Statement of Interest (SOI) for the Annual Program Statement FY2025 SOI

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, under the Department of State's Public Affairs Section (PAS), invites Statements of Interest (SOIs) for its Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Program Statement (APS). This initiative aims to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations through innovative public engagement projects that align with Mission Japan’s strategic goals. Proposed projects should foster mutual understanding, promote shared values, and address key policy areas, including security and defense, democracy, science and technology, and entrepreneurship. Programs must demonstrate a connection to U.S. culture, society, or expertise and be implemented within a performance period of up to 12 months. The APS prioritizes activities that address specific thematic areas: promoting a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, countering misinformation, fostering good governance and transparency, advancing STEM education and cybersecurity, and encouraging entrepreneurial practices. Proposals engaging underserved regions, underrepresented communities, or areas outside Tokyo will receive special consideration. The Embassy expects to award between 2 to 4 grants, with funding ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, totaling up to $250,000, subject to funding availability. Eligible applicants include U.S. and Japanese non-profit organizations, civil society groups, educational institutions, individuals (with a funding cap of $30,000), and public international organizations. While cost-sharing is encouraged, it is not mandatory. Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) before receiving any funding. Individual applicants are exempt from these requirements. The application process consists of two phases. In the first phase, applicants submit a two-page SOI outlining the project summary, problem statement, proposed activities, and estimated budget. Successful SOIs will proceed to the second phase, where applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, including mandatory forms, a detailed project narrative, budget, resumes of key personnel, and other supporting documents. Applications are reviewed based on strategic alignment, clarity and feasibility of activities, organizational capacity, and overall project design. SOIs will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the final deadline of September 30, 2025. Applicants must submit all materials in English via email to the designated Embassy address. Successful projects will be finalized based on funding availability and compliance with administrative requirements outlined in federal regulations and Embassy guidelines.