The Toyota Foundation, established in 1974 by Toyota Motor Corporation, is a grant-making foundation. Since its inception, it has provided grants through various frameworks to support ambitious and creative research and projects contributing to the improvement of quality of life, conservation and preservation of the natural environment, enhancement of social welfare, and promotion of educational and cultural activities.

In its grant-making activities, the Foundation currently operates three major programs. Research Grant Program to support foundational research and assists young researchers, Domestic Grant Program to support addressing issues within Japan, International Grant Program to support addressing common issues in Asia, including Japan. The Foundation conducts annual open calls for proposals including the above three programs as well as Special Subjects grant program to address prominent issues in recent years. Special Subjects includes "Creating a New Human Society in Collaboration with Advanced Technology", "Migrants and Japanese Society" and "Population Decline in Japanese Society". Applications are reviewed by selection committees composed of external experts, and grant decisions are made by the Board of Directors."

Furthermore, the Toyota Foundation operates non-open call initiative programs, where it takes the initiative to provide grants, aiming to advance the realization of greater happiness for people.

Additionally, in order to more effectively disseminate the Foundation's activities and the outcomes of its grant activities, efforts are made to enhance publicity activities utilizing publications and the web. This includes issuing newsletters, posting on the website, and timely dissemination of information via social media networks, while also strengthening coordination among various communication channels to improve accessibility to information.