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Prospectus and History

The Toyota Foundation is a grant-making foundation established in 1974 by the Toyota Motor Corporation. The Foundation views events from a global perspective as it works to support activities that bring broad, long-term benefits to society. It identifies issues in a wide range of areas in line with the needs of the times, including human and natural environments, social welfare, and education and culture, and provides grants for research and projects that address these issues.

Prospectus

Sakichi Toyoda, the founder in 1926 of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, the original Toyota Company, contributed to the good of society through inventions concerning automatic looms. His son Kiichiro carried on his work by diversifying into automobile manufacturing, thus laying the groundwork for the growth of the Toyota Group.

Toyota's guiding philosophy is to make the automobile an integral and beneficial part of a prosperous society. It puts this philosophy into action both through its normal corporate activities and in other ways which directly benefit society, such as contributing in the construction of facilities for cultural activities, promoting education on transport safety, and working to improve the environment.

This philosophy guided Toyota in its decision to commemorate its fortieth year in the automobile industry by establishing The Toyota Foundation in 1974. The goal of the Foundation is to contribute toward the realization of a more people-oriented society and a resulting increase in human happiness.

The Foundation will view events from a global perspective as it works to support activities for the benefit of society. Its support will be aimed at identifying current problems in the following areas: (1) human and natural environments; (2) social welfare; (3) education and culture. Grants will be provided for research and projects consistent with these interests. Toyota Motor Company, Ltd., and Toyota Motor Sales Company, Ltd., jointly provided the Foundation's original endowment.

The founders hope that as the Foundation works to achieve its objectives it will play an important role in meeting the demands of contemporary society.

September 19, 1974

Eiji Toyoda, President, Toyota Motor Co., Ltd.
Shotaro Kamiya, President, Toyota Motor Sales Co., Ltd.

The Toyota Foundation logo expresses the three areas identified in the prospectus: (1) human and natural environments, (2) social welfare, and (3) education and culture.

History

Oct. 15, 1974	Toyota Foundation established (chartering agency: General Administrative Agency of the Cabinet). Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman and Yujiro Hayashi executive director.
Apr. 1975	Research Grants begin
Apr. 1976	International Grants begin (later became the International Grant Program and Southeast Asian Programs)
Oct. 1978	"Know Our Neighbors" Japan Translation-Publication Program begins (ended in fiscal 2003)
Aug. 1979	Fifth-Anniversary International Workshop on Living Children's Theater held
Oct. 1979	Research Contest on the Theme "Observing the Community Environment" begins (ended in fiscal 1997)
Feb. 1982	Fifth-Anniversary Traveling Symposium on "Cities and Architecture: Western-Style Architecture in Japan during the Meiji, Taisho, and Early Showa Eras (1868-1941)" held
Oct. 1984	Tenth-Anniversary International Symposium on "The Future of Private Grant-Making Foundations" held
Apr. 1986	Activity Documentation Grant Program begins (later developed into the Grant Program for Citizen Activities)
Sep. 1987	Public Symposium on "Thai Art History: Mural paintings and Stone Architecture" held
Dec. 1990	Switched to a chairman-board of directors system. Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman, Soichi Iijima appointed president
Dec. 1993	"Know Our Neighbors" Program wins Special Prize at the Japan Mecenat Awards sponsored by the Association for Corporate Support of the Arts
Sep. 1994	Twentieth-Anniversary Exhibition on "The Maritime Silk Road: Artifacts and Culture of the Champa kingdom" held
Jan. 1995	Twentieth-Anniversary Symposium on "Cultural Issues in the Asia Pacific Region for the 21st Century" held
Apr. 1995	Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) begins
Apr. 1996	Grant Program for Civil Society begins (lasted until fiscal 2003)
Jul. 1998	Exhibition on "A Mysterious World of Ancient Designs: Lacquerware from the Tombs of Hubei, China" cohosted at Tokyo National Museum
Jul. 1998	Tatsuro Toyoda appointed chairman, Shosaburo Kimura appointed president
Apr. 2003	Asian Neighbors Network subprogram begins
Oct. 2003	Advisory Committee on the Toyota Foundation's Vision and Initiative established
Apr. 2004	Grant Program for Community Activities started in place of Grant Program for Civil Society
Apr. 2005	Network Formation Program begins
Aug. 2005	Final Report of the Advisory Committee on the Toyota Foundation's Vision and Initiative ("Searching for the Art of Living Better") released
Mar. 2006	The Toyota Foundation: 30 Years of History published
Mar. 2007	Atsuko Toyama appointed president