THE SUMITOMO FOUNDATIONFISCAL 2021 GRANT FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH PROJECTSApplication Guide
The Sumitomo Foundation (hereafter “Foundation”) offers this grant program to promote theresolution or improvement of any environmental issue, one of the most critical issues that humankind
faces on the earth in accordance with the following terms and conditions.
Note:
This program may change subject to the condition of novel coronavirus (COVID-19)outbreak.

I. Eligible Research Projects
1. Research Category(1)General Research
Any research project, mainly in the fieldof social sciences, humanities, or naturalscience that is related to environmental
issues.
Notes:⚫ Researches related to earthquake disastersuch as the Great East Japan
Earthquake and to nuclear accidents
such as radioactive contamination arewelcome.

contribution to the realization of socialtransformation
towardSustainable
Development Goals including intergenerational sustainability through theprocess of social restructuring in post
COVID-19 era.
The Grant Program specifically expects
proposals to contribute to realizing asustainable society by identifying
environmental impacts of natural disasterand deteriorating living circumstances ofsocially vulnerable groups caused by theglobal warming as well as by providing
solutions. The Grant Program also
expects
interdisciplinaryandinternational collaborative researchwhich integrate natural science andhuman/social science approaches for thefollowing priority research fields;
conservation of agriculture/fishery andforestry, restoration of marine and land
ecosystems, regional/global scale air
pollutionandmarinepollution,
environmental deterioration and sanitary
problems caused by micro plastic andhazardous chemicals. Sustainable energy
and renewable resource management.
The Grant program also hopes forresearch proposals for compact city
system for new socio-economic schemes,autonomous supply and chain system,transition of our daily living styles andcommunication system.

(2)Special Subject Research
Any research project, the object of whichmatches the research subject designatedby Foundation set forth herein.
Research Subject for this fiscal year
“Interdisciplinary research andinternational collaboration research toinvestigate and solve the growing
environmental problems in a global scaleand environmental problems related withthe social transition in post COVID-19
era”
It is expected that there is a wide rangeof social transition caused by theenormous impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic.
The Grant Program calls forcomprehensive research proposals toinvestigate
newstructures
ofenvironmental problems under the socialtransition in post COVID-19 era and toprovide solutions, while contemplating
the growing environmental problems in aglobal scale. The Grant Program also
expects research proposals to makeNotes:⚫ Regardless of the explanation above, evenbasic or individual researches following
the principle of the Research Subject areacceptable.
⚫ Researches by young researchers are also
eligible regardless of age or job title of the1⚫

⚫

The following expenses are not applicable:-Remuneration for services rendered by theapplicant and/or his/her collaborator(s).
(The term” collaborator(s)” here refers to
any researcher(s) who carry (ies) out the
proposed research in collaboration with theapplicant and be considered co-author(s)when the results of proposed research arepublished.)-Administrative expenses of universities,
colleges, research institutions, or otherorganizations to which the applicant and/orcollaborator(s) belong(s).
-Expenses for procurement of any instrument,
apparatus or equipment for general use suchas PC, Server, Printer, Fax and so on, exceptthe PC which is particularly needed for theproposed research.
II. Outline of this Grant
1. Total budget for fiscal 2021
General Research¥70,000,000
Special Subject Research ¥30,000,000

applicant.
The following projects are not eligible:-Research projects for profit making or
those conceivably conducive to profit
making.
-Contracted research projects for a thirdparty.
-Research projects which have been
already substantially completed.

2. Type of Research
Individual or Joint Research available.
3. Qualifications of Applicant
Anyone who falls under either (1) or (2)described below is qualified to apply.
(1) Regardless of the nationality, anyone who
belongs to a university, a college or a
research institution in Japan with anapproval from an authorized person
representing the affiliation to apply forthis grant program.

2. Grant Amount for Each ProjectGeneral ResearchMax ¥5,000,000
Special Subject ResearchMax¥10,000,000(2) Anyone other than (1) above who has
Japanese nationality or a permission forpermanent residence in Japan.
Notes:⚫ The application forms must be prepared ineither Japanese or English.
⚫ But in the case of English application, onlyPage 1 of the application form must be filledin Japanese. The contact person who is able
to communicate in Japanese both orally andin writing and handle the related applicationmust be indicated in the required column on
Page 1. The contact person should belong to
the same affiliation of the applicant if theapplicant belongs to a university, a college
or a research institution.
⚫ Any applicant who belongs to a university, acollege or a research institution even outside
Japan should also acquire an approval froman authorized person representing theaffiliation to apply for this grant program.
⚫ Anyone who belongs to a profit-making
organization fully or even partially is not
eligible to apply.

3. Number of projects to be selected
General Research
Approx. 50
Special Subject ResearchApprox. 3
4. Duration of Grant
General Research
One (1) year
(November 2021-October 2022)
Special ResearchTwo (2) years(November 2021-October 2023)
Note:⚫ Both may be extended by 2 years maximum
if required with a specific reason during thecourse of the project with Foundation’s priorpermission.
5. Duties of Applicants (as Grantees)(1) The applicant is required to agree on andfollow the provisions stipulated in
Foundation’s standard “Agreement” (but inJapanese form only), once his/her
application for the grant is approved by theBoard of Directors of Foundation.

4. Applicable Expenses
Direct expenses for the proposed researchthat fall under the list of ‘Applicable
Expenses’ on ‘Instruction Sheet for
Application Form.’
Notes:

2

(2) Written reports on research results and ona final accounting of funds spent shall be
submitted to Foundation when the grant
period has expired. The reports on
research results shall be posted on
Foundation’s website.

