The Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE) is seeking applications to provide grant to Non Governmental Organization (NGO)/Non Profit Organization (NPO) engaged in environmental activities.

The Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE), a division of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (ERCA) was established in 1993 by an initial endowment from the Japanese government together with contributions from the private sectors, including individuals and private corporations.

Environmental NGOs/NPOs will play an essential role in creating the future desirable environment. They will connect individual voices, efforts, and actions, to win society’s sympathy, and expand a “chain of action” through on-site activities.

The JFGE system provides comprehensive support through grants and other aid to projects by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in global environmental conservation, both in Japan and overseas, through a fund created by pooling the strength of both the government and the public.

JFGE's goals and objectives are summed up in the following three points:

• The JFGE is a realization of the announcement made by Japan at the 1992 Earth Summit to make international contributions toward global environmental conservation. Therefore, one of the important pillars of the JFGE activities is the support of NGO projects for environmental conservation in developing regions with immediate needs.
• The JFGE is an attempt to strengthen Japan's involvement in global environmental conservation. Their lifestyles and economic activities have become catalysts for global environmental problems and the involvement of each citizen at a basic level is necessary in order to counter them.
• The JFGE offers people from different fields and classes a chance as a "Global Citizen," to participate actively in environmental NGO projects or to contribute money to support environmental NGO projects.

Summary of Grant Programs

Entry Grant

• Objective: Grant to support grass-roots projects to expand
• Grant Period: 1 year (One term per organization)
• Organization Criteria
  • At least 1 year experience in the related field to the proposed project
  • Organization established less than 10 years ago
  • Never granted by JFGE
• Project Criteria
  • Project to pursue environmental conservation
  • Grass-roots project
• Range of Grant Amount (per year): Minimum 500,000 JPY - Maximum 3,000,000 JPY

Continuous-Project Grant

• Objective: Grant to support grass-roots projects to take a root in the site as self-sustain project
• Grant Period: Maximum 3 years (One term per organization)
• Organization Criteria
  • At least 1 year experience in the related field to the proposed project
  • Organization either received Entry Grant in past three years or never received JFGE grant
• Project Criteria
  • Project to pursue environmental conservation
  • Project aiming to continue similar project
  • Cooperation with various stakeholders for project expansion
• Range of Grant Amount (per year): Minimum 500,000 JPY - Maximum 3,000,000 JPY

General Grant

• Objective: Grant to support organizational growth by realizing projects efficiently through refining skills
• Grant Period: Maximum 3 years (Two-year-break required for organization received Regular Grant for two terms in a row)
• Organization Criteria: At least 3-year experience in the related field to the proposed project
• Project Criteria
  • Project to pursue environmental conservation
  • Project with either new issue, new topic, or new methodology involved
• Range of Grant Amount (per year): Minimum 2,000,000 JPY - Maximum 6,000,000 JPY

Eligible Projects

Conservation projects that fall into following categories are eligible; 

• Nature protection, conservation and restoration
• Forest conservation and tree/grass planting
• Anti-desertification
• Agriculture of environmental conservation type
• Mitigation and adaptation to climate change
• Building of a recycle-oriented society
• Air, water and soil conservation
• Comprehensive environmental education
• Comprehensive environmental conservation projects
• Restoration projects
• Other environmental conservation projects

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• The organization must be a non-governmental organization (NGO) or a non-profit organization (NPO)
• The organization must possess an Articles of Incorporation or its equivalent bylaws
• The organization must possess a well-established board of directors and work forces that make decisions for the organization and implements the proposed project
• The organization must possess an accounting structure capable of bookkeeping and self-auditing
• The organization must possess an office that serves as a base of their project
• The organization must prove that they have enough capacity to execute the proposed project by presenting the firm evidence, such as activity report of previous project and achievements

For more information, visit JFGE.