Film Grants

A short film competition celebrating women directors, offering cash prizes and industry recognition for short films across documentary and fiction categories.

An award from the Austin Film Society honoring the legacy of filmmaker Adan Medrano by supporting Texas Latino filmmakers working on documentary or narrative projects.

Grants for Arab fiction and experimental feature films, administered by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture through an annual open call for Arab directors.

Grants for Arab documentary filmmakers at all stages of production, administered by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture through an annual open call.

Grants for Arab performing arts practitioners -- theater, dance, and performance -- administered by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture through an annual open call.

Public media documentary series co-produced by Black Public Media and WORLD Channel, presenting contemporary stories from the African diaspora for broadcast on PBS and public television.

Production and completion grants from Austin Film Society supporting Texas-based documentary and narrative filmmakers across short and feature-length projects.

Grants and fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation supporting film, television, and stage projects that portray science and technology accurately and engagingly across multiple partner organisations.

Grants and fellowships supporting narrative and documentary feature films that explore science, technology, mathematics, and the lives of scientists as compelling dramatic subjects.

Grants supporting interactive, digital, and new media projects that engage public audiences with science, technology, and mathematics through emerging storytelling formats.

Grants supporting television writers and producers developing scripted series and pilots in which science, technology, or mathematics plays a central dramatic role.

Grants supporting playwrights and theater companies developing new plays in which science, technology, or mathematics is a central dramatic subject.

A film festival and grant program celebrating films made by and about underrepresented communities, with a focus on amplifying stories that rarely reach mainstream screens.

A regional development and co-production initiative supporting documentary and fiction filmmakers from the Western Balkans and Southeastern Europe through pitching, training, and project grants.

A development program supporting directors from underrepresented backgrounds in transitioning into episodic television directing through mentorship and on-set experience.

Competitive grants for US documentary and animation filmmakers at startup and finishing stages, administered through the American Documentary Film Festival.

Annual grant of up to $50,000 for independent American documentary filmmakers, administered through the American Documentary Film Festival in Palm Springs.

Fiscal sponsorship and project support from Artistic Mediation Productions, enabling independent filmmakers to receive tax-deductible donations and foundation grants.

Philadelphia-based grants from the Leeway Foundation supporting women and trans artists whose creative work engages with social change, with awards of up to $15,000.

The first federally registered national apprenticeship program in media arts and creative technology, placing aspiring media professionals in paid, mentored apprenticeships at participating organizations.

A multi-track support program by the Busan International Film Festival funding Asian documentary, post-production, and script development projects.

A $1.2 million film production prize awarded annually at the Tribeca Festival to a diverse filmmaking team pitching an original feature scripted project, with a guaranteed premiere at the following year's festival.

Nine-month documentary development fellowship from BAVC Media providing $10,000 in unrestricted funding, mentorship, and industry access to filmmakers tackling critical social issues.

A joint initiative between the BBC World Service and Sundance Institute supporting nonfiction audio storytellers -- podcast and radio documentary makers -- with funding and broadcast distribution.

National Lottery-funded grants supporting UK documentary and immersive nonfiction projects, administered jointly by the BFI and Doc Society with dedicated strands for emerging and established filmmakers.

A filmmaker incubator supporting low-budget independent narrative and documentary projects from underrepresented creators through mentorship, resources, and community.

Three-month holistic development and fellowship program from Black Public Media helping Black filmmakers develop, pitch, and produce content for public media broadcast.

A community and support organisation for Black women filmmakers, providing grants, mentorship, fiscal sponsorship, and professional development to advance Black women's voices in cinema.

Humanities-focused grants from California Humanities for documentary media productions that explore California's culture, history, and communities.

A California Humanities grant track for emerging documentary filmmakers aged 18 to 35 making humanities-based work about California.

Canada's primary federal audiovisual funding body, providing production and development investment for Canadian television and digital media content including documentary.

A professional apprenticeship program placing emerging casting professionals inside working casting offices to develop skills and industry relationships.

Early-stage development grants for documentary filmmakers, providing seed funding when projects are hardest to finance.

Documentary production and completion grants of $10,000 to $50,000 from CAAM for Asian American films and media projects intended for public television broadcast.

A production accelerator and grant program for Chicago-area filmmakers, providing funding, mentorship, and industry access to advance documentary and narrative projects.

Grants and fellowship programs supporting women and gender-expansive nonfiction filmmakers, including the Research and Development Grant and the (Egg)celerator Lab.

A fellowship lab from Chicken & Egg Pictures supporting gender-expansive filmmakers on their first or second feature documentary, combining grants, mentorship, and professional development over an extended program period.

Grants and a curated resource database supporting artist-parents who need childcare funding to participate in residencies, festivals, labs, and professional development programs.

Grants of $5,000 to $50,000 for emerging and established filmmakers developing or producing independent fiction and nonfiction feature films with an independent spirit.

A filmmaker-run collective and micro-grant program supporting short and feature documentary and narrative films by emerging independent filmmakers with a DIY ethos.

Unrestricted project grants of up to $50,000 for individual artists in the US creating new work across visual arts, performing arts, film, and literature.

The European Union's flagship funding programme for the European audiovisual sector, supporting development, distribution, and promotion of European films and series across member and associated countries.

A Hot Docs documentary fund supporting Canadian filmmakers from historically underrepresented or marginalised communities with grants and professional development access.

Annual short film festival in Salt Lake City screening films supported by Davey Foundation grants, alongside standout shorts from Utah, the US, and internationally.

Blockchain-based film financing platform awarding grants to fiction and documentary filmmakers selected through community review, funded by FAN token holders.

A public media grant program supporting the production of short documentary and nonfiction digital content for online and broadcast distribution by independent filmmakers.

A California program supporting student films that raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention, with cash prizes and statewide exhibition.

The East African Documentary Film Fund, supporting documentary filmmakers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and beyond through grants, training, and distribution.

A development lab from the Sundance Institute supporting documentary directors at early production stage with editorial mentorship, advisor feedback, and industry connections.

The Institute of Documentary Film's online platform and industry hub connecting documentary filmmakers with funds, festivals, markets, and co-production opportunities across Central and Eastern Europe.

Film Independent's development program supporting first- and second-time narrative feature directors through labs, mentorship, and direct access to industry professionals.

Five-month mentorship fellowship for early-career writers from underrepresented communities, administered by PEN America, with stipends and one-on-one mentorship from established authors.

An annual Los Angeles film festival dedicated exclusively to horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action short films directed by women.

An intensive international training program for documentary producers, building development skills and cross-border co-production networks across three residential sessions.

A CBS directing initiative providing women directors with episodic television directing opportunities and mentorship to build credits in scripted drama and comedy.

Post-production grants supporting independent filmmakers in completing documentary and narrative fiction films that are in the final stages before festival submission.

A suite of labs, fellowships, and development programs from Film Independent supporting emerging and mid-career filmmakers across narrative, documentary, and producing tracks.

A five-week intensive lab for directors preparing independent feature films, providing scene workshops with actors and guidance from established creative advisors.

A dual-track lab for nonfiction filmmakers -- a Story Lab for directors and a Producing Lab for producers -- advancing both craft and business skills through professional workshops.

Film Independent's flagship diversity fellowship connecting emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities with mentors, production resources, and industry access.

Production grants for independent film, video, and digital media projects from regional and national arts funding bodies, supporting work across documentary, narrative, and experimental formats.

A micro-grant program from Cucalorus Film Foundation supporting emerging and established North Carolina filmmakers with project grants of $500 to $3,000 for productions with budgets under $1.5 million.

A Miami-based interactive media festival and filmmaker development program supporting emerging artists working in film, virtual reality, and interactive storytelling.

A development lab and grant program from Firelight Media supporting documentary filmmakers of color at the early stages of feature nonfiction projects.

A legal and financial arrangement in which an established nonprofit organization accepts tax-deductible donations on behalf of an independent film project, enabling filmmakers to apply for foundation grants and solicit individual donors.

Grants for independent short and feature filmmakers supporting bold, unconventional work that pushes the boundaries of narrative and documentary cinema.

Grants of up to $5,000 for the completion of LGBTQ+ films across documentary, narrative, experimental, animated, and episodic formats.

Grants from Filmmakers Without Borders supporting narrative, documentary, experimental, and new media projects at any stage of production, open to filmmakers worldwide.

Fellowship sending experienced filmmakers and educators to teach filmmaking, media literacy, and technology skills to students in underserved communities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Grants for independent animators making bold, groundbreaking short films outside a commercial context, administered by GLAS Animation.

A Tribeca Film Institute grant providing finishing funds to independent documentary filmmakers whose work highlights diversity, gender equality, active citizenship, and social and environmental change.

A Canadian documentary fund awarding grants to African documentary projects, with recipients gaining travel support to attend Hot Docs and the Blue Ice Docs Filmmakers Lab.

A Tribeca Film Institute program awarding up to $20,000 in production support to short documentary filmmakers from specific US regions, with distribution mentorship included.

A documentary financing organisation connecting independent filmmakers with investors and a fellowship program for producers, focused on social issue documentaries with the potential to drive change.

Tribeca Film Institute's development lab program pairing emerging filmmakers with mentors and industry professionals to advance documentary and narrative projects.

South Carolina Film Commission grants of $25,000 to $45,000 for narrative short film production, supporting projects that develop South Carolina's production industry and workforce.

Canada's dedicated funding body for Indigenous screen content, supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis storytellers across development, production, marketing, and distribution.

Canadian grants for women, non-binary, and trans filmmakers telling 2SLGBTQ+ stories, providing festival travel grants, post-production support, and professional development funding.

Grant supporting American Muslim filmmakers to tell their own stories and change the narrative around Muslim identity in American film and media.

Research and development funding of up to $15,000 for US producers of color developing single nonfiction documentary programs intended for public media broadcast.

Co-production funding of up to $400,000 for independent nonfiction documentaries intended for broadcast on public television in the United States.

Finishing funds from the Jewish Film Institute for independent films and media projects exploring Jewish history, life, culture, and identity with nuance and complexity.

A Central European documentary grant providing 15,000 to 30,000 EUR to feature documentary and hybrid film projects from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, administered through the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.

A competitive fellowship placing emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds inside late-night television writing rooms for professional experience and mentorship.

A public media content fund from Latino Public Broadcasting supporting documentary and media projects that explore the Latino experience in the United States, with grants for development, production, and post-production.

A $6,500 film completion grant for a woman filmmaker making a film on physical or developmental disability issues, administered by New York Women in Film & Television.

Wave Farm's NYSCA-backed grants of up to $5,000 for New York-based media artists completing or distributing sound and moving image work, covering finishing costs and distribution/exhibition expenses.

Graduate film programs at accredited universities offering MFA degrees in directing, screenwriting, producing, documentary, and cinematography with funding and scholarship opportunities.

Grants of $1,000 to $5,000 for documentary filmmakers in production or post-production making films about adventure, activism, social justice, culture, and the environment.

Grant from The North Face supporting women directors creating films about the outdoors, adventure, and the natural world, aimed at increasing gender parity behind the camera.

Grants and program support for filmmakers committed to producing marketable projects that explore human freedom, administered by the Moving Picture Institute.

Small targeted grants from the International Documentary Association for disabled nonfiction media makers, covering access accommodations that would otherwise go unfunded.

Post-production support from the NFB for independent Canadian filmmakers, reimbursing up to $7,500 for short films and $15,000 for feature films against eligible costs.

Annual national arts competition for US students aged 15-18, awarding cash prizes of $250 to $10,000 across film, video, and ten other artistic disciplines.

Federal grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities supporting documentary films, radio programs, and podcasts that engage general audiences with humanities scholarship.

Live pitching competition at the New Orleans Film Festival offering a $2,000 grant, travel support, and industry feedback to documentary and narrative teams from the American South.

A $25,000 grant from NewFest and Netflix supporting emerging LGBTQ+ directors in the US to create new documentary, narrative, or animated work that amplifies queer stories.

City of New York grant program supporting projects made by, for, or about women across film, media, music, and theatre, administered by NYFA in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.

Fiscal sponsorship from New York Women in Film & Television enabling women-led film and media projects to receive tax-deductible donations and access foundation grants.

Grants from New York Women in Film & Television supporting women directors at various stages of production, with a focus on New York-based projects.

Grants from New York Women in Film & Television supporting the preservation and restoration of films made by women that are at risk of being permanently lost.

A grant and community platform supporting documentary and nonfiction filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds with funding, professional development, and a peer network.

A Film Fatales initiative supporting women directors by connecting them with productions seeking to meet diversity commitments, using documentary projects as a development pathway for underrepresented directing talent.

PBS's long-running documentary strand accepts independently produced nonfiction films for broadcast consideration on American public television.

An Ibero-American co-production and development fund supporting fiction and documentary films across Latin America, Spain, and Portugal since 1997.

A Southeast Asian film fund offering production grants and in-kind post-production support for feature fiction, animation, and documentary films from the region.

A San Francisco-based program supporting queer women of color media artists through filmmaking training, production support, and film festival exhibition.

A residency program in Rockland County, New York, providing film and media artists with time, studio space, and community support to develop new creative work.

A suite of Canadian documentary funds administered through Hot Docs, including the Ted Rogers Fund which awards up to $85,000 annually to Canadian documentary projects.

The largest exhibition of Asian cinema in the western United States, presenting awards and filmmaker support to Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander filmmakers across documentary and narrative formats.

A development and production micro-grant program supporting early-stage short and experimental documentary and fiction projects by emerging filmmakers.

Development funding from Australia's national film agency for documentary projects by Australian filmmakers, supporting research, scripting, and project packaging.

Production funding from Australia's national film agency for Australian feature films, with support up to $750,000 toward production budgets for projects ready to move into production.

Cash grants for independent feature and short film productions, awarded through ScreenCraft's competitive application process to projects with strong scripts and production readiness.

A residential script development program from the Sundance Institute supporting independent screenwriters working on character-driven feature film scripts.

A development and production program supporting independent filmmakers in moving short film projects from completed script through to a finished screen product.

An independent filmmaker crowdfunding and streaming platform that integrates tax-deductible fundraising, distribution, and grant rallies to support independent film projects from development through release.

A $10,000 development fellowship from SFFILM and Catapult Film Fund for emerging documentary filmmakers working on their first or second feature, pairing a cash grant with a two-month FilmHouse residency.

Grants supporting feature-length documentaries in post-production that take a cinematic approach to urgent, underreported stories from around the world.

A fellowship from SFFILM supporting immigrant and first-generation American filmmakers developing documentary or narrative feature projects that explore the American experience through new perspectives.

Grants for narrative and documentary feature films addressing social justice issues in the San Francisco Bay Area, supporting projects at the development and production stages.

A fellowship for filmmakers developing narrative or documentary projects that portray science, technology, or scientists accurately and compellingly for general audiences.

A $25,000 fellowship from SFFILM and Vulcan Productions supporting mid-career documentary filmmakers telling powerful stories about the environment and conservation.

A development and packaging grant from SFFILM and the Westridge Foundation awarding up to $100,000 per cycle to US-based independent narrative feature filmmakers developing screenplays.

A documentary production and post-production grant for Southeast Asian filmmakers, administered by the Singapore International Film Festival and supported by the Tan Ean Kiam Foundation.

Short film production grants for women directors, originally developed by Refinery29, commissioning original short films that redefine storytelling through a female lens.

A fellowship from SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarding $70,000 in cash grants to narrative feature filmmakers whose work explores scientific themes, characters, and discoveries.

Production grants for documentary filmmakers living in or making films about the American South, supported by the MacArthur Foundation and other major funders.

A stand-up comedy development program from NBC identifying and developing emerging comedians from underrepresented backgrounds for television and live performance careers.

Unrestricted grants from the Sundance Institute supporting nonfiction filmmakers globally across development, production, and post-production stages.

Canada's federal feature film funding agency, investing in the development and production of Canadian feature films including theatrical documentaries through the Theatrical Documentary Program.

Grants of $150,000 with mentorship for scripted fiction films and series that feature compelling science, mathematics, or technology themes, awarded by the Tribeca Film Institute with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Grants of up to 10,000 CAD for documentary filmmakers born and living in the Global South -- Africa, Asia, or Latin America -- making films in their language of choice.

A development initiative identifying and championing unproduced screenplays by women writers, connecting scripts with producers and creating industry momentum for women-authored stories.

Grants supporting outreach, engagement, and distribution for social issue documentary films and storytelling projects with the potential to drive meaningful social change.

Grants and screening opportunities supporting women and non-binary directors making short films, presented through the Future of Film is Female initiative.

Free one-to-one development consultancies for documentary filmmakers, offering expert editorial and strategic advice from SDI's team of experienced documentary professionals.

A fellowship program providing screenwriters and nonfiction writers with structured time, community, and support to develop their projects away from the pressures of daily professional life.

A Tribeca and CHANEL partnership supporting emerging women filmmakers with up to $120,000 in grants, a three-day mentorship program, and project development support.

Program supporting emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities with a $15,000 grant, mentorship, and year-round professional development through the Tribeca Film Institute.

Third World Newsreel's fiscal sponsorship program supporting social justice media projects with nonprofit status, advisory assistance, and fundraising infrastructure.

Grants of $25,000 to $150,000 from Vision Maker Media for Native American and Alaska Native documentary and media projects intended for public television broadcast.

Grants from Vision Maker Media supporting Native American and Alaska Native producers in creating public media content about Native peoples for PBS and public broadcasting.

Swiss fund supporting the production and post-production of feature-length fiction and documentary films from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

A research and development grant from Firelight Media supporting mid-career nonfiction storytellers from racially and ethnically underrepresented communities in the US, Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and Colombia.

A production support and mentorship program from Women In Film Los Angeles helping women directors develop their skills and credits through hands-on production experience.

A hands-on short film production initiative from Women in Media providing women cinematographers and crew with real production experience, equipment access, mentorship, and professional networking.

An online film festival showcasing documentary and fiction films by women directors that address human rights, social justice, and women's issues globally.

The IFP/Gotham Writers Workshop supports emerging screenwriters and fiction feature filmmakers through labs, script development, and professional mentorship programs.