Most Frequently Asked Questions About Submitting Proposals to the Commission
Q. Which organizations may apply?
A. Any non-profit organization in the United States or Japan that deals with Japanese studies, the study of the United States, public affairs or the arts may apply. Individuals may not apply for support directly to the Commission except for the Creative Artist Exchange Fellowship Program. Q. When are JUSFC deadlines?
A. August 1 annually for all programs except the Creative Artists Fellowship Program, which has an annual submission deadline of February 1. All hard copy applications must be received at the Commission's office by the close of business 5 PM August 1. Means of delivery are via regular mail, commercial delivery service or messenger. Fax copies will not be accepted. If August 1 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, applications will be accepted until the close of business on the next Monday. Q. How long is the average duration of a project?
A. Projects may range in duration anywhere from a few months to approximately one-and-a-half years. If a project is longer than this, the Commission may approve support for Year One, and in principle for the remaining years, pending successful outcome of Year One of the project. In this case resubmission of a request for support for each successive year will be necessary. Q. What is the amount of the "average" grant? How much can I ask for?
A. There is no meaningful "average" for an award. Rather than asking how much the Commission will support and then building a budget to meet a targeted figure, it is better that an applicant itemize a realistic budget based on the needs of the project as fully described in the project narrative. The Commission's most recent biennial reports are available at its website at www.jusfc.gov. Q. What is overhead, and how much will the Commission support in overhead costs?
A. Most budgets include overhead expenses (also called indirect costs), which allow a project to bear a portion of the administrative costs of the day-to-day operations of an organization. Enter overhead or indirect cost in a budget as one line item after calculating a project's total direct costs. Examples of overhead items may include a percentage of a bookkeeper's salary, rent, electricity, etc. They are costs that are incurred whether or not the project moves forward, and ones that an organization has to pay in any event. The Commission will allow a maximum of fifteen (15) percent in overhead costs. (Note that the Commission does not normally support an institution’s rent as a direct cost.) Q. What budget items does the Commission support?
A. Costs that the Commission will consider are expenses associated with a project including but not necessarily limited to: salary and benefits; travel expenses; direct project administrative costs; dissemination costs; and work-shop or conference expenses. As a general rule, the Commission does not fund hardware or equipment costs. Q. How should I present the budget?
A. Please refer to the Commission's model budget (Download in Excel Format) for the format the Commission prefers. You may download the model budget and edit it to create your own budget or create your own budget making sure to include the information fields in the model budget. Q. How can I find out what my congressional district is?
A. Please consult http://www.house.gov/ Q. How can I get a DUNS Number?
A. Please consult DUNS number information Q. Do I have to use the Commission cover sheet?
A. Yes. The JUSFC coversheet may be printed from this website. Q. What constitutes back-up material, and how many copies are necessary?
A. Back-up material is any information that will give the commissioners a more complete understanding of the nature, background, and costs of the project. One copy of any back-up material is sufficient in hard copy and, where possible, in electronic format. Examples may include: full cvs of principals; information about the organization submitting the proposal; examples of the published results of relevant projects the organization has undertaken in the recent past; letters of endorsement, recommendation or confirmation of participation and funding; tapes, videos, catalogs, slides; news clippings, etc. For conservation purposes, please use double-sided copies where possible and avoid including extraneous pages. Q. Why must hard copies be unbound and hole punched?
A. Staff binds together all proposals received for the commissioners to read at one time. Staples, folders and other means of attachments that have to be torn apart are not acceptable. Proposals may be separated with clips, colored paper, etc. For conservation purposes, please use double-sided copies where possible and avoid including extraneous pages. Q. How many copies should I submit?
A. 25 copies plus the original. This includes the application coversheet, project narrative, budget outline and abbreviated cvs of the principal project participants.