地球環境基金の情報館

Important Notice

Non-Japanese organizations are required to have representatives, who are based in Japan, to apply. The representatives shall fill out all required forms in Japanese and submit them to JFGE. For the grant application forms, please go to the following link.

• A Guide to JFGE Grant Program Application (PDF 555KB)
• Download Application Forms (English)

• Download Application Forms (Japanese)

Introduction

Environmental issues such as climate change, depletion of the ozone layer, desertification and deforestation of tropical forests continue to challenge modern society. Unsustainable consumption of natural resources in both developed and developing countries threaten not only the supply of resources themselves, but also whole ecosystems. Likewise, the effects of these problems are not confined to immediate boundaries or regions, and cannot be solved by a single country, government, corporation or individual. Therefore, every effort to achieve a sustainable coexistence with our natural environment must be carried out in the contexts of international collaboration for the protection of our global environment.

The Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE), a division of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan (ERCA) was established by an initial endowment from the Japanese government together with contributions from the private sector, including individuals and private corporations. The interest accrued from these funds is then used to provide support for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and non-profit organizations (NPOs) programs aimed at conservation of the global environment.

1. Organizations eligible for the Grant

Applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

1. The organization must be a non-governmental organization(NGO) or a non-profit organization(NPO)
2. The organization must possess an Articles of Incorporation or its equivalent bylaws;
3. The organization must possess a well-established body that makes decisions for the organization and implements the project for which the grant is requested;
4. The organization must possess an accounting structure capable of bookkeeping and self-auditing;
5. The organization must possess an office that serves as a base of their activities, and
6. The organization must be deemed to have the capacity to execute the project for which the grant is sought, judging from its previous activities and achievements.

2. Activities eligible for the Grant

Eligible activities that contribute to global environmental conservation are undertaken by organizations as stipulated above. Activities are classified into three major categories.

Notice: The JFGE identifies countries as developing ones on the List of Recipients of Official Development Assistance approved by the Development Assistance Committee, which is available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/9/50/48858205.pdf In accordance with this stipulation, projects to be implemented in South Korea and Russia are not eligible for the grant.

Project areas for global environmental conservation are divided into the following 10 categories. Please refer to Table 1. Project Areas for further details.

1. Nature protection, conservation and restoration
2. Forest conservation and tree/grass planting
3. Anti-desertification
4. Agriculture of environmental conservation type
5. Mitigation and adaptation to climate change
6. Building of a recycle-oriented society
7. Air, water and soil conservation
8. Comprehensive environmental education
9. Comprehensive environmental conservation activities
10. Other environmental conservation activities

Additional requirements are as shown below.

1. Actual implementation of afforestation, wildlife protection, prevention of pollution or other activities on the project sites in developing areas with the participation of the local communities or NGOs;
2. Provision of knowledge that local communities or NGOs in a developing area require to implement practical activities such as afforestation, wildlife protection, and prevention of pollution; and
3. Conducting surveys and researches or holding international conferences to promote the activities listed in (1) or (2).

1. Tree and grass planting, recycling and other activities that are carried out with the participation of a wide range of citizens;
2. Environmental conservation promotion and education activities are implemented for the benefit of a wide range of citizens; and
3. Research activities that promote the activities listed in (1) or (2) above.

3. Activities not eligible for the Grant

Although projects that meet the above conditions, but fit into one of the following categories are not eligible for the grant.

1. Projects that are carried out as part of policy measures of a national administrative body of either Japan or the nation where the projects are to be implemented
2. Projects that are in effect carried out in the interests of a specific business operator
3. Projects for which the funds provided by the grant are expected to be recovered through loans, advances, or investments
4. Projects whose purpose is as political or religious propaganda
5. Projects that are funded by other sources than the JFGE Grant, such as subsidies or grants from the government of Japan or Japanese government bodies
6. Projects that extend financial aid or grants to other organizations
7. Projects that are deemed inappropriate for NGOs

4. Expenses covered by the Grant

Expenses incurred in the implementation of a grant project that are eligible for coverage are listed in Table 2 (p8).
Certain grant-eligible expenses have a limit. For example, the upper limit of fees of manuscript paid to its writers is up to 2,400 Japanese yen per page. If an organization has paid fees of manuscript that exceeds the ceiling, the JFGE will reimburses no more than 2,400 yen×number of page, with the difference to be borne by the grantee.

5. Expenses not covered by the Grant

The expenses listed below are not eligible for coverage by the grant.

1. Personnel expenses for directors and full-time staff including wages, office rents (including any utilities and water charges) and expenses necessary for routine operation of the organization (including the publication of house organs).
2. Contributions or endowments offered to individuals or organizations.
3. Eating and drinking fee expenses

6. Payment procedure for the Grant

In providing the grant, the JFGE employs a “reimbursement” procedure. Grant money is paid only after the organization has completed the project and submitted receipts for expenses incurred in project execution. Therefore, it is necessary for recipient organizations to separately secure funds to cover the initial expenses required for project implementation

7. Other requirements

1. Applications and supporting documents (references) are fundamental materials in evaluating grant recipients; therefore, the contents of a project should be relatively stable, and significant changes after submission of the application are discouraged. In addition, substantial material changes to the contents and allocation of the project after adoption may result in withdrawal of grant support.
2. If deemed necessary, the JFGE will implement certain measures, such as requesting additional reports and conducting an investigation of organizational books and records by JFGE staff. Any disclosure of fraudulent processes will result in immediate cancellation of the project and return of all funds. On-site interviews by JFGE staff may be required, particularly if projects are Type B. Any uncertainties in a project implementation may cause a review of financing.
3. Recipient organizations are required to compile and submit an annual report and self-evaluation sheet within a month from the termination of grant project or at the end of the fiscal year.
4. In the final year of the project, the JFGE will implement a post-project evaluation by a third-party panel. The results of the evaluation will be reflected in the awarding policy of the grant the following year.

Application Process

1. Application acceptance perio

The JFGE Grant program provides financial support for environmental conservation projects conducted by NGOs. Applications are accepted from January 4th to 25th, 2012; those received after January 25th will not be reviewed.

2. Application method for Non-Japanese organizations

Non-Japanese organizations are required to have a representative to apply for the grant on their behalf. The representative should be an individual living in Japan or an organization with a main office in Japan, which have experience in environmental conservation activities with Non-Japanese organizations, be able to communicate with Non-Japanese organizations in the local language, etc.
The representative will serve to communicate between the organization and the JFGE, to prepare the required documents in Japanese on behalf of the organization, and to respond to questions from the JFGE. Additionally, the representative is responsible for transferring paid money from the JFGE to the organization.
Expenses incurred in the capacity of representative can be included as project expenses.

3. Grant types

Two types of grants are available for fiscal year 2011, Type A and Type B. Type B is only available to organizations that have not previously been awarded the JFGE Grant. Only one grant type is allowed per organization. Grant characteristics are shown below.

	Type A	Type B
Duration	April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Project duration up to 3 years, contingent upon annual review.	April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013 Project duration within 1 year. (only available to organizations that have not yet received the JFGE Grant)
Amount	Minimum per project: one million yen	Minimum per project: 500 thousand yen.
	Average grant per project in developing areas: approximately 4 million yen.

4. Documents to be submitted

1. The completed grant Application Form, page 1 through page 4 (hereinafter the Application” )…original and 1 copy
   ・A4-size paper must be used. Use recycled paper wherever possible.
   ・For a project that extends over two or more fiscal years, please attach a description and planned income and expenditure for the activities during fiscal year 2011 in all columns except “Annual Plan” on Page 2 of the Application.
2. One copy of the organization’s Articles of Incorporation or equivalent bylaws (a Japanese version must be provided)…….1 copy
3. A register of members who constitute the board of directors or equivalent decision-making body of the organization…..1 copy
4. Organization’s statement of accounts for the past three years (2008, 2009, and 2010)…..1 copy
   ・If the account has not yet been settled, please submit a plan or projection.
   ・Organizations in existence for less than three years may submit available data.
5. If the organization has, in the past three years, engaged in projects similar to that for which the grant is sought, reports, photographs and other materials that provide a general outline of these projects should be submitted. Previously existing materials are acceptable…..1 copy
6. Other background materials that provide details of the project….1 copy
   ・For site-specific activities, such as nature conservation, surveys and afforestation, please include a map of the project site.
7. Blank official postcard (for acknowledgement of receipt of the Application)…..1 postcard
   ・The JFGE will confirm receipt of the Application by stamping the postcard with its seal and mailing it back to the applicant. Confirmation of receipt cannot be given over the phone.
   ・Print the name and address of the person to whom confirmation should be sent (or the representative in Japan if the applicant is a Non-Japanese organization) on the front of the postcard, and the name of the organization and project title on the back.
8. Confirmation sheet – list of staff and expertise for the project….1 copy
9. Non-Japanese organizations are required to submit a ‘Power of Attorney’ and documents explain a relationship between an Non-Japanese organization(Applicant) and a representative in Japan, in addition to the documents specified in (1) to (8)….original
   ・ The Power of Attorney must bear the signature of the representative of the Applicant organization. If, however, the original signed Power of Attorney has not arrived in time for submission, the JFGE will accept a faxed copy as a temporary measure, in consideration of the time required for communications between the representative in Japan and the Non-Japanese organizations

