The Archipelago Foundation

The primary purpose of the Archipelago Foundation will be to foster greater knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the cultures and societies of the countries of Southeast Asia, including both mainland and archipelagic states, as well as culturally related communities in other parts of the world. The focus of activities of the organization will be to make grants to not-for-profit organizations, universities, and individuals dedicated to undertaking, promoting or supporting activities, institutional development programs, educational programs, or information programs conducted in or focused on these countries or communities in the fields of:

The Arts

• architecture
• calligraphy and writing traditions
• creative writing
• dance, theatre and other performing arts
• masks and puppetry
• music and musical instruments
• painting, sculpture and other fine arts
• photography and cinematography
• textile, ceramic, woodcarving, and metalworking traditions
• translation of literature and other works

Culture

• conservation and revitalizing of historic sites
• development of archives, libraries, museums and information clearinghouses
• development of parks and botanical and zoological gardens
• digitalization of traditional music and local literature
• documentation of traditional cultures, customs, and art forms
• empowerment of traditional communities
• fostering of entrepreneurship and managerial skills
• preservation of cultural artefacts
• responses to major forces of change, such as computerization, democratization, economic integration, environmental degradation, globalization, growth of biotechnology, growth of telecommunications, growth of tourism, urbanization, and use of the internet
• protection of nature preserves and endangered species
• ritual and devotional traditions
• traditional medicine and healing

History

• ancient history
• archaeology and prehistory
• art history
• economic history
• history of trade
• legal history
• local and oral histories

Science

• anthropology
• demography and migration research
• ecology and environmental sciences
• epidemiology
• ethnology, including ethnobotany and ethnomusicology
• genome documentation
• language, lexicography and linguistics
• life sciences, including biology, botany, ornithology, and primatology
• natural history, including vulcanology
• research on spices and forest products
• urban, regional and spatial planning

Law

• access to justice
• arbitration, mediation and conciliation
• codes of ethics
• documentation of adat law and other forms of customary law
• harmonization of law
• human rights
• intellectual and cultural property law
• lawyers for the arts
• legal research, documentation, and information
• legal aspects of not-for-profit activities
• public access to information
• reform of legal institutions

It is envisaged that the main source of funding for the grants to be made by this organization will be from major American corporations interested in supporting the activities of NGO's in Southeast Asia. It is expected that the organization will withhold a certain percentage of incoming grants to fund its endowment, overhead and ongoing projects. In the future, the organization will also solicit contributions from individuals and other donors. It is expected that the organization will maintain a small secretariat at the SEAsia Studies Center at UCLA.

This new organization will not be a "private foundation" as intended by Section 509 of the Internal Revenue Code, but will rather be a "public charity" that raises funds from the public and then in turn makes grants to non-profit organizations, universities or individuals in the United States, Southeast Asia, or other countries. The organization will put into place rules and procedures to meet the "Expenditure Responsibility" required under Section 4945(h) of the 1986 Code. Before the organization can make grants to individuals, it must have its standards for the awarding of such grants approved by the IRS.

For more information write to:

The Archipelago Foundation, c/o Center for Southeast Asian Studies, 11364 Bunche Hall, UCLA, Box 951487, Los Angeles, California 90095-1487.