The Nippon Foundation of Japan is a grant-making organization that provides financial assistance for activities that they determine can improve the quality of living of people around the world. The Nippon Foundation of Japan's support for deaf education began with supporting deaf or hard-of-hearing students from developing countries to study in the United States. The Foundation's involvement with PEN-International has allowed increased postsecondary educational opportunities for deaf students in their home countries, thus expanding beyond just the "lucky few."