Procedural Flow of JFGE Operation for the Fiscal Year 2012

Table 1. Project Areas

Project area		Examples
Conservation of Biodiversity	Nature protection, conservation and restoration	Protection of wildlife; ecological studies for wildlife extinction; conservation of habitats; protection of migratory bird; preventing the invasive alien species
	Forest conservation and tree/grass planting	Conservation of valuable forests; afforestation in grasslands and mountains and tree/grass planting in wasteland, excepting deserts; conservation and creation of secondary natural forests (Satoyama in Japan)
	Anti-desertification	Afforestation and tree/grass planting in deserts and surrounding areas; Activities that promote proper irrigation
	Agriculture of environmental conservation type	Promotion of agro-forestry; development and utilization of natural farming techniques; conservation of terraced rice paddy fields
Mitigation and adaptation climate change		The activities that promote utilization of soft renewable natural energy; popularization of energy-saving lifestyles; utilization of low-emission automobiles; other activities aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; Promotion Climate Adaptation in developing countries
Building of a recycle-based society		Waste reduction, reuse and recycling; sustainable material cycle activities for proper waste treatment and prevention of illegal disposal of wastes; natural resources and energy; promoting cyclical use of natural resourses
Air, water and soil conservation		Protection of the ozone layer; Acid rain control and other measures to prevent air pollution; prevention of water pollution including river, lake and marsh; protection of marine environments; prevention of soil pollution; reduction and non use of toxic chemicals
Comprehensive environmental education		Promotion of environmental education, training and awareness raising
Comprehensive environmental conservation activities		Creation of environmental friendly cities through the collaboration of citizens, businesses, local communities, and governments; research to formulate comprehensive environment recommendations; public announcement of environmental proposals
Other environmental conservation activities		Environmental conservation activities which have been not already described above

Table 2. Categories of Grant-eligible Expenses

Expense category	Expenses
(1) Honorariums and wages	- Honorariums paid to outside lecturers, experts etc -Manuscript fee - Wages paid to part-time staff and temporary workers *Honorariums and wages that paid to directors and full-time staff will not be supported by the grant. *Wages for part-time staff and temporary workers should be based on no more than 120 man-days of work.
(2) Travel	- Transportation: Air, railway, bus, and boat fares (Expenses for rental cars fall into category (5) below.) - Hotels: Actual hotel expenses (meals, travel allowances and per diem are excluded) - Others: Incidental travel expenses, including vaccinations, visa and passport issuance charges, travelers’ personal accident insurance premiums, highway tolls, and airport tax. *Travel expenses must be less than 50% of the total amount of the project.
(3) Materials and supplies	Expenses for the purchase of equipment, materials, books, and fixtures.
(4) Construction of facilities	- Construction costs - Equipment set up costs
(5) Rentals/services	- Costs for conference hall rental: Set-up costs incurred in holding a conference (lease of equipment, setting up signboards, etc.) - Fees for temporarily leased office space are included if required by the project. - Vehicle rentals: Drivers for rented vehicles, fuel charges, etc. - Leasing and rentals of machinery, including expenses incurred in the operation of machinery - Transportation of supplies: Includes supply delivery charges and postage for mailing questionnaires (ordinary postage is classified into the administrative expenses below) - Interpretation, translation fees * Payment to directors and full-time staff will not be supported by the grant. - Printing and other fees required for the preparation of reports, layout and posters. - Fees for outsourcing surveys, etc. *Includes labor paid based on the amount of work instead of daily wages.
(6) Administrative expenses	- Office supplies: Includes office supplies and stationery, copying charges, cost of film and film development - Communication charges: Telephone, fax, postage, etc * Expenses should be limited to those incurred in the execution of the granted project. * Routine office expenses such as office rents and utilities are not supported by the grant. - Expenses under this category should be equal to or less than 10% of the total sum of expenses (1) through (5).

Note: A ceiling is set for certain unit costs paid. In such cases, the portion that exceeds the limit must be borne by the grant recipient.

