re supporting – otherwise the foundation will not know how to match your donation.
(2) There is a 5% processing fee. You can pay the fee so that 100% of your donation is matched; otherwise, the foundation will match only the net donation minus the processing fee.
(3) You will need to create an account on Network for Good with your email address and password. This information does not go to the foundation, but used by the site so that you can review your donation later.
Click here to make your donation online after reading the above notices.
To donate by U.S. mail, make checks payable to “San Francisco Japantown Foundation” and send to: San Francisco Japantown Foundation, c/o Donald Tamaki, 360 Post St., 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108.
For more information on the grants program, contact foundation board member Keith Kamisugi at keith@japantownfoundation.org or visit http://japantownfoundation.org/.