Service Grant

What Service Grant does

Service Grant (サービスグラント) is a Certified Specified Non-Profit Organization founded in Japan in 2005 that pioneered the country's professional probono movement. The organization operates two principal program models: a team-based project model in which groups of 3–5 business professionals are matched with NPOs and community organizations for ~3-month structured engagements (orientation, kickoff, mid-term sharing, and outcome-sharing sessions), and the GRANT social participation platform (grant.community), a self-service matching system for individual probono workers. Its product portfolio includes the Probono League (corporate cross-border learning program), Mama Bono (mothers/parents), Youth Probono, Furusato Probono (regional revitalization, in coordination with MAFF), the Social Action Academy (paid 6-month action-learning program), the Social Participation Opener training program, and an NPO Mentoring Program commissioned by the Cabinet Office. Cumulative metrics include 2,000+ probono projects completed since founding, 10,000+ registered probono workers as of January 2026, and 5,643 team-project participants contributing 553,864 hours through September 2024.

Service Grant generates revenue through four streams: corporate fees for the Probono League and related HR/talent development programs, government contracts from prefectures, municipalities, and national ministries (including the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for Furusato Probono and the Cabinet Office for the NPO Mentoring Program), donations from individuals and corporations (the organization is a certified NPO eligible to receive tax-deductible donations), and Social Action Academy tuition fees (165,000 JPY corporate, 99,000 JPY individual, free student slots sponsored by Oracle Japan). Distribution is multi-channel: the GRANT platform serves as a self-serve matching hub, seasonal project launch events in Tokyo and Kansai drive event-led acquisition, direct enterprise sales target corporate HR departments, and government commissioning plus NPO intermediary referrals (e.g., Nippon Foundation Volunteer Center, 全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ) round out the funnel.

Service Grant is headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, with a regional office in Osaka and a new base established in Kyushu at the end of 2025. It serves as the secretariat of the Global Probono Network, a 60-organization, 30-country international coalition. The organization operates without equity ownership, parent company, or external venture capital; governance rests with a representative director (Ikuma Saga) and board. Technology integrations are limited to standard third-party tools (PayPal, Google Pay, Zoom, Canva, Google Sites, LINE, Google Analytics) and there is no disclosed AI/ML capability. Notable corporate partners include Panasonic, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Sumitomo Corporation, SAP Japan, NTT Communications, Mitsubishi Corporation, Ricoh Leasing, and Fukoku Life.

Name

Service Grant

Legal name

認定特定非anorakushu katsudou houjin サービスグラント

Website

https://servicegrant.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Service Grant (サービスグラント) is a Japanese nonprofit founded in 2005 that matches business professionals with NPOs and local governments through team-based probono projects and the GRANT social participation platform, serving individuals, NPOs, 25+ corporate partners, and 40+ government/intermediary organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono / Social Impact Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Workforce Development & Training Grants (Public Health) (HLAJALAM), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Pro bono matching
• Social participation platform
• Corporate volunteer programs
• NPO capacity building
• Regional revitalization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate probono program fees (プロボノリーグ): Companies pay to participate in structured probono programs that serve as cross-border learning and HR development initiatives. Revenue is generated from corporate program fees for the Probono League and related HR/talent development offerings.
2. Government contracts: Service Grant receives public funding and commissioned project fees from prefectures, municipalities, and national government ministries (e.g., Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for ふるさとプロボノ, Cabinet Office for loneliness/prevention programs) to operate regional probono programs.
3. Donations and membership fees: As a certified NPO (認定特定非謀響活動法人), Service Grant accepts donations from individuals and corporations. Donations page is listed as a key section of the website.
4. Social Action Academy fees: The Social Action Academy charges participation fees: corporate slot 165,000 JPY per person, individual slot 99,000 JPY per person, with student slots provided free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Service Grant is a Japanese certified NPO that operates a dual-track pro bono (professional volunteering) matching and project delivery service. For individuals and NPOs/community organizations, it runs structured team-based probono projects (3–5 business professionals supporting an NPO over ~3 months) and operates the GRANT online social participation platform (grant.community) for short-term individual matching. For corporations, it sells the Probono League and Social Action Academy as paid HR/talent development and cross-border learning programs. For prefectures and municipalities, it operates government-commissioned regional pro bono programs.

