Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Accepting Applications

Tokyo ― TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) has begun accepting applications today for this year's^*1 Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program, which is designed to support environmental revitalization and conservation activities, both in Japan and overseas, for the purpose of sustainable development.

The program was established in commemoration of TMC's receipt of the Global 500 Award^*2 in 1999 from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and has been implemented every year since 2000, as part of TMC's environmental philanthropic activities.  This year marks the seventh year of its implementation.

The program will support practical projects in the areas of environmental education and environmental technology conducted by NPOs (excluding schools) and other non-profit private groups.  The program has two categories of grants: general grants, with no restriction on the implementation sites or on the grant amount per project, and small-scale grants, with a limit on the grant amount per project and with simpler application procedures (targeting activities in Japan).  In total, approximately 200 million Japanese yen is to be awarded in grants for 2006.

For application guidelines and an overview of 2005 recipients, please see the attached, "Toyota Environmental Activities Grant: Program Summary".

*1 From April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007.
*2 Global 500 Award (1987-2003): Presented by UNEP to recognize the outstanding achievements of individuals and organizations in protecting and improving the environment.  In recognition of its various achievements in environmental protection and improvement, such as being the world's first to mass-produce and sell hybrid vehicles, and for its various corporate philanthropic activities, TMC became, in 1999, the first Japanese corporation to receive the award.

Toyota Environmental Activities Grant: Program Summary

Grant Categories
Basic Theme: "Environmental Technology and Human Resource Development Contributing to Environmental Revitalization and Conservation"

1. General Grants
There is no restriction regarding project implementation site(s) and the limit of the grant amount per project.  This grant targets projects aimed at environmental education activities and experience-based learning, or creating/providing the opportunities for such activities, and projects aimed at the localization of experiment-based environmental technology at the community level.

2. Small-scale Grants
Projects should be implemented in Japan, with the maximum grant amount of two million Japanese yen (approx. 18,000 U.S. dollars) per project.  This grant targets practical, community-based grassroots activities aimed at protecting the local environment.

Grant Period
Up to three years for general grants and up to one year for small-scale grants, beginning in December 2006.

Application Period
From Tuesday, May 30 to Friday, July 7, 2006.  Applications must arrive by July 7, 2006.

Notification of Decision
The Selection Committee, consisting of seven experts from Japan and overseas, will review the applications and select grantees. Applicants will be notified in writing by mid-October 2006.

Contact Information
Inquiries on application procedures and further details about the program should be addressed to:

Toyota Environmental Activities Grant Program Secretariat
MBE Box 363, 2-3-6 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004 JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-3272-1925 Fax: +81-3-3272-1926
E-mail: toyota-ecogrant@mri.co.jp

Detailed information is available online at:
http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environment/ecogrant/(English)
http://www.toyota.co.jp/jp/environment/ecogrant/(Japanese)

*1From April 1 to March 31.