(2) Fill out the application form (“Page 1”
and “Page2 to 5”) in accordance with theinstruction sheet. The “Page 1” should not
be altered to any other file format as it isa special PDF format where necessary
data can be input to be uploaded byFoundation later.

(3) When a thesis or any similar document is
to be published based on the results ofproposed research, it is required toacknowledge Sumitomo’s grant byclearly mentioning on such publishedmaterial that the research was madepossible by this grant from Foundation.
One set of photocopies of the material
needs to be submitted to Foundation.

(3) Refer to “Q &A (frequently asked)” forfurther assistance.
(4) The “Page 1” should be written in
Japanese only while “Page 2 to 5” can bewritten in either Japanese or English. Butin the case of English, a “Contact Person”
who can fluently speak and write inJapanese is compulsory to fill in.

III. Selection and Approval of Eligible
Projects
1. Selection Process
Applications for this grant will be evaluatedfor selection by the Selection Committee ofFoundation. The Board of Directors ofFoundation, scheduled to meet in October
2021, will give the final approval to theselection of the projects eligible for this grant.
Results of the selection will be notified to theapplicants by letter.

(5) Submit only “Page 1” to the designatedemail address below by attaching to anemail (hereafter “Email Application”).
Do not send “Page2 to 5” at this stage.
-Designated Email Addressfor Email Application:
sumitomofound.kanbosyu2021@xqb.biglobe.ne.jp-Deadline for Email Application:
June 9, 2021

2. Selection Criteria
Selection shall put weight on the following
perspectives;(1) Sociality(2) Feasibility(3) Originality(4) Interdisciplinary(5) Necessity
Notes:⚫ The amount of grant applied for may be
reduced as a result of the evaluation by theSelection Committee.
⚫ Foundation may not reply to any inquiries
regardingthereasonsforselection/rejection of the proposals.

Email Applications should be sent toFoundation on or before the deadline for
Email Applications and be dispatchedpreferably during the daytime in Japan
local time. Email Applications should besent as early as possible to avoid the heavy
congestion anticipated just before thedeadline. Foundation shall get back to theapplicant to acknowledge the receipt of
the Email Application with a Receipt
Number (4 digits) assigned to theapplication after confirming the accuracyof Email Applications by Foundation. Be
sure to fill in the Receipt Number in theupper-right corner of each application
form (Page 1 to 5). Handwriting thenumber after printing out the forms is also
acceptable.
Afterobtaining
theauthorization to apply for this grant
program from your affiliation and signingby the applicant on Page 1, prepare bothan original full set (Page 1 to 5) and aIV. Procedure for Application
1. Documents and Steps
Application forms should be made underWindows PC environment as Foundation’s
application system is based on Windows OS.
(1) Download the application form
(Page 1) from the Foundation’s website.

3duplicate set of photocopies.
(6) The following application documents(hereafter “Postal Application”) shall be
submitted by postal mail to Foundation.
-One original hard copy (Page 1 to 5)
and-One duplicate hard copy (Page 1 to 5)
Notes:⚫ Both original and duplicate Application
forms should be mono-color print andsingle-side copy (dual-side copy is not
acceptable).
⚫ Staple the upper-left corner of the original
application form but as for the duplicate
copy, do not staple or clip, just put in a clear
plastic file folder.
⚫ After submitting the Email Application, if
an amendment is needed, attach the small
tab indicating “Amendment” to whereamended and highlight the data amended
on Page 1 of the original application.
⚫ Indicate “Application for Environmental
Research Grant Enclosed” on the face ofthe envelope.
⚫ Read carefully both this Application Guideand Instruction Sheet before preparing theapplication since any application with adiscrepancy is not acceptable byFoundation.
⚫ As for an application from a foreigncountry, the address can be written in
English or a letter-size application form
may be exceptionally acceptable.
⚫ The application document submitted once
will not be returned to the applicant.
⚫ Hand delivery of the application directly toFoundation by the applicant is notacceptable.
⚫ Since the acknowledgement of Postal
Application will not be made byFoundation, a certified mail or registeredmail is highly recommended.
⚫ The designated email address for the Email
Application will be closed in a certain
period of time after the submission
deadline
describedbelow.
UseFoundation’s regular email address below
in case of need to contact Foundation afterthe closure of the designated email addressfor Email Applications.
⚫ The personal information provided in the⚫

application is to be used strictly for thepurposes of selection as well as notificationof the results to the applicants. Please note,however, that the name of grantees(successful applicants), his/her affiliation,
title, subject of research project and grantamount will be announced to the public indue course.
The new subject for FY2022 Special
Subject Research will be disclosed around
October, 2021.

2. Deadline
Email Applicationmust be received by Foundation on or before
June 9, 2021.
Postal Applicationmust be received by Foundation on or before
June 30, 2021.
Notes:⚫ As described above, 2 steps are needed tocomplete the application.
First: Email Application to obtain Receipt
Number from Foundation.
Second: Postal Application to complete theapplication procedure.
⚫ Postal Applications by means of facsimile
or email are invalid.
V. Where to Apply
Please contact the address below for application
forms prescribed by Foundation or for any
inquiries concerning the application. (The form
both in Japanese and in English can bedownloaded from Foundation’s website in theformat of PDF or Word).

The Sumitomo Foundation1-12-16 Shibadaimon
Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 105－0012
Telephone: 81-3-5473-0161
Facsimile: 81-3-5473-8471
E-mail:sumitomo-found@msj.biglobe.ne.jp
URL:http://www.sumitomo.or.jp/e/4