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Keiro’s 2026 Grants Cycle is now open for submissions. Applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. PDT on Friday, August 1, 2025.
This year, Keiro is once again prioritizing programs, services, and projects that focus on enhancing the quality of life for older adults and caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese-speaking community of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties.
Keiro fulfills its mission by supporting culturally-sensitive programs, services, and collaborations that incorporate key elements contributing to a high quality of life for older adults and their caregivers, as listed below:
Health and Wellness:
A person’s health/wellness is defined by their physical, mental, and emotional state of being. Health/wellness includes both the presence, absence and/or risk of disease and symptoms, and the individual’s perception of their health status.
Purpose:
An older adult should have at least one self-defined purpose – something that brings meaning and joy to their life. Purpose can include family and friends, community engagement, hobbies, and spirituality. While it is often revisited throughout one’s lifetime, a lack of purpose can contribute to a decline in wellbeing.
Connectedness:
Humans are inherently social and need engagement through social networks to thrive. Connectedness – whether at an individual, family, or community level – is vital to physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Lack of social connection, including in-person and virtual, has been shown to have significant negative impact on overall health/wellness.
Security:
A sense of security is necessary for older adults to live a healthy and fulfilling life. Security includes financial stability; consistent housing; a reliable social network; and access to high quality, affordable services. A lack of security in even one of the previously listed areas can impede an older adult’s quality of life.
Autonomy:
As older adults age, autonomy and the ability to choose how one wishes to live their life should be maintained as much as possible. Although physical and/or cognitive limitations may make this difficult, lacking even a feeling of autonomy can lead to a decline in quality of life.
Applicants must share information on how at least one of the above elements of quality of life is being enhanced for the community’s older adults and caregivers.
Overview
- Keiro will prioritize:
- Applicant organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $1 million, to support grassroots organizations
- Funding for recurring or periodic programs (versus funding for one-time events) to provide sustained, accessible support to enhance the quality of life of older adults and caregivers
- Up to $350,000 will be distributed during the 2026 cycle. Two tiers of funding are available: Tier 1 (up to $10,000) and Tier 2 ($10,001 to $20,000). Although organizations may apply for more than one grant, funding will be limited to a maximum of $20,000 per organization.
- The grant period is up to 12 months (January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026).
- Grant funds can be used for:
- Program development to design new programs and/or enhance or expand existing programs and services
- Capacity building to help organizations plan, effectively manage, retool systems or methods, and/or build sustainability
- Core operations to maintain provision of high quality, high demand services with demonstrated outcomes and strong participation
- For the 2026 cycle, capital projects will not be funded. Capital projects include facility/building renovations; purchase, lease and/or maintenance of vehicles and related costs; and purchase, lease and/or maintenance of large equipment (including but not limited to stoves, refrigerators, HVAC systems, etc.) and related costs.
Application
The submission period for the 2026 Grants Cycle is now open. All applications must be submitted in English.
Application Deadline: Friday, August 1, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. PDT
Grants Workshops
Keiro will be offering three, one-hour informational online workshops. Two workshops will discuss eligibility requirements, program goals, the application process, and changes to the 2026 Grants Program. One workshop will focus on tools and ideas to conduct needs assessments and to measure the program or project’s impact on participants. Registration is required to attend a workshop.
Overview Workshops: We will review eligibility requirements, program goals, the application process, and changes to the 2026 Grants Program.
- English – Thursday, June 26 | 3:00 p.m.
- Japanese and English – Tuesday, July 1 | 10:00 a.m.
Program Impact Workshop: We will focus on tools and ideas to conduct needs assessments and to measure the program or project’s impact on participants.
- English – Tuesday, July 8 | 11:00 a.m.
Guidelines and FAQ
Please refer to the guidelines and frequently asked questions (FAQ) for more information.
Guidelines:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible organizations must meet one of the following criteria:
- Nonprofit organizations that are tax exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3)
- Community groups without a 501(c) tax exemption that have a 501(c)(3) organization serving as their fiscal sponsor
- Faith-based nonprofit organizations that welcome and serve all members of the community
Eligible proposals must be for programs, services, and projects that:
- Primarily serve older adults and/or caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese-speaking community
- Serve Los Angeles, Orange, and/or Ventura counties
Ineligible Submission Types
Funds will not be granted to the following:
- Programs, services, and projects that are focused outside of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and/or Ventura County
- Organizations with a 501(c) tax exemption other than 501(c)(3). These include, but are not limited to, 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) organizations.
- Organizations with annual operating budgets that are greater than $5 million
- Government agencies and institutions
- Medical research
- Individuals
- Fundraising events
- Endowments
- Political campaigns and/or lobbying
- Grantmaking institutions and/or pass-through grants
Grant Resources
These resources may provide helpful statistics and facts that can assist organizations when applying for Keiro grants:
- US Census/ American Fact Finder
- UCLA California Health Interview Survey (Ask CHIS)
- Healthy City
- Administration on Aging: A Profile of Older Americans 2023
- AARP: Caregiving in the United States 2020
- Our Epidemic of Loneliness & Isolation 2023: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community