Toyota: Supporting Our Communities

In order to create positive change, we work closely with inspiring environmental organizations. Some of these key partnerships include:

• 

  Toyota TogetherGreen

  Since 2008, our Toyota TogetherGreen partnership with the Audobon Society has cultivated the next generation of environmental leaders, funded innovative conservation projects and encouraged greater environmental awareness across all 50 states.

  Visit Toyota TogetherGreen

• 

  Public Lands Day

  Taking a hands-on approach as the national corporate sponsor for National Public Lands Day, thousands of Toyota volunteers come together to restore, refurbish and rehabilitate public lands ranging from national parks to local forests and beaches.

  Visit Public Lands Day

• 

  Wyland Foundation

  Supporting a resource that supports all of us—that’s the driving force behind the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, a competition in which mayors inspire their citizens to conserve water.

  Visit Wyland Foundation

Fueling the future

How can we ensure that students get their best opportunity to succeed? By supporting critical math & science programs, working with organizations who believe in promoting family literacy, and awarding scholarships to promising students. And through these close partnerships, we can help enrich lives locally while building a better future for all.

A student’s most important destination: graduation day

The road to success begins with education. That’s why we’re battling the school dropout crisis with more than $3 million a year toward youth education with our Diplomas to Degrees (D2D) program. D2D delivers needed funding while engaging our associate volunteers with local Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the U.S. We’ve also partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to support a range of enrichment programs for underserved youth, including before- and after-school programs, mentorships for high-school students and a $1 million college scholarship program.

Visit Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Our education partnerships help us develop enrichment programs that empower students to learn, achieve and succeed. Some of our key partnerships include:

• 

  Toyota USA Foundation

  We’ve endowed a $100 million to enhance the quality of education by supporting innovative programs dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

  Visit Toyota USA Foundation

• 

  Toyota Family Learning

  Featuring 252 centers in 50 cities, Toyota and the National Center for Family Literacy collaborate on an innovative approach to literacy— teaching parents and their children together.

  Visit Toyota Family Learning

• 

  Toyota International Teacher Program

  The Toyota International Teacher Program, developed in partnership with the Institute of International Education, sends U.S. secondary school teachers on two-to-three week environmental study tours in countries around the world.

  Visit Toyota International Teacher Program

• 

  Boys & Girls Club of America

  Toyota provides hands-on fundraising support to generate more than $3 million a year in educational grants and scholarship programs for the Boys & Girls Club of America.

  Visit Boys & Girls Club of America

• 

  LEAF

  The Toyota USA Foundation supports Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future (LEAF), an environmental outreach program that provides paid summer internships for high school students.

  Visit LEAF

Buckle Up for Life: helping families ride safe

When research showed that three out of every four child car seats were being installed incorrectly, we had to respond. Partnering with experts at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, we helped create Buckle Up for Life, a program that educated the entire family on critical behaviors—like always buckling up, and how to install a car seat the right way.

And because of the program’s real results—in one city alone, proper use of child car seats by program participants nearly tripled. Even better, the program has now expanded to cities all across the U.S. That’s a lot of families riding safely.

Visit Buckle Up for Life

Let’s help new drivers become safe drivers

It’s a fact that a teenager’s first year of driving will be one of the most dangerous years of their life.

And it’s also a fact that teens get most of their driving habits, good and bad, from their parents. Which is why we created TeenDrive365TM. With a collection of resources, online tools, safe driving tips, the Mutual Driving Agreement and special teen driver events across the country, it’s our goal to help you achieve yours: guiding your teen through that first critical year behind the wheel, as well as a lifetime of safe driving.

Visit TeenDrive365

Helping mature drivers stay sharp

Making the roads we all share safe for drivers of all ages. It’s why we’re proud sponsors of AARP’s Driver Safety Program, the nation’s first and largest driver safety course designed specifically for drivers age 50 and over.

