How large are the foundation’s typical grants?

Its grant sizes are centered around five figures. The typical range is p25 $10,000, median $15,500, and p75 $27,500, which matches the 2024 recent grants list showing multiple awards at $10,000, $20,000, and $30,000.

What are the main areas of support?

The foundation supports Japanese and Japanese American culture, historic preservation, community development, arts and culture, education, and grantmaking tied to Japantown. Its stated purpose emphasizes cultural, community, and educational activities that preserve and honor Japantown’s history.

Does it accept unsolicited applications?

Yes, several of its grant programs do. The Direct Grants Program, Matching Grants Program, Planning Grants, and Grants Program all accept unsolicited applications. The Peace Plaza Movement Grants/Seed Fund is listed as not accepting unsolicited applications.

Where do most grants go?

Its giving is local and concentrated in California. All grants in the recipient distribution are in the U.S., and 100% of grants given to recipients in the HQ state are in California. The recent grants list is entirely San Francisco-based.

Who are some recent grantees?

Recent grantees include Hokka Nichi Bei Kai, Jcccnc, Golden Gate Institute Inc., Soto Mission of San Francisco, the Japanese American Citizens League, Sakura Matsuri Inc., Japanese Community Youth Council, Japantown Comm Benefit Dist, Japantown Task Force Inc., and Njahs.

San Francisco Japantown Foundation

Name: San Francisco Japantown Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism

SAN FRANCISCO, CAWebsite4157882705

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

To support cultural, community and educational activities for San Francisco Japantown by preserving and honoring its history through fostering and providing funding for activities that reflect the Japanese American heritage, and to engage Japanese of all generations and all experiences.

Focus Areas

Japanese / Japanese American cultureHistoric preservationCommunity developmentArts and cultureEducationGrantmaking

Who They Fund

San Francisco Japantown residentsJapanese American community (all generations)Local community and cultural organizations in Japantown

Funding Style

place-based fundingproject/program support

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation centers its grantmaking on preserving and honoring San Francisco Japantown’s history through cultural, community, and educational activities that reflect Japanese American heritage. In 2024, its largest recent grants were $30,000 awards to Hokka Nichi Bei Kai, Jcccnc, and Golden Gate Institute Inc., signaling support for organizations that help sustain Japantown’s cultural life and civic presence. The foundation’s funding also reaches groups tied to Japanese American community memory and public engagement, including the Japanese American Citizens League and Soto Mission of San Francisco. Its stated purpose is not broad philanthropy across many regions; it is place-based work tied to Japantown, with an emphasis on engaging Japanese people of all generations and experiences. That makes its role especially visible in cultural programming, historical preservation, education, and community development within a single neighborhood context. The recent grant list shows a mix of cultural institutions, community organizations, and neighborhood-based efforts, all located in San Francisco.

What San Francisco Japantown Foundation Funds

A core theme is Japanese American cultural programming. The foundation gave $30,000 to Hokka Nichi Bei Kai in 2024, alongside support for Sakura Matsuri Inc. at $11,000, reflecting attention to festivals and cultural expression. Historical preservation is another recurring focus: it awarded $10,000 to Japantown Task Force Inc. and $10,000 to Japantown Comm Benefit Dist, both tied to Japantown stewardship. Education and heritage transmission also appear in the grant list. The Japanese Community Youth Council received $10,000, and Golden Gate Institute Inc. received $30,000, linking the foundation’s support to learning, community education, and Japanese American heritage. Civic and community engagement round out the picture, with the Japanese American Citizens League receiving $20,000 for community work in 2024.

How San Francisco Japantown Foundation Gives

The foundation’s typical grant size falls in a mid-sized range: p25 is $10,000, median is $15,500, and p75 is $27,500. Recent awards cluster around round figures, including several $10,000, $20,000, and $30,000 grants. The recent list shows repeated support within a single year to organizations based in San Francisco, consistent with a local, place-based funder. It operates as a regular funder and runs open grant programs; its Direct Grants Program and related grant programs accept unsolicited applications, while the Peace Plaza Movement Grants/Seed Fund does not. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$165K

Total Assets

$1.3M

Total Revenue

$333K

Total Expenses

$254K

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $10K and $28K, with a median of $16K.

25th Percentile

$10K

Median

$16K

75th Percentile

$28K

Geographic Reach

Local1 state funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

Leadership

ALLEN OKAMOTO

Accepts unsolicited proposals

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San Francisco Japantown Foundation

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

What San Francisco Japantown Foundation Funds

How San Francisco Japantown Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

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Topics

Where San Francisco Japantown Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

How large are the foundation’s typical grants?

What are the main areas of support?

Does it accept unsolicited applications?

Where do most grants go?

Who are some recent grantees?

Open Grant Opportunities

Direct Grants Program (annual rounds, e.g., 2015, 2017)

Recent Grants

Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
JCCCNC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$35,000	2026	J/AMERICAN COMM SERV
BUDDHIST CHURCH OF SAN FRANCISCO	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$20,277	2026	—
GOLDEN GATE INSTITUTE INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$20,000	2026	—
SAKURA MATSURI INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$19,500	2026	—
HOKKA NICHI BEI KAI	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$17,000	2026	—
GENRYU ARTS	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$17,000	2026	—
KIMOCHI INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$17,000	2026	—
NIHONMACHI LITTLE FRIENDS	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$10,000	2026	—
NAT'L JAPANESE AMER HIST'L SOCIETY	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$9,500	2026	—
GOLDEN GATE INSTITUTE INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$54,040	2025	—
JCCCNC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$5,150	2025	J/AMERICAN COMM SERV
GOLDEN GATE INSTITUTE INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$30,000	2024	—
HOKKA NICHI BEI KAI	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$30,000	2024	—
JCCCNC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$30,000	2024	J/AMERICAN COMM SERV
JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$20,000	2024	—
SOTO MISSION OF SAN FRANCISCO	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$20,000	2024	—
SAKURA MATSURI INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$11,000	2024	—
JAPANTOWN COMM BENEFIT DIST	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$10,000	2024	—
JAPANESE COMMUNITY YOUTH COUNCIL	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$10,000	2024	—
JAPANTOWN TASK FORCE INC	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$10,000	2024	—
NJAHS	SAN FRANCISCO, CA	$6,500	2024	—

San Francisco Japantown Foundation

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

What San Francisco Japantown Foundation Funds

How San Francisco Japantown Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

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Topics

Where San Francisco Japantown Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About San Francisco Japantown Foundation

How large are the foundation’s typical grants?

What are the main areas of support?

Does it accept unsolicited applications?

Where do most grants go?

Who are some recent grantees?

Open Grant Opportunities

Direct Grants Program (annual rounds, e.g., 2015, 2017)

Recent Grants