Product overview

サービスグラントは、日本におけるプロボノ（職業上のスキルや専門知識を活かしたボランティア活動）の草分け的存在として、2005年の活動開始以来、NPO等への支援を行ってきた非営利組織です。「チーム型プロジェクト」と社会参加プラットフォーム「GRANT」を両輪としながら活動しており、累計2,000件以上のプロボノプロジェクトを成功させてきました。個人の方へはプロボノ参加機会の提供、団体の方へは支援サービス、企業の方へは越境学習プログラム、行政・自治体の方へは地域連携支援など、多角的なサービスを提供しています。

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GRANT: Social participation platform connecting pro bono workers with NPOs and community organizations for individual-level project participation.
• プロボノ리그 (Pro Bono League)
• 妈妈ボノ (Mama Bono)
• 후루사토 프로보노 (Furusato Pro Bono)
• 사회적 행동 아카데미 (Social Action Academy)
• YOUTH 프로보노 (Youth Pro Bono)
• 사회 참여 오픈너 (Social Participation Opener)

Products and services

• Team-based Probono Project (チーム型プロジェクト) Structured ~3-month pro bono engagement where a team of 3–5 business professionals supports a single Japanese NPO or community organization on defined operational challenges (marketing research, website creation, workflow design, etc.). Designed for working professionals donating their skills and NPOs that need capacity-building support.
• GRANT (Social Participation Platform / 社会参加プラットフォーム) Online matching platform connecting individual Japanese probono workers with NPO and community organization projects nationwide. Supports worker registration, project browsing, candidate nomination, online project communication, and progress tracking. Enables both team-based and short-term individual engagements.
• Probono League (プロボノリーグ)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ probono projects completed since 2005
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PanasoniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing employee volunteers for probono projects and supporting the probono league program. Panasonic has been a long-standing corporate supporter of Service Grant's programs.
• 三井住友フィナンシャルグループ (Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner whose employees participate in probono programs as part of the company's social contribution and human capital management initiatives.
• 住友商事 (Sumitomo Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner engaged in probono activities, supporting Service Grant's programs through employee participation in team-based projects.
• SAPジャパン (SAP Japan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partner whose employees contribute professional skills through probono projects.
• NTTコミュニケーションズ (NTT Communications)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelecommunications partner providing employee volunteers for probono programs supporting NPOs and regional organizations.
• JTBコミュニケーションデザインcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner in the travel/communication design sector whose employees participate in probono volunteer activities.
• エル・ティー・エス Palette (LTS Palette)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner company whose employees participate in probono programs as part of corporate social contribution activities.
• 三菱商事 (Mitsubishi Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor trading company partner engaged in Service Grant's corporate probono programs.
• フコク生命 (Fukoku Life)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLife insurance company partner whose employees participate in probono, supporting talent development and autonomous employee growth.
• リコーリース (Ricoh Leasing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany that has implemented probono as a cross-border learning program for employees; featured in multiple events and reports as a reference case for human capital management.
• Johnson & Johnson日本法人グループminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare company hosting corporate probono practice study sessions (企業のプロボノ実践勉強会) as part of their probono engagement.
• トヨタ自動車 (Toyota Motor)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive company featured in corporate probono practice study sessions to share their probono program experience.
• 大阪市 (Osaka City Government) / 大阪ええまちプロジェクトcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOsaka city government program managed in collaboration with Service Grant to connect probono volunteers with local community organizations. Long-running regional program spanning multiple fiscal years.
• 神奈川県 / ヨコハマプロボノ (Hamabono)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerYokohama city probono program operated in collaboration with Kanagawa Prefecture. Citywide initiative matching business professionals with local community organizations.
• 兵庫県 (Hyogo Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHyogo Prefecture collaborating on the Civic Link Project (シビック・リンク・プロジェクト) and NPO support programs for regional organizations.
• 東京都 (Tokyo Metropolitan Government)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTokyo Metropolitan Government's programs including 人生100年時代社会参加マッチング事業 and Tokyo Hometown Project (東京ホームタウンプロジェクト) operated in collaboration with Service Grant.
• 長崎県 (Nagasaki Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNagasaki Prefecture's ながさきプロボノチャレンジ program operated with Service Grant support for regional NPO capacity building.
• 山梨県 (Yamanashi Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerYamanashi Prefecture's やまなしプロボノ・チャレンジ project matching business professionals with local NPOs in regional revitalization effort.
• 佐賀県 (Saga Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSaga Prefecture partnered with Service Grant on regional probono programming for local NPO and community support.
• 千葉県 (Chiba Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerChiba Prefecture program for volunteer activity environment improvement and regional community support, including the 了我ま Senior Support Project.
• 東京都つながり創生財団coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Regional Activities Support Foundation collaborating on regional activity support projects including まちのつながり応援事業.
• 渋谷区社会福祉協議会 / 結・しぶやcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShibuya Ward Social Welfare Council's community共生 support center 結・しぶや collaborating on community coordination and social participation programs.
• 公益財団法人日本財団ボランティアセンターcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNippon Foundation Volunteer Center as an intermediary support organization in the probono ecosystem.
• 認定NPO活得法人全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Support Center for Children's Cafeterias as a key partner in the probono support ecosystem.
• 青森具 (Aomori Prefecture)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAomori Prefecture's 青森プロボノチャレンジ program operated with Service Grant, including support for local NPO capacity building since 2018.
• Global Probono NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerService Grant serves as the secretariat for the Global Probono Network, a global network of 60 probono organizations across 30 countries working to promote probono activities worldwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Common Impact: U.S. nonprofit operating a national pro bono matching platform for corporate talent volunteering with nonprofits. Direct comparable on the corporate probono league / skills-based volunteering model.
• Taproot Foundation: U.S.-based nonprofit that pioneered the team-based pro bono model matching business professionals with nonprofits. Closest functional peer to Service Grant's core team-type project offering.
• VolunteerMatch: Online volunteer matching platform connecting individuals with nonprofit opportunities. Directly comparable to Service Grant's GRANT platform functionality.
• Pro Bono Net: U.S. nonprofit supporting pro bono legal and professional service delivery through technology and partnerships. Comparable as a pro bono intermediary enabling cross-sector professional engagement.
• Catchafire: Skills-based volunteering platform that matches professionals to nonprofits for short-term projects. Closest tech-platform peer to Service Grant's GRANT model.

Regional players

• Hands On Tokyo: Japan-based volunteer intermediary operating volunteer matching programs in the Tokyo area. Direct regional peer sharing the same Japanese volunteer infrastructure space.

Broad incumbents

• Points of Light: Large global volunteer service organization with corporate and government programs. Comparable as a broader-scale volunteer infrastructure player overlapping with Service Grant's intermediary role.
• Nippon Foundation Volunteer Center: Major Japanese intermediary support organization for volunteers and NPOs, listed as one of Service Grant's partners. Comparable as a broader-scale national NPO intermediary in Japan.

Emerging players

• BoardSource: U.S. nonprofit focused on nonprofit governance and leadership capacity building. Comparable in mission of building nonprofit organizational capacity, an adjacent slice of Service Grant's team-project work.
• BLP-Network: Japan-based NPO intermediary network that refers community organizations to probono programs. Adjacent Japanese peer operating in the same regional probono ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/helloprobono
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ServiceGrant
• Facebookfacebook.com/servicegrant
• Instagraminstagram.com/doitprobono
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/npo-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Service Grant