Every year, thousands of mature drivers participate in the program both online and in classrooms in all 50 states to keep their driving skills sharp and up-to-date and usually are rewarded with a reduced rate on their insurance. And that’s a good thing. Because the better we all drive, the more safe we all are.

Visit AARP Driver Safety Program

Sharing our knowledge to advance safety for all

Advancements in safety research are too important not to share. Along with continually searching for ways to make safe vehicles, we look to apply our safety insights for the benefit of everyone. And a big part of this commitment is our Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC). It’s a state-of-the-art facility that makes our knowledge and our technology readily available to researchers from major universities and safety institutes—and even other companies in the automotive industry. One current focus at CSRC is to find ways we can make cars safe for people at each stage of life—from infants, to teens, to mature drivers. Creating safe cars is a good thing. Creating a safe society, even better.

Visit Collaborative Safety Research Center

Whether we're sharing safe driving techniques or working to reduce distracted driving, our safety partnerships allow us to navigate a safe road ahead. Some of these key organizations include:

• 

  Buckle Up for Life

  Buckle Up for Life's partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center donates child car seats to families and educates them on critical vehicle safety behaviors.

  Visit Buckle Up for Life

• 

  AARP Driver Safety Program

  Our sponsorship of the AARP Driver Safety Program is the nation’s first and largest driver safety course designed specifically for mature drivers.

  Visit AARP Driver Safety Program

• 

  National Safety Council

  We worked with the National Safety Council to create Toyota Driving Expectations to teach teens and parents defensive driving techniques and help them recognize the consequences of distracted driving.

  Visit National Safety Council

• 

  SADD

  Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) – provide students with the best prevention tools possible to deal with the issues of underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, and other destructive decisions.

  Visit SADD

• 

  Discovery Education

  We teamed up with Discovery Education to create Toyota Teen Driver, a comprehensive program designed to help teens avoid distractions and stay safe behind the wheel. Toyota Teen Driver offers a range of tools designed specifically for the people who can have the greatest impact on a teens driving: educators, parents, and the teens themselves.

  Learn More

Connecting process, purpose, and people

Whether it’s optimizing meal production for those in need, organizing volunteers to rebuild hurricane damaged homes or providing vehicles that improve a nonprofit’s day-to-day operations, we’re always looking to help bring out the best in our communities. It’s why we’re proud to have helped unlock the potential of organizations who believe that great things are possible when good ideas are shared.

Social media for social change

100 cars. 100 worthy nonprofits. One goal: to help create the most good, where it’s needed most. With that goal in mind, we’ve looked to our Facebook community help us find nonprofit organizations that could do the most good with a new vehicle.

After an initial call for entries, nominees are given a camera to document their cause and create an online profile to solicit votes. And every day for a 50-day period, the charity that receives the most Facebook votes gets a Toyota to advance their good works even further.

By listening to the philanthropic voices of our social media community, we’re proud to have helped extend the reach and improve the efficiency of nonprofits eager to go places and perform good works throughout the country.

Join 100 Cars for Good

• Toyota Motor North America, Inc. (TMA) (New York)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama, Inc. (TMMAL)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana, Inc. (TMMI)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi, Inc. (TMMMS)
• Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA) (Erlanger, Kentucky)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc. (TMMTX)
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia, Inc. (TMMWV)
• Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS) (California)
• Toyota Technical Center (TTC)
• Toyota USA Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

• How do I know if my organization is eligible to apply for a grant?

  Toyota's national corporate giving program supports charitable non-profit organizations that are recognized by the IRS. We also support State or Municipal Organizations and Public Schools.

  The Toyota USA Foundation is a separate giving program with more restrictive guidelines.

  Toyota and the Toyota USA Foundation do not make grants to the following types of organizations:

  • Those not recognized as charitable organizations by the Internal Revenue Service
  • Those that practice discrimination by race, creed, color, sex, age or national origin
  • Those that serve only their own memberships, such as fraternal organizations, labor organizations or religious groups
  • Athletic/sports teams
  • Political parties or candidates

  We have additional guidelines for the programs or events we will support. The guidelines for our national giving program are here, and guidelines for the Toyota USA Foundation are here. Please review the guideline pages carefully – they are slightly different. If your organization and program meet the guidelines outlined on either page, you can apply for a grant from the link at the bottom of the page.

