Overview
The Chicago Media Project (CMP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 by Steve Cohen and Paula Froehle to fund and produce social impact documentary films. Based at 301 West Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654, CMP operates the Shifting Voices Film Fund (SVFF), the first national grant program out of Chicago dedicated to supporting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) documentary filmmakers. The fund is co-presented with Mezcla Media Collective and seeded by the Chicago Community Trust.
CMP's flagship grant program awards a top prize of $50,000 to one filmmaker at the Great Chicago Pitch event, held during the annual Doc10 documentary film festival. Five remaining finalists each receive $5,000. In the inaugural 2022 cycle, the Great Chicago Pitch raised over $100,000 in the room for six finalist films, with 110+ proposals received and 12 semi-finalists selected for a 16-week workshop program covering fundraising, budget creation, proposal writing, and pitch preparation.
CMP-supported films have won every major documentary award including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature (Icarus, 2018), Emmys, and Peabodys. The organization has supported 30+ films and awarded $3 million to film projects since its founding. For fiscal year 2024, CMP reported total revenue of $864,819 and total assets of $335,703. If you are a BIPOC documentary filmmaker with a feature-length project in any stage of production, the Shifting Voices Film Fund is one of the few national grant programs explicitly designed to fund underrepresented nonfiction voices. Visit the CMP website for current cycle information.
Shifting Voices Film Fund
The Shifting Voices Film Fund is CMP's primary grant program. It supports documentary feature-length films (over 40 minutes) by BIPOC filmmakers across the United States. The fund accepts projects at all stages of production, from development through post-production.
Grant structure:
- Top grant: $50,000, awarded by a jury at the Great Chicago Pitch event
- Finalist grants: $5,000 each to the remaining five finalists
- Semi-finalist support: Access to workshops, panels, and industry resources throughout a 16-week program
- Audience pledges: Additional funding raised directly from Great Chicago Pitch audience members (over $100,000 in the 2022 cycle alone)
The 2022 inaugural cycle received 110+ proposals. Twelve semi-finalists were selected and given access to workshops with industry experts on topics including budget creation, proposal writing, and pitch preparation. Six finalists were selected to present at the Great Chicago Pitch, where Jennifer Huang won the top $50,000 grant for her film The Long Rescue.
The 2023 cycle followed a similar structure, with submissions closing January 31, 2023, 12 semi-finalists selected in February, and six finalists selected in March to present at the 8th Doc10 festival in May 2023.
The most recent cycle had a deadline of February 14, 2025, with grant funding anticipated to be delivered throughout 2025.
Eligibility
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Filmmaker identity | BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) filmmakers from underrepresented communities |
| Geography | United States only. International co-productions are eligible if the applicant (director and/or producer) is a US citizen or resides in the US and is a "US Person" with a valid tax ID |
| Film format | Documentary feature-length films (over 40 minutes). Narratives, broadcasts, and web series are not eligible |
| Production stage | All stages accepted, including development, production, and post-production. Films with principal research and development completed are especially encouraged. Films nearing the end of production will be considered but must have production expenses remaining |
| Story focus | Stories that spotlight historically excluded cultures, histories, and experiences in America. Special attention is paid to Chicago-based films and filmmakers |
| Submissions per applicant | One project per applicant |
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through the CMP website at wearecmp.org. The application requires:
- Project description: A proposal outlining the film, its story, and its social impact goals
- Work sample: 5 minutes suggested (minimum 2 minutes). Only the first 5 minutes of longer samples will be reviewed. The sample can be a scene, string-out of scenes, interview, or rough cut. Audio must be audible
- Budget: Using the provided budget template. In-kind contributions (rental space, gear, services) should be included and marked as in-kind. CMP explicitly warns against the common mistake of not paying yourself or key personnel in the budget
- Video or audio responses: The application accepts video and audio responses to questions for accessibility. Video quality is not part of judging. Jurors review up to 3 minutes of audio or video clips per question
CMP offers a free virtual workshop, "Perfecting Your Grant Application," covering building realistic and equitable budgets and writing effective grant proposals. Applicants can email info@wearecmp.org with specific questions before applying.
Doc10 Film Festival
CMP produces Doc10, an annual documentary film festival in Chicago that has become known as a nonfiction film's first step on the road to awards. The Great Chicago Pitch is held during Doc10, where SVFF finalists present their projects to a jury including accomplished filmmakers and industry experts. Past jurors have included Rupeshi Shah of Cinetic Media, Brandon Harrison of Words+Pictures, and Senior Features Programmer at DocNYC, Elena Fortes.
Audience members at the Great Chicago Pitch can pledge additional funding directly to projects of their choosing, making the event a hybrid grant and crowdfunding mechanism.
CMP-Supported Films
CMP has supported films that have achieved significant distribution and award recognition:
- Icarus (2017): Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. CMP provided one-third of the film's funding
- Crip Camp (2020): Supported through CMP's impact campaign infrastructure
- The Infiltrators (2019): Premiered at Sundance, screened at Doc10
- All In: The Fight for Democracy (2020): CMP funded the impact campaign, distributed by Amazon Studios
CMP has also funded emergency relief programs for documentary filmmakers, including the AmDoc Emergency Fund, the COVID-19 Artists Emergency Fund, and AmDoc's Mental Health Emergency Relief Fund for BIPOC artists.
Financial Profile
CMP's grant activity totals $5,459,335 across 135 grants from 56 funders over its history. Recent financial data from IRS filings:
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $335,703 | $864,819 | $771,241 |
| 2023 | $249,290 | $1,572,648 | $1,321,172 |
| 2022 | $318,376 | $703,723 | $1,221,034 |
| 2021 | $1,188,994 | $927,498 | $833,572 |
Key funders include the John Templeton Foundation ($560,154 in 2021), Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund ($300,000 in 2021), and the Chicago Community Trust ($255,000 in 2021, $75,000 in 2023 for the Shifting Voices Film Fund).
What Filmmakers Should Know
For BIPOC documentary filmmakers: The Shifting Voices Film Fund is one of the few national grant programs explicitly restricted to BIPOC creators. The $50,000 top grant is substantial for documentary production, and the $5,000 finalist grants provide meaningful support even if you do not win the top prize. The 16-week workshop program for semi-finalists is itself a valuable resource, covering practical skills like budget creation and pitch preparation with industry professionals.
For Chicago-based filmmakers: CMP gives special attention to Chicago-based films and filmmakers. At least one Chicago filmmaker is guaranteed a finalist slot in each cycle. The Doc10 festival provides a local exhibition platform, and CMP's network connects Chicago filmmakers to national funders and distributors.
For budget planning: CMP grants are non-recoupable. They can serve as anchor funding that attracts additional investment. The fund explicitly requires that you pay yourself and your key personnel in the budget, not defer all compensation. Use the Indie Film Budget Calculator to model your production budget and identify where a CMP grant fits in your financing structure.
For international co-productions: You are eligible only if the director or producer is a US citizen or US Person with a valid tax ID. The film itself can be an international co-production, but the applicant must meet the US person requirement.
See Also
For documentary production planning, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For documentary distribution strategies, see Distribution Deals Explained. For another major documentary funder, see Sundance Institute in this directory. For the Sundance Documentary Fund, see Sundance Documentary Fund in this directory.
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