Table 3. Maximum Amount per Item and Important Notes

Category	Breakdown of Costs and Expenses	Maximum Amount	Important Notes
i) Hono-rariums and wages	Honorariums ··· Honorariums to be paid to outside lecturers and experts	Maximum Amount JPY20,000 / Person / Day	○ Payments shall be kept within a reasonable amount which is generally-accepted in each region in view of GDP and other economic parameters so that the amount shall not be overly excessive. ○Payments to the executives and board directors shall be limited within 50% for total amount of honorariums. *Payments to the full-time executives, the paid board directors and full-time employees shall be excluded. ○ Rewards or salaries to the board members or full-time employees shall be excluded. ○Maximum total salaries and wages per year is JPY 960,000. However, if requested grant money is 1) Over JPY4,000,000 less than 8,000,000：limited JPY1,440,000 2) Over JPY8,000,000: limited JPY1,920,000 ※Maximum salaries and wages are limited up to JPY960,000/person/year in all cases
	※ Special Provisions Maximum Amount (JPY/ Person / Day) Over 50 audience: JPY35,000 Over 150 audience: JPY50,000
	Salaries and Wages ··· Salaries and wages to be paid to part-time staff and staff in and outside Japan.	Maximum Amount JPY1,000/ hour
	Fees of manuscript/ Writing articles	Maximum Amount JPY2,400/page	○ 1 page shall be based on 400 words ○ Payments to the executives and board directors shall be limited within 50% for total amount of honorariums. *Payments to the full-time executives, the paid board directors and full-time employees shall be excluded.
ii)Travel Expenses	a. Transport Expenses • Air-fare	Reasonable Normal Economy Class Flight Fare
	Railway Fare	Actual Costs	○ No business class or any higher class seats are allowed. ○ Commutation costs of staff and part-time staff shall be excluded.
	Freight Fare	Actual Costs	○ Applicable to 2nd-class cabins only.
	b. Accommodation Fees	Maximum Amount (JPY / Person / Day)	○ Food and beverage shall be excluded.
	【within Japan】	9,800~10,900
	【other countries】	11,600~19,300
v)Rental/ services expenses	Interpretation Fees	Maximum amount (JPY/ person / day)	○Only the payment to professional indivisuals/ companies shall be acknowledged.
	【Simultaneous】	80,000	○Payments to the executives and board directors shall be limited within 50% for total amount of honorariums.
	【Consecutive】	45,500
	Translation Fees	(JPY/ person / page (180~200words))	*Payments to the full-time executives, the paid board directors and full-time employees shall be excluded.
	【Japanese】	5,000
	【Other Languages】	8,000
	Rental Fees of Conference Hall	(JPY/Day)	○ Food and beverage served at the conference and other costs incurred from gatherings shall be excluded. ○ Setup fees of booths, rental of electronic equipment and installation of billboard (except for rental fees of the conference hall) may be separately allocated as actual costs (Decorative items such as bouquets are excluded).
	【within Japan】	200,000
	【Other countries】	50,000

※ Reference: 100JPY=Approximately US$75.838 (November 2011)

※ Please use the updated exchange rate in JFGE website linked below while the project implementation.
http://www.erca.go.jp/jfge/subsidy/grant/flow.html (Japanese)

Awarding policy

JFGE Grants are awarded following deliberations by the JFGE Management Council and Grant Committee. Organizations should fill in application forms after careful review of the general considerations listed below.

Considerations in examining Applications

• Practical activities in the environment: The project is planned with some consideration as to how its operations, benefits can be continued after completion, and the activities are carried out with the participation/cooperation of local communities.
• Provision and dissemination of information and raising awareness of environmental issues:
  Both the target and the method of distributing materials must be appropriate and effective. In addition, the effects of the project must also be considered through proposed activities such as the accurate estimation of the number of participants at seminars and symposiums and conducting of follow-up reviews.
• Research and study projects: The research contributes to practical activities and raising the awareness of environmental issues.
• For projects which involve leader training/ capacity building/ technical guidance; The project is planned taking care of these trainees after the implementation.

Criteria for Application rejection

• Projects with activities that are part of the normal functions of the organization.
• Projects that are implemented for some profit of particular organization.
• Applicants that are deemed to lack of financial necessity as grant recipients.
• Projects with proposed research activities judged insufficient for contributing to practical applications or in raising awareness.
• Projects deemed to be inadequately prepared due to the lack of a concrete implementation plan.
• Multi-year projects of final objectives or contents differ significantly from the initial proposal
• Projects that are deemed to lack of urgency or necessity.
• Projects unrelated to environmental conservation.
• Project with excessive outsourcing of survey work and webpage design and construction.
• Projects implemented to enforce policy by Japanese or other countries governmental agencies, or for the benefit of specific businesses.
• Projects involving the use of loans, financing, or investments.
• Projects with activities considered to be political or religious propaganda.
• Projects that are financially supported by the government or government-related agencies.
• Projects that offer financial aid to other organizations.
• Projects that appear inappropriate to activities implemented by NGOs.

• Practical activities are limited to an extremely small area (excepting the conservation of rare species)
• Provision and dissemination of knowledge or awareness raising activities are targeted at a small number of citizens.

• The organization compromises its independence by complete reliance on local counterparts in carrying out the project.
• The system to ensure continuous operation and benefits after the completion of the project is deemed inadequate.
• The project does not satisfy local people’s needs.
• There is no or little participation of cooperation with local communities.

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