Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Accepting Applications

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has begun accepting applications today for this year's Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, which is designed to support environmental revitalization and conservation activities, both in Japan and overseas, for the purpose of sustainable development.

The program was established in commemoration of TMC's receipt of the Global 500 Award in 1999 from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and has been implemented every year since 2000, as part of TMC's environmental philanthropic activities. This year marks the eighth year of its implementation.

The program will support practical projects in the areas of environmental education and environmental technology conducted by NPOs (excluding schools) and other non-profit private groups. The program has two categories of grants: general grants, with no restriction on the implementation sites or on the grant amount per project, and small-scale grants, with a limit on the grant amount per project and with simpler application procedures (targeting activities in Japan). In total, approximately 200 million Japanese yen is to be awarded in grants for 2007.

For application guidelines and an overview of 2006 recipients, please visit http://www.toyota-media.com/euen/ and download the "Toyota Environmental Activities Grant: Program Summary".

Grant Categories

Basic Theme: "Environmental Technology and Human Resource Development Contributing to Environmental Revitalization and Conservation"

1. General Grants

There is no restriction regarding project implementation site(s) and the limit of the grant amount per project. This grant targets projects aimed at environmental education activities and experience-based learning, or creating/providing the opportunities for such activities, and projects aimed at the localization of experiment-based environmental technology at the community level.

2. Small-scale Grants

Projects should be implemented in Japan, with the maximum grant amount of two million Japanese yen (approx. 18,000 U.S. dollars) per project. This grant targets practical, community-based grassroots activities aimed at protecting the local environment.

Grant Period

Up to three years for general grants, and up to two years for small-scale grants, beginning in December 2007.

Application Period

From Friday, April 27 to Friday, June 8, 2007. Applications must arrive by June 8, 2007.

Notification of Decision

The Selection Committee, consisting of seven experts from Japan and overseas, will review the applications and select grantees. Applicants will be notified in writing by mid-October 2007.