Grants & Opportunities
A curated list of film and media grants, labs, contests and fellowships - updated weekly
Sundance Institute Grants & Opportunities
Other Grants & Opportunities
2023 Roy W. Dean Summer Film Grant Now Accepting Submissions
DEADLINE: June 30 2023 Roy W. Dean Film Grants fund independent feature films, documentaries, web series, and short films with budgets of $500,000 or less that are unique and make a contribution to society that, without its help, might otherwise never get made.
Academy Nicholl Fellowship
DEADLINE: May 1, 2023 Each year, the Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition awards up to five $35,000 fellowships to amateur screenwriters. To enter, submit a feature length screenplay and entry fee via the online application when the competition is open for submissions. Fellowship winners are invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars, receive individualized Academy member mentorship and are expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during their Fellowship year.
Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund Creators Impacted by Ukraine
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 This year, we have witnessed the unprovoked, violent attacks on Ukraine and the tragic loss of innocent lives. As we see continue to see this tragedy unfold, we believe we have a responsibility to support professional creators during the growing humanitarian crisis and refugee situation in the region. We will now be focusing our Community Fund efforts on providing support to those creators who have been directly impacted by the unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
Adventure Filmmakers Workshop 2023
DEADLINE: July 12 2023 The Adventure Filmmakers Workshop is an exceptional chance for independent and emerging filmmakers to advance their skills under the guidance of two of the world’s premier and proven adventure filmmakers. During a jam-packed 10 days in the fall, participants will hone their craft, strengthen their skills, whilst networking with fellow filmmakers, industry insiders, and decision-makers.
Apply for a Short Film/ VR Festival Travel Grant (UK)
DEADLINE: Rolling We offer grants to help short filmmakers and VR makers travel to international festivals where their work is being screened.
AXS Film Fund
DEADLINE: July 31 2023 Powered by Bertha and with support from our many supporters and partners, AXS Lab, through AXS Film Fund, provides funding to documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators of color living with disabilities. Awards are up to $10,000 each, depending on project need.
Behind the Scenes Grants
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Grants open to entertainment professionals in the US of Canada and their immediate family members who are seriously ill or injured.
BFI x INTERMISSION FILM: Trailer Competition
DEADLINE: June 28 2023 HAVE YOUR SHOT AT CUTTING YOUR OWN TRAILER FOR HORACE OVÉ’S “PRESSURE”. Entrants will submit a 30-90 second trailer for the re-release, after which three shortlisted entrants will be offered free in-house mentoring and training with Intermission’s award-winning editorial and production team to craft and polish their trailer, alongside a bursary of £500. These trailers will then be judged with the winning trailer spearheading the BFI re-release campaign for PRESSURE this coming autumn, ahead of its release on 17th November.
BIPOC Filmmaker Grant Fund
DEADLINE: June 20 2023 This grant is only for Black, Indigenous and all People of Color. Films must include biking as a theme or as a core central element. Recipients will receive grants of $1,500 each.
BLACK ARTISTS GRANT UK
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Black Artists Grant (BAG) offered by Creative Debuts as a no-strings attached financial support to help black artists. Applicants must be based in the UK.
Bloomberg Green Docs
DEADLINE: September 1, 2023 The Bloomberg Green Docs competition is open to all eligible filmmakers who would like to compete to win a $25,000 grand prize for a short climate documentary.
CAAM: Mediamaker Support Opportunities
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Explore all funding and support opportunities offered by the Center for Asian American Media.
CERF+ Emergency Assistance Fund
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 CERF+’s emergency relief grants provide immediate financial assistance to eligible artists working in craft disciplines (such as woodworkers, fiber artists, metalsmiths, glass artists, potters, and furniture makers) after career threatening emergencies. The emergency grants are available to established artists working in craft disciplines including folk and traditional artists.
CID Fiscal Sponsorship and Collaboration
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 CID has been collaborating with independent producers in the creation of independent documentaries for 35 years.
Cinevo Short Film Grant Contest
DEADLINE July 1 2023 The contest not only provides a chance for filmmakers to have their work seen by a wider audience, but it also offers a chance to win rental grants from Cinevo to then use toward producing any project of their choice. The grand prize winner, open to both students and professionals, will receive $8,000. Four runners-up, two from Student and two from Professional categorical submissions, will receive $3,000. Additionally, all the finalists will have their films screened at our open house festival hosted in the fall of 2023.
Claims Conference Emerging Filmmaker Contest
DEADLINE: June 19 2023 Applications are now open for the 2023 Emerging Filmmaker Contest! Recognizing the potential of movies to reach large numbers of people while educating and sparking powerful discussions, the Claims Conference is inviting emerging filmmakers worldwide to make short films about the Holocaust.
Creator Fund from Kickstarter, Creative Capital & Skoll
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 $500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund backing projects by Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx creators on the Kickstarter. Effective immediately, funds will be awarded on an ongoing basis to creators with active projects across all of Kickstarter’s categories.
Crosstown Arts Residency
DEADLINE: July 15 Crosstown Arts offers residencies in an urban setting to visiting and Memphis-based artists working in any creative discipline, including visual and performing artists and curators, musicians, filmmakers, and writers in all genres. Residencies include private studio workspace, lodging (for non-locals), a food stipend and access to Shared Art Making. This program is embedