U.S. donations to Science Tokyo now eligible for U.S. tax benefits

The Science Tokyo Fund has been working to create a more accessible and supportive environment for overseas donors.
As part of these efforts, we have established a system that allows donations from the United States to be eligible for U.S. tax benefits under certain conditions.

Myriad USA is a public charity based in New York City, established under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
In April 2025, Science Tokyo entered into an American Friends Fund agreement with Myriad USA.
As a result, donations made by U.S. residents to the Science Tokyo Fund through Myriad USA are treated as contributions to a recognized public charity in the United States, making them eligible for U.S. tax benefits.

U.S.-based donors can make a donation through the dedicated Science Tokyo page on Myriad USA’s donation platform.
After deducting a management fee on the cumulative total of contributions, the remaining amount is transferred as a grant to the Science Tokyo Fund.
A receipt for the donation will be issued by Myriad USA.

• Science Tokyo Fund page on Myriad USA platform

Donations through the dedicated Myriad USA platform can be made by credit card, check, or bank transfer.
We also accept in-kind donations, such as securities, however, a separate procedure is required for such contributions.
If you wish to make an in-kind donation, please contact the Community Engagement Division in advance.

In December 2024, Science Tokyo obtained ED (Equivalency Determination) certification from NGOsource in the United States.
Following the certification, Science Tokyo is now listed in the database commonly used by many corporations, foundations, and other organizations across the U.S. when making donations or grants to overseas nonprofits.

ED certification is a system in which a third-party organization certifies that a non-U.S. organization meets standards equivalent to those of a tax-exempt public charity in the United States.

Many U.S. companies and foundations are required to confirm that the recipient organization is “equivalent to a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.” This ensures that the donation qualifies for tax-exempt treatment and is used appropriately.

Typically, conducting this confirmation through individual due diligence for each recipient organization requires considerable time and effort, as well as costs such as legal fees for professional services. These procedures can place a significant administrative load on donor companies and foundations, making it more challenging to complete donations.

However, if an organization has already obtained ED certification in advance, the compliance review on the U.S. side can proceed smoothly, and the procedures are simplified. This helps ease the administrative effort for donor companies and foundations and makes it easier to receive donations from the United States.

• What is Equivalency Determination?

When a U.S. company or foundation offers to make a donation, please inform them that our university has obtained NGOsource’s ED (Equivalency Determination) certification. The donor company or foundation can then request NGOsource to issue Science Tokyo ED certificate.
(Please note: To obtain the ED certification of the recipient organization, the donor must be a member of NGOsource.)

Since NGOsource is not a donation platform, the transfer of the donation funds must be arranged separately. A receipt for the donation will be issued by the Science Tokyo Fund.

The Science Tokyo Fund warmly welcomes donations from around the world, not only from the United States.
As procedures and tax treatment can vary depending on the country and specific circumstances, we will do our best to provide guidance tailored to your situation.
Please feel free to contact the Community Engagement Division to discuss your options.