Funding Opportunities for Research on Elderly Welfare Initiatives Announced

The National Council of Elderly Welfare Facilities, located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, is dedicated to addressing various challenges faced by the elderly population. To achieve this, the Council has announced the commencement of funding opportunities for research projects focused on elderly welfare. Grants can go up to 3 million yen, designed to support activities that identify, investigate, and propose solutions to issues concerning elderly care.

This initiative aims to promote the healthy development of elderly welfare and nursing care services across the nation. The council believes that scholarly contributions from faculty members at universities, researchers, and research institutions will play a vital role in this mission.

Research Themes for the Year 9

Applicants can submit their research proposals on one of the following five themes:

1. Strategies to Increase Employment in the Nursing Industry: Research focusing on methods to secure more staffing within the caregiving sector.
2. Evidence-Based Dementia Care: Investigating care practices for users facing severe disabilities, especially in dementia care and end-of-life support.
3. Enhancing Productivity in Caregiving: A study aimed at identifying various ways to improve productivity in care settings.
4. Women's Career Advancement in the Elderly Welfare and Nursing Sector: An exploration into the career paths available to women in this field.
5. Role and Future Vision of Elderly Welfare Facilities in Community Cohesion: Research addressing the future roles of facilities in creating a cohesive community for the elderly.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the funding, proposals must adhere to the following criteria:

- Applicants must belong to either of the following categories:

- Individuals or groups associated with universities, training schools for social workers and caregiving specialists, or research institutions, focused on issues concerning member facilities engaged with elderly care.
- Investigations must target member facilities or be conducted in collaboration with them, known as “collaborative research.”

Specific Guidelines for Proposals

1. Individual researchers can only submit one proposal per year.
2. When conducting collaborative research, a leading researcher must be designated.
3. Any application must be submitted by one unit (e.g., one facility or corporation) and may only propose one project.

Duration of Grants

Funding must be utilized on projects completed by March 31 of the Year 10 or Year 11. However, applying for the second year of research will only be permitted if the data collection and analysis extend over both years. The funding amount typically is up to 1 million yen per project, but projects completed by March 31 of Year 11 could seek a maximum of 3 million yen, with a yearly cap of 1.5 million yen.

Application Period

The application deadline is set for October 30 of Year 8. Submissions will undergo a document review, followed by interviews and presentations from applicants before final decisions are made. Further detailed information is accessible via the National Council’s website.

For inquiries, you can reach the Secretariat at: