Mizuho USA Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,000,000 (2025)
• Total Awarded Since 2003: $16 million
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $450,000
• Geographic Focus: New York City only
• Application Method: Invitation only (no unsolicited applications)
• Total Assets: $17.1 million (2024)

Contact Details

Mizuho USA Foundation, Inc. 1271 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020-1104

Email: mizuho.usa.foundation@mizuhogroup.com

Website: https://www.mizuhogroup.com/americas/foundation

Overview

Established on January 1, 2003, the Mizuho USA Foundation is the charitable arm of Mizuho Americas, with total assets of $17.1 million and annual grantmaking of approximately $1 million. The Foundation's mission is to strengthen and sustain underserved communities in New York City. In 2023, the Foundation announced a strategic shift in grantmaking to focus on the intersection of technology and education, supporting innovative nonprofits that help underrepresented young adults acquire technical and professional skills necessary to access competitive-wage jobs. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded nearly $16 million in grants for programs addressing economic and societal challenges in New York City. The Foundation aspires for a future where everyone has access to technology skills that can put them on a path toward financial stability and professional achievement.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

FutureReady Grants

• Multi-year support for high-impact initiatives (typically 3 years)
• Grant range: $450,000 over three years
• Focus: Nonprofits developing innovative programs at the intersection of technology and education
• Recent example: Pursuit received $450,000 (2025) for AI Build Corps for Nonprofits; The Marcy Lab School received $450,000 (2024) for data analytics track expansion

Opportunity Grants

• One-year general operating support
• Typical grant: $25,000 per organization
• Total pool: $275,000-$300,000 annually distributed among 10-11 organizations
• Focus: Organizations providing technology skills training and job placement services for young adults
• 2025 Recipients: All Star Code, America On Tech, AnnieCannons, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, COOP Careers, Genesys Works New York City, JobsFirstNYC, Opportunity Network, Tech Unlimited, The Knowledge House, Workforce Professionals Training Institute

Community Involvement Grants

• Small grants to nonprofits where Mizuho employees volunteer
• Typical pool: $130,000-$250,250 annually
• Number of recipients: 16-24 organizations
• Support for Mizuho US offices and employee resource group nonprofit partners

Priority Areas

• Technology Skills Training: Programs that provide underrepresented young adults with technical skills (coding, data analytics, AI, digital literacy)
• Employment Access: Job placement services and career pathway development for competitive-wage technology positions
• Workforce Development: Professional skills training that complements technical education
• Economic Mobility: Programs serving low-income communities and communities of color to increase access to sustainable employment
• Innovation in Education: Alternative-to-college programs and new high-impact initiatives addressing skills gaps

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation has a narrow geographic and programmatic focus:

• Geographic Restriction: Only funds organizations based in New York City
• Programmatic Focus: Only funds organizations working at the intersection of technology and education/workforce development
• Organizations outside these focus areas are not funded

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Liz Ceisler - Chairman/Director

Lesley H. Palmer - President/Director, Managing Director, Head of Community Relations, Corporate Sustainability, and CRA Officer at Mizuho Americas

Leah Markham - Program Officer

John Buchanan - Director

Noriko Ito Ishihara - Director

Koji Mimura - Treasurer

Leadership Perspective

Lesley Palmer has articulated the Foundation's vision: "We are proud to offer signature grant programs that support innovative organizations and initiatives that enable young adults to gain technology skills, discover career pathways, and build the tools needed to secure sustainable employment. By partnering with outstanding nonprofits who are at the intersection of technology and education, we can help put more young adults on a path toward professional achievement and financial stability."

Regarding their multi-year FutureReady grants, Palmer stated: "We are proud to broaden our partnership through not only grant support but also by exploring job opportunities" - indicating the Foundation values deep partnerships that go beyond financial support.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Mizuho USA Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. As of 2026, the Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Grants are awarded through:

• Invitation Process: The Foundation identifies and invites organizations aligned with their strategic priorities
• Employee Connections: Community Involvement Grants support nonprofits where Mizuho employees actively volunteer

Getting on Their Radar

Specific strategies based on the Foundation's documented approach:

1. Employee Volunteer Partnerships: The Foundation's Community Involvement Grants program specifically supports nonprofits where Mizuho employees volunteer. Building relationships with Mizuho employees who might volunteer with your organization could lead to grant opportunities through this program.

2. Technology-Education Sector Visibility: The Foundation identifies organizations working at the intersection of technology and education in New York City. Being recognized as an innovative leader in technology skills training or workforce development for underrepresented young adults in NYC increases visibility.

