FAQs AND DEADLINES

The George and Sakaye Aratani “Community Advancement Research Endowment,” or Aratani C.A.R.E., awards are designed to promote projects that will benefit and advance Japanese American communities.

Projects that strengthen the ties between UCLA faculty, students, and staff and the Japanese American community will receive particular consideration. Non-profit organizations and qualified individuals are invited to apply for awards that average between, but which are not limited to, $1000 to $5000.

The web site and applications will be open by October 04, 2024. The deadline for the year of 2025 Aratani C.A.R.E. awards is December 06, 2024. Award recipients will be announced in January 2025. Projects should be completed within a year or less.

WHAT/WHY:
Aratani Community Advancement Research Endowment awards should benefit and advance the collective interests of the Japanese American community, and strengthen ties between UCLA faculty, staff, students, and alumnae, and the larger JA community.

WHERE:
Awards can pertain to any geographic area or region as long as the project benefits Japanese American and Nikkei communities in the United States.

WHAT:
For the 2025 year of the Aratani C.A.R.E. awards, we hope to provide awards that range, but are not limited to, between $1000 and $5000.

WHO:
Applicants who propose projects that will be of benefit to the Japanese American community, and enhance ties between the Japanese American and UCLA communities, will receive particular consideration.

HOW:
We seek proposals that will have a positive impact on and outcome for the Japanese American community, and that will involve members of the UCLA community who are supportive of JA culture and culture building. This can include events, panels, and symposia on the UCLA campus; (we strongly recommend a campus partner to carry out on-campus events, because we do not have a staff to help awardees organize/run programs.) Beyond that, awards that are well-conceptualized, that have a viable methodology, and a time-frame that can be carried out within a year’s time, will be prioritized. Before awards are given, applicants MUST present appropriate documents; this could include proper insurance coverage; a plan for signed waivers from minors, if necessary; etc.

WHEN:
To begin with, awards will be provided once a year. Applications can be submitted up to December 06, 2024, 8:59PM PST (11:59PM EST), and awardees will be announced by Winter 2025 quarter (January 2025).

POSSIBLE AWARD FOCI.:
Awards will be considered in a wide range of areas, including most of the traditional arts, social sciences, humanities, and planning/policy areas. Possible application topics could entail educational workshops or conferences on or off the UCLA campus but again must demonstrably heighten JA community and UCLA campus ties; data collection on social issues/social needs; forums to promote creative writing; outreach to marginalized sectors of the community; innovative multi-disciplinary collaborations; archives building and organization; digitization of significant collections; publication of brochures or handbooks; projects related to Japanese newcomers; JA women; LGBT issues; leadership and youth development initiatives; etc.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Please ensure that you have all the documentation and information before you start your online application process. ALL requested documentation and information must be submitted during the online application process. For a complete overview of the application guideline requirements, please click here. No partial submissions will be accepted. No physical mail or email submissions will be accepted. No late submissions will be considered.

AWARDS RECEPIENTS:
By applying and submitting your application for the Aratani C.A.R.E. award, you are agreeing to acknowledge both the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the Aratani C.A.R.E. Award as Co-Sponsors of your project in all promotional material, programming, and other documentation. A detailed final expense report, project summary, and project products (e.g., brochures, videos, books, etc.) must be submitted to the Aratani CARE Team by the end of the award period. Award recipients and their projects will be listed in Aratani CARE and UCLA AASC materials.

Do not use any UCLA or Asian American Studies Center logos or graphics when acknowledging the Aratani C.A.R.E. Award.

Please acknowledge using the following text format, “UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the Aratani C.A.R.E. Award“

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS/COMMENTS:
If you have any questions regarding the application process and/or the Aratani C.A.R.E. program, please contact us via email: aratanicare@aasc.ucla.edu