TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund

Overview

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund was a grant program operated by the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The fund awarded $150,000 grants to scripted fiction films and series that placed science, mathematics, or technology at the center of their storytelling. TFI partnered with Sloan from the inception of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2002 through 2021, when the Tribeca Film Institute ceased operations.

The fund was one of the most financially substantial grants available to independent fiction filmmakers in the United States. Its combination of major production funding with institutional credibility from both TFI and the Sloan Foundation made it among the most sought-after awards in its category. The program supported writers, filmmakers, and producers from systematically excluded communities, including recipients of the Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize and the Sloan Student Discovery Award.

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund is no longer active. The Tribeca Film Institute ceased operations in 2021. Filmmakers seeking Sloan Foundation support for science-themed fiction films should apply through the active partner programs listed below. This entry remains on the site as a historical reference and as a directory of the active programs that have replaced it.

What It Funded (Historical)

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund awarded grants of $150,000 to selected scripted fiction projects at the development and production stages. In addition to the financial support, selected filmmakers received professional mentorship and access to TFI's network of producers, sales agents, and industry professionals.

The science or technology subject was required to be central to the narrative - not background texture, but the primary dramatic engine of the story. Both feature films and scripted series were eligible. The fund supported projects from early development through to production readiness.

Notable films that received Sloan support through TFI and other Sloan partners include:

• The Imitation Game - the first Sloan-supported film to win an Oscar; received a Sloan post-production award from TFI and a Feature Film Prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival
• Computer Chess (Andrew Bujalski) - received Sloan development funding through TFI; won the Sloan Feature Film Prize at Sundance in 2013
• Robot & Frank - originated as a $20,000 Sloan production grant winner at NYU; opened theatrically in 2012 starring Frank Langella and Susan Sarandon
• Experimenter (Michael Almereyda) - starring Peter Sarsgaard as Stanley Milgram; received three Sloan grants; distributed by Magnolia
• The Man Who Knew Infinity - received Sloan funding via two awards; premiered at TIFF

Active Sloan Foundation Film Programs (2025 to 2026)

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation continues to fund science in storytelling through its network of institutional partners. The Foundation has supported over 850 film projects and helped develop more than 30 feature films. Sloan does not accept unsolicited scripts, treatments, or pitch letters directly. Filmmakers must apply through one of the partner organizations below.

Sundance Institute Science-In-Film Initiative

Sundance has partnered with Sloan since 2003. The initiative includes:

• Sloan Feature Film Prize: A juried prize awarded annually at the Sundance Film Festival to a film with science or technology themes. The 2026 prize went to In The Blink of An Eye (dir. Andrew Stanton, written by Colby Day). The 2025 prize went to Sally (dir. Cristina Costantini).
• Sloan Commissioning Grant: A cash grant to further develop a screenplay with science/technology themes, plus a stipend to hire a science advisor. The 2025 recipient was Brittany Wang for Thin Ice.
• Sloan Development Fellowship: A cash grant for screenwriters developing science-themed projects. The 2025 recipient was Katla Sólnes for Eruption. The 2026 recipient was Daeil Kim for Stem.
• Sloan Episodic Fellowship: Supports science-themed episodic content. The 2025 recipient was Ella Gale for Greenwashers. The 2026 recipients were Sonia Kennebeck and Tetiana Anderson for Speak for the Dead: Excited Delirium.

The 2026 Sundance Sloan winners received a total of $84,000 in cash awards. The Sundance Institute received a $900,000 grant from Sloan in 2025 to support this programming.

SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema

SFFILM has partnered with Sloan since 2015. The program includes:

• Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship: Two $35,000 cash grants annually to filmmakers at the screenwriting phase of development, plus a FilmHouse residency and a science advisor. Open to US-based and international filmmakers. The 2026 application opens February 10, 2026, with a regular deadline of May 8, 2026 ($30 fee) and final deadline of May 22, 2026 ($50 fee). Finalists notified in late September; recipients announced in late October.
• Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund: $10,000 to $20,000 grants to 2 to 4 filmmakers in the earliest stages of writing screenplays inspired by discoveries from the Stories of Science Sourcebook. Runs every other year; resumed in 2025.
• Sloan Science on Screen Award: A $5,000 award presented at the San Francisco International Film Festival. The 2026 recipient was Ildikó Enyedi's Silent Friend, starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Léa Seydoux.

In 2026, SFFILM awarded $115,000 total across all Sloan Science in Cinema programs.