3. Contact the Program Officer: Leah Markham serves as Program Officer. Organizations with strong alignment to the Foundation's mission can reach out to mizuho.usa.foundation@mizuhogroup.com to introduce their work.

4. Track Record of Impact: The Foundation seeks "innovative and effective nonprofits" with demonstrated success in helping young adults acquire technical and professional skills for competitive-wage jobs. Building a strong track record in this area is essential.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. The Foundation appears to operate on an annual grant cycle, with announcements typically made in early January for the previous year's grants.

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly available as the Foundation operates by invitation only.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - as applications are by invitation only, there is no formal reapplication process for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Since the Foundation operates by invitation only, these factors are based on analysis of funded organizations:

1. Clear Alignment with Technology-Education Focus All recent grantees work specifically at the intersection of technology skills and workforce development. The Foundation has made a strategic commitment to this area since 2023.

2. Serving Underrepresented Young Adults in NYC Recent grants demonstrate a clear preference for programs serving:

• Low-income communities
• Communities of color
• Young adults who "possess the ability and desire to succeed but lack the training that today's workforce requires" (Foundation language)

3. Innovation and Impact FutureReady grantees (Pursuit, The Marcy Lab School) demonstrate innovative program models:

• Pursuit's "AI Build Corps for Nonprofits" represents a cutting-edge approach to AI training
• The Marcy Lab School's alternative-to-college model with data analytics track The Foundation values organizations willing to develop and test new high-impact initiatives

4. Measurable Outcomes in Job Placement All Opportunity Grant recipients explicitly focus on employment outcomes. Programs should demonstrate ability to help participants secure "competitive-wage jobs" in technology.

5. Partnership Potential Beyond Funding Lesley Palmer's comment about "exploring job opportunities" with The Marcy Lab School suggests the Foundation values grantees where Mizuho can provide additional support through hiring partnerships or other engagement.

6. General Operating Support vs. Program-Specific The Opportunity Grants provide general operating support, indicating the Foundation trusts organizations to deploy resources effectively rather than restricting funding to specific projects.

7. Employee Connection for Community Grants For Community Involvement Grants, having active Mizuho employee volunteers is the primary criterion.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Invitation-only process: You cannot submit an unsolicited application; focus on building visibility in NYC's technology-education sector and connecting with Mizuho employees through volunteer partnerships
• Narrow but deep focus: Only NYC-based organizations working at the intersection of technology and education/workforce development are funded; if you don't fit this specific niche, this funder is not appropriate
• Target population matters: Programs must serve underrepresented young adults seeking access to competitive-wage technology jobs
• Innovation is valued: FutureReady grants support organizations willing to develop new, high-impact initiatives rather than scaling existing programs
• Long-term partnership approach: Multi-year FutureReady grants and Palmer's comments about job opportunities suggest the Foundation seeks deep, strategic partnerships rather than transactional relationships
• Employee engagement pathway: The Community Involvement Grants program provides an entry point through Mizuho employee volunteer relationships
• Strong track record required: As an invitation-only funder, they select organizations with demonstrated effectiveness and innovation in their field

References

1. Mizuho USA Foundation Official Website. "Mizuho USA Foundation." Mizuho Americas. https://www.mizuhogroup.com/americas/foundation (Accessed January 2026)

2. Globe Newswire. "Mizuho Americas Announces $1 Million in Grants Through the Mizuho USA Foundation." January 5, 2026. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/01/05/3213170/0/en/Mizuho-Americas-Announces-1-Million-in-Grants-Through-the-Mizuho-USA-Foundation.html

3. Mizuho Americas. "Mizuho USA Foundation's First FutureReady Grant Awarded to The Marcy Lab School." March 14, 2024. https://www.mizuhogroup.com/americas/news/2024/03/mizuho-usa-foundations-first-futureready-grant-awarded-to-the-marcy-lab-school.html

4. Mizuho USA Foundation. "Mizuho USA Foundation Awards $880,000 in Grants in 2023." 2023. https://www.mizuhogroup.com/binaries/content/assets/pdf/americas/foundation/mizuho-usa-foundation-grant-announcement-2023.pdf

5. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Mizuho USA Foundation Inc - Form 990-PF." 2024 tax year filing. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133550008 (Accessed January 2026)

6. Grantmakers.io. "Mizuho USA Foundation Inc. Profile." https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/133550008-mizuho-usa-foundation-inc/ (Accessed January 2026)

7. Mizuho Financial Group. "Foundations and Funds." https://www.mizuhogroup.com/sustainability/social-contributions/foundation (Accessed January 2026)