Deadline: 15-Apr-22
The U.S. Embassy Tokyo’s Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of U.S.-Japan Baseball Diplomacy.
The year 2022 marks the 150th anniversary of baseball in Japan. The quintessentially American sport was introduced by Horace Wilson in 1872, and subsequently baseball has grown to become Japan’s most popular participatory and spectator sport. More than 600 American players have played in the Japanese Professional Baseball League since its establishment and many Japanese players have had a splash in the American Major Leagues. In 1936, 11 years before Jackie Robinson made a Major League debut, Jimmy Bonner became the first African American professional baseball player in Japan. In 1964, Masanori “Mashi” Murakami became the first Japanese player to play for Major League Baseball (MLB), and Hideo Nomo’s success in the MLB inspired many more Japanese players to play in the MLB, most notably, Ichiro Suzuki. This program aims to highlight the many ways baseball has built bridges and opportunities across the Pacific in the past 150 years, connecting American and Japanese students, players, and audiences through exchanges, games, and events, and ensuring that enthusiasm for baseball lives on for future generations.
The Embassy welcomes proposals that highlight the many contributions baseball has made to the U.S.-Japan relationship over the past 150 years, as well as highlighting the role that Baseball Diplomacy can play in the coming years, through a series of programs that could include symposiums, speaker programs (in-person and/or virtual), photo exhibitions, baseball clinics, and film programs; and the production of a program report to be shared on its institutional website, which will also be shared on the U.S. Embassy website.
Funding Information
- Total available funding: $100,000
- Award amounts: awards may range from a minimum of $25,000 to a maximum of $100,000
- Length of performance period: Up to 24 months
- Number of awards anticipated: 1-3 awards (dependent on amounts)
- Anticipated program start date: No later than October 1, 2022.
Priority Region: Japan
Eligibility Criteria
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
- Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/nongovernmental organizations
- Public and private educational institutions
- Public international organizations and governmental institutions
- Individuals
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Japan.
For more information, visit https://japan2.usembassy.gov/pdfs/nofo-2022-14-baseball-e.pdf