Film Independent Sloan Grants

Film Independent partners with Sloan on multiple programs:

• $20,000 Episodic Lab Grant: For a Sloan-eligible project in the Episodic Lab
• $30,000 Producing Lab Grant: For a Sloan-eligible project in the Fiction Producing Lab
• $20,000 Fast Track Grant: For a Sloan-eligible project in the Fast Track finance market
• $50,000 Sloan Distribution Grant: For a Sloan-eligible project entering its distribution phase. Past recipients include After Yang and Radical.

Eligible projects feature scientific, mathematical, or technological themes, or have a lead character who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician. Science fiction films and documentaries are not eligible for Film Independent's Sloan grants.

Other Sloan Partners

• The Black List: Sloan supports screenplay development through The Black List platform
• Athena Film Festival: Sloan-supported programs for women in film
• Toronto International Film Festival: Sloan-supported development programs
• Six university film schools: AFI, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, NYU Tisch, UCLA, and USC - annual awards in screenwriting and film production, plus a Student Grand Jury Prize

Eligibility (Historical, for Reference)

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund was open to US-based fiction filmmakers and writer-directors working on projects in which science, technology, or mathematics was central to the story. Both emerging and established filmmakers were eligible. Projects were submitted through TFI's application process.

For the active partner programs listed above, eligibility varies by organization. SFFILM's Sloan Fellowship is open to US-based and international filmmakers. Film Independent's Sloan grants require participation in their specific labs or programs. The Sundance Sloan programs require submission through the Sundance Institute's application process. Check each partner's website for current eligibility criteria and deadlines.

Who Should Apply

Fiction filmmakers and writer-directors developing scripted feature films or series in which science, technology, or mathematics drives the plot and characters - not as background, but as the central dramatic subject.

Since the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund is no longer active, filmmakers should direct applications to the active Sloan partner programs:

• Screenwriters in early development: Apply to the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship ($35,000) or the Sundance Sloan Commissioning Grant or Development Fellowship
• Filmmakers in production or post-production: Apply to Film Independent's Sloan grants through their lab programs
• Completed films with science themes: The Sundance Sloan Feature Film Prize is awarded at the festival (submission through Sundance's regular submission process); Film Independent's $50,000 Sloan Distribution Grant supports films entering distribution
• Students at Sloan partner schools: Apply through your school's annual Sloan screenwriting and production awards, and compete for the Student Grand Jury Prize

Filmmakers should consult the Sloan Foundation film program page for the full list of active partners and links to each organization's application portal.

Notable Awards and Recipients

The TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund is administered by the Tribeca Film Institute (now part of the Tribeca Festival organization) in partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The fund supports narrative feature films that explore science and technology themes, providing grants to filmmakers in development, production, or post-production stages. The fund is part of the broader Sloan Foundation film program, which partners with multiple organizations including SFFILM (Sloan Science in Cinema Fellowship, $35,000), Sundance Institute (Sloan Commissioning Grant, Development Fellowship, and Feature Film Prize), Film Independent (Sloan Distribution Grant, $50,000), and partner film schools (Sloan screenwriting and production awards). The Tribeca Festival also hosts the AT&T Untold Stories program, which provides $1.2 million in funding for independent filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Filmmakers should consult the Sloan Foundation film program page for the full list of active partners and links to each organization's application portal.

Who Should Apply

Filmmakers developing narrative feature films with science or technology themes should consider the TFI Sloan Filmmaker Fund alongside other Sloan partner programs. The application pathway depends on the project's stage: screenwriters in early development should apply to the SFFILM Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship ($35,000) or the Sundance Sloan Commissioning Grant or Development Fellowship. Filmmakers in production or post-production should apply to Film Independent's Sloan grants through their lab programs. Completed films with science themes may qualify for the Sundance Sloan Feature Film Prize (awarded at the festival through Sundance's regular submission process) or Film Independent's $50,000 Sloan Distribution Grant for films entering distribution. Students at Sloan partner schools should apply through their school's annual Sloan screenwriting and production awards, and compete for the Student Grand Jury Prize. The Sloan Foundation's film program is the largest private funder of science-themed narrative film in the United States.

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See Also

For the broader Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film Program supporting science-focused films across multiple partner organizations, see the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film Program directory entry. For building a fiction film financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For estimating whether a $35,000 or $50,000 Sloan grant covers your development or production needs, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.