Community Fund

The Community Fund addresses the enduring intergenerational impact that government actions had on the community. The program invests in the future of the Japanese Canadian community by allocating funds to six project streams: community projects, arts, sports, scholarships, infrastructure, and intergenerational wellness. The sets of guidelines for the streams were built from the ground up by the JCLS team with first draft guidelines generated by Walter Quan and Eiko Eby. A national advisory of experts was brought on, including Bill Hatanaka, Art Miki, Maryka Omatsu, Gary Kawaguchi, Nicola Koyanagi, Alex Miki, Kirsten McAllister, George Iwama, Lisa Domae, Jennifer Matsunaga, David Moritsugu, Midi Onodera, Melisa Kamibayashi Staples, Jennifer Hashimoto, Dan Nomura, Naomi Yamamoto, and Jordan Riley. The meticulous work done by all involved in the guidelines development has resulted in a comprehensive set of initiatives that reaches out across the country and offers funding for a wide range of projects.

Community Fund 1, which opened May 1, 2023 and closed July 15, 2024, funded six project streams: Community Projects, Intergenerational Wellness, Scholarships, Arts, Sports, and Infrastructure. Over 1,100 grants have been issued and are in progress across the country. 

Community Fund 2, which opened August 15, 2024 and closed December 9, 2024, funded two final funding streams: Community Projects and Infrastructure. A Legacy Projects category was included in each stream: Legacy Infrastructure Projects, and Legacy Community Projects, with the goal of creating lasting projects that permanently share or create knowledge and help tell the story of the pre-war, wartime, and postwar experiences of Japanese Canadians from BC

Funding Streams

Scholarships

Providing scholarships to Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors pursuing post-secondary education in Canada. Funding for Undergraduate Studies, Vocational and Career Studies, or Graduate Studies at Canadian post-secondary institutions.

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Community Projects

Supporting community-led projects that promote Japanese or Japanese Canadian culture or opportunities for Japanese Canadians to connect with each other and/or their culture or identity. Open to Organizations and groups.

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Infrastructure

Funding building improvements or capital purchases for Japanese Canadian organizations and groups to improve facilities by assisting with renovations, repairs, accessibility upgrades, and/or capital purchases OR assets vital to the organization’s operations.

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Intergenerational Wellness

Funding projects that reflect the intergenerational impact that past government actions had on the community. This stream supports family healing and sharing; intergenerational gatherings, and survivors group wellness projects.

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Sports

Funding Japanese Canadian Descendants who are high-performance and high-level athletes and high-performance coaches by supporting their development and pursuit of sport excellence.

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Arts

Funding for established or emerging Japanese Canadian artists to create and produce finished artistic projects. The primary applicant must be a Japanese Canadian Survivor or Descendant. Collaborations with non-Descendants are accepted.

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Other Community & Culture Programs

Program

National Association of Japanese Canadians

Established in 1947, NAJC is the sole national JC community representative in Canada. We oversee regional member organizations nationwide. NAJC played a pivotal role in securing the Redress Settlement for WWII injustices against JCs, including internment, deportation, and property seizures.

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Program

Community Space in Historic Vancouver

A community space is being planned for the historic Powell Street area of Vancouver, a major site of the prewar Japanese Canadian community. We will have updates over the coming months.

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Team

Community Fund Staff and Advisory & Assessment Teams

Meet the JCLS staff and the Advisory and Assessment Teams behind the Community Fund.

Meet the Team
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Japanese Canadian Legacies are initiatives that honour our elders past and present. We are grateful to be doing this work on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples.