Founded in 1979 at the initiative of JCIE, the Asian Community Trust (ACT) was Japan’s first charitable trust based on general fundraising, modeled on community foundations in the United States. It is committed to providing support for grassroots, self-help efforts of nongovernmental organizations involved in sustainable social and economic development across Asia. JCIE served as the executive secretariat of ACT until FY2000, providing programming and administrative support.

In FY2001, the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation (JANIC) became ACT’s new secretariat, and in 2005, it was transferred to the Asian Community Center 21. The grants provided by ACT are made from a general fund and special funds. The general fund accepts donations from any interested individual or organization. Grants are offered in the areas of Rural Development, Environmental Conservation, Education and Youth Development, and Health Care. In addition, grants are provided from special funds, which have been established with contributions of at least ¥10 million and are designated by the donors for specific concerns.

For more information on ACT, please visit their website: