1. Grants
The Sponsored Research Section organized seminars on the funding schemes and application processes of Kakenhi, Leading Graduate School Program, World Premier Institute program, and JST CREST/PRESTO.
There were 89 applications for competitive research grants and 18 of them were accepted.
Large-scale, multi-year funding were awarded to Prof. Doya (Kakanhi in Innovative Areas, Brain Science Research Program) and Prof. Saze (JST PRESTO).
The total amount of external research funding in FY2011 nearly tripled from FY2010 and exceeded 300 million yen. Increased the income from Kakenhi by more than 50％ from previous year to JPY230m. The sponsored research section was handed over to VPR in order to bring this section closer to the main stakeholders in the organization.
2. Donations
Necessary administrative preparations were certified as a Specified Public Service Corporation by MEXT and to utilize the designated donation program operated by the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan were made by consulting with them and ready for submission in April of 2012.
OIST received the generous donation from Mr. Iwao Kakazu and Mr. Tsuyoshi Kakazu in memory of their mother, Mrs. Takako Kakazu, on March 15, 2012,. It was the first donation from individuals to OIST since the establishment of the graduate university. A commemorative plaque has been placed on the wall at the entrance, which will become a “Wall of Honor” recognizing the generosity of individuals and organizations that have contributed to OIST.
OIST employed Marts and Lundy, which is a consulting firm specialized in fundraising by universities, to develop a fundraising strategy. Mr. John Ford, the Chairperson of Marts and Lundy and the previously head of fund raising division of Stanford University, spent a week in March 2012 at OIST working with the executives to discuss about the strategy and gave a report on the fundraising possibilities and the resources needed to succeed. OIST is working with Mr. Ford to finalize the strategy.