• Does Toyota award grants to organizations based outside the United States?

  Toyota does not grant to organizations outside the United States.

• What is not funded by Toyota?

  Toyota does not make grants for publications, lobbying activities, advertising, capital campaigns or endowments. Individuals are ineligible to apply.

  Organizations are limited to one grant within a twelve month period.

  Toyota does not make grants to the following types of organizations:

  • Those not recognized as charitable organizations by the Internal Revenue Service

  • Those that practice discrimination by race, creed, color, sex, age or national origin

  • Those that serve only their own memberships, such as fraternal organizations, labor organizations or religious groups

  • Athletic/sports teams

  • Political parties or candidates

• I am raising money for a cause. Am I eligible for a grant?

  Toyota makes grants to organizations directly rather than through individual fundraising activities; therefore, we are unable to fund your effort.

Applying for a grant

• Step by step, how do I apply for a grant?

  We’re glad you are interested in applying for a grant from Toyota. Here is everything you need to know:

  STEP 1:

  Carefully review our eligibility criteria and selection guidelines. This is an essential step in determining whether you should take the time to prepare a grant proposal. The eligibility criteria and selection guidelines are on the Toyota Philanthropy Guidelines page

  STEP 2:

  Prepare and submit your proposal using our online application. You can begin an application here. If this is the first time you have applied to us for a grant, our Grant Application Portal will require that you register your email address. Once you are registered, you can start your application. You can always print your application as you work on it, and you can save it and resume it at a later time.

  Toyota only accepts proposals through our Grant Application Portal. We recommend that you review the application questions and prepare your best description of your proposal in that framework. You can save and print your proposal at any time before or after submitting it to Toyota.

  STEP 3:

  Our automated system will confirm your submitted proposal has been received at Toyota. If you do not receive email confirmation of your submission, you may contact us at ToyotaPhilanthropy@Toyota.com

  STEP 4:

  It can take up to 6 months to review and evaluate a proposal. Please do not contact us by phone or by email to ask about the status of your application. Due to the volume of inquiries, we cannot respond individually to requests for status.

  STEP 5:

  We will advise you by email if your proposal has been approved or declined. If your application is approved, we will follow up with your organization. Due to the volume of inquiries, we cannot respond individually to those not selected for further consideration.

• What information is required when applying for a grant?

  We ask you to identify your organization, and describe your program and your participants. Mandatory information on our application form is annotatedwith a red asterisk (*).

  If a question is not applicable to your organization, mark “Not Applicable” or type “N/A”.

  You can click on the information boxes which help provide specific details and instructions in various text fields.

• Once I start my online grant application, how long do I have to complete it and submit it?

  You can save your application at any time, so you won’t lose your information. You can return and resume your application later the same day, or any time in the following 30 days. We strongly recommend that you complete and submit your application within 30 days of starting it.

• How do I determine which Toyota affiliate should receive my application?

  We determine which affiliate will receive your application, based on the information you provide on the application If a Toyota employee has suggested that you apply for a grant, make sure to enter that person’s name, title, and office location.

• What are the dates and deadlines for grant applications?

  You can refer to deadlines for each of our facilities at the bottom of the How to Apply section. 

  A facility that does not mention a deadline works on a rolling review schedule.

  We do budget funding on an annual basis ending on March 31st of each year, so if your proposal is time-sensitive, we urge you to apply at least 3 months in advance, to allow our staff adequate time to fully consider your application.

• Is my application automatically saved once I create an account?

  Your application is saved whenever you navigate to a new section (tab) on the form, or if you explicitly save the form for later. You will receive a warning prompt if you did not save your work within the hour. A message will appear alerting you and advise how to save your work A session timeout message will also appear if you have not saved your application in over 8 hours. In that case, the information you entered on the current grant page will be lost. The timeout message will give you instructions to log back into the grant portal.

• How do I apply for a grant if I am an existing grantee?

  Navigate to the Toyota Grant Application Portal from the Apply for a Grant page and click the link to submit a grant application. The first time you use our Portal, it will prompt you to enroll. Thereafter, you can book-mark that link, or return to the Portal from our Guidelines page.

• How do I create a user account?

  To create a user account, go to the Apply for a Grant page, and click the link to submit a grant application. Our system will prompt you to enroll with an email address. You should use an email address that is specific to your organization, not your private email.

• How do I access an existing account and/or access an incomplete application that I saved but not yet submitted?

  Navigate to the Toyota Grant Application Portal from the Apply for a Grant page. Click the link to resume a grant application. The Portal will prompt you to log into your account. Once you logged in, you can resume a pending application from the In Progress list, or you can review prior submissions from the Submitted list.

• How do I change existing account information?

  Navigate to our online grant application system from the Apply for a Grant page, and click the link to resume a grant application. The Portal will prompt you to log into your account. Once you logged in, you can change your account information by clicking on the link Change E-Mail/Password at the top of the Portal home page.

• May I send the application directly to a Toyota representative or another contact at Toyota?

  No, Toyota only accepts and reviews applications online.

• Can I mail a copy of my grant request for review?

  Please do not mail any grant requests. Only online applications will be considered.

• I do not know my organization’s Federal Tax ID. How can I find it?

  Your Federal Tax Id, also known as your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a 9 digit number that contains only numbers. Acceptable formats for this number are 123456789 or 12-3456789. Your business office should know your Tax ID.

  For questions concerning your organization’s Tax ID status or the specific 501(c) subsection under which your organization is classified, contact the Internal Revenue Service Call Center at 877-829-5500.

• I have materials I want to submit along with my request for funding. How do I send them?

  There are areas throughout the application where Toyota asks for additional attachments/materials. You can attach your documents in any Office format, or in PDF format.

  Unless a Toyota Representative requests additional materials, you should attach only the documents requested.

• Is there a limit on space for the program overview description?

  No, there are no limits.

I’ve applied for a grant, now what?

• Will I receive acknowledgment that Toyota received my online application?

  Yes, you will receive an email confirmation when you submit the application, and you will receive a second confirmation when the application is transferred to our internal grants system for consideration.

• Should I call to discuss my project concept before submitting my application?

  The Apply for a Grant page provides the information you need to determine if our funding priorities and requirements match your needs. Due to the volume of grant requests, we are unable to respond personally to telephoned, faxed, mailed and emailed queries.

• Can I get a copy of the online application form?

  You will receive a copy of your application before and after you submit your application. You can also print a copy as you are filling out the online application form. Click on the “Printer Friendly Version” link located in the top right hand corner of each application page. You can also log into your account and check under the Submitted Applications section. Select the appropriate application, open it and print.

• When will I be contacted about the status of my application?

  After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation. After an initial review, you may be contacted to provide additional information. Communication will occur via email or letter. After Toyota reviews your application, you will receive notification indicating whether your grant request has been approved or declined. This can take anywhere up to 6 months.

• How should I notify Toyota if my email or mailing address changes after I submit my online application?

  If your email changes, you should revise your account information in the Toyota Grant Application Portal. Click the link below to Resume a Grant Application.

  The Portal will prompt you to log into your account. Once you logged in, you can change your email address by clicking on the link Change E-Mail/Password at the top of the Portal home page.

  If you have an active grant proposal in process, notify us of email or mailing address changes at ToyotaPhilanthropy@toyota.com.

• I mailed a letter to Toyota. Why didn’t I receive a response?

  Due to the volume of requests for donations and sponsorships received, we are unable to respond personally to telephoned, faxed, mailed and emailed inquiries regarding the status of requests.