About Us
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
'Jun. 2010 | Launch of "Vision 2010: Building a Better Future."' |
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'Apr. 2009 | Adapting to the New System Governing Public Interest Corporations' |
'Apr. 2009 | Asian Neighbors Network Program relaunched as Asian Neighbors Program' |
'Oct. 2008 | Commission on the Foundation's Vision organized.' |
'Apr. 2008 | Communication with Society Program and Initiative Program begins' |
'Mar. 2007 | Atsuko Toyama appointed president' |
'Apr. 2005 | Asian Neighbors Network Program begins' |
'Apr. 2004 | Grant Program for Community Activities started in place of Grant Program for Civil Society' |
'Oct. 2003 | Advisory Committee on the Toyota Foundation's Vision and Initiative established' |
'Apr. 2003 | Asian Neighbors Network subprogram begins' |
'Jul. 1998 | Tatsuro Toyoda appointed chairman, Shosaburo Kimura appointed president' |
'Jul. 1998 | Exhibition on "A Mysterious World of Ancient Designs: Lacquerware from the Tombs of Hubei, China" cohosted at Tokyo National Museum' |
'Apr. 1996 | Grant Program for Civil Society begins (ended fiscal 2003)' |
'Apr. 1995 | Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) begins' |
'Jan. 1995 | Twentieth-Anniversary Symposium on "Cultural Issues in the Asia Pacific Region for the 21st Century" held' |
'Sep. 1994 | Twentieth-Anniversary Exhibition on "The Maritime Silk Road: Artifacts and Culture of the Champa kingdom" held' |
'Dec. 1993 | "Know Our Neighbors" Program wins Special Prize at the Japan Mecenat Awards sponsored by the Association for Corporate Support of the Arts' |
'Dec. 1990 | Switched to a chairman-board of directors system. Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman, Soichi Iijima appointed president' |
'Apr. 1988 | Grant Program for Citizen Activities begins (later developed into the Grant Program for Civil Society)' |
'Sep. 1987 | Public Symposium on "Thai Art History: Mural paintings and Stone Architecture" held' |
'Oct. 1984 | Tenth-Anniversary International Symposium on "The Future of Private Grant-Making Foundations" held' |
'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. 1979 | Research Contest on the Theme "Observing the Community Environment" begins (ended fiscal 1997)' |
'Aug. 1979 | Fifth-Anniversary International Workshop on Living Children's Theater held' |
'Oct. 1978 | "Know Our Neighbors" Japan Translation-Publication Program begins (ended fiscal 2003)' |
'Apr. 1976 | International Grants begin (later became the International Grant Program and Southeast Asian National Research Program (ended fiscal 2004)' |
'Apr. 1975 | Research Grants begin' |
'Oct. 15, 1974 | Toyota Foundation established (chartering agency: General Administrative Agency of the Cabinet). Eiji Toyoda appointed chairman and Yujiro Hayashi executive director.' |