Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Television Program

Overview

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Television Program extends the Foundation's science-in-storytelling mission into scripted television, supporting writers and producers who are developing series, pilots, and limited series in which science, technology, or mathematics is central to the narrative. The program operates through partnerships with television writers rooms, labs, and development organizations, providing grants and professional development support to selected projects.

Like the Foundation's film program, the television track is built on the conviction that science and scientists are underrepresented as dramatic subjects in television -- and that audiences respond well to stories that treat scientific work and scientific thinking as inherently compelling rather than as background texture. Sloan-supported television projects are expected to engage substantively with their scientific subjects while prioritizing drama and character.

What It Funds

The Television Program provides development support for scripted television projects -- pilots, series bibles, and limited series -- in which science, technology, or mathematics is a central story element. Grants are awarded through partner organizations, including television writers labs and development programs. Some partner programs also provide script consultant access and science advisor connections alongside the financial support.

The Foundation does not fund unscripted or reality television. Projects must be scripted fiction in which the scientific subject is integral to the characters and plot rather than incidental.

Eligibility

Eligibility varies by partner program. Most Sloan television grants are administered through established labs and writing programs rather than through direct application to the Foundation. Writers and producers seeking Sloan television support should identify the relevant partner organizations -- which include television-focused labs, writers guilds, and development organizations -- and apply through those channels.

Projects must be scripted television with a genuine science, technology, or mathematics dimension. Broadly speaking, the science must be specific enough that a scientist or engineer would recognize the accuracy of the portrayal.

Who Should Apply

Television writers and writer-producers developing scripted series, pilots, or limited series in which a scientific, technological, or mathematical subject is central to the story and characters. The Sloan Television Program is particularly relevant for writers who have a strong dramatic concept rooted in a specific science or technology field and who want both development support and access to scientific expertise through the Foundation's networks.

See Also

For understanding how television development works from spec to production, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For an overview of the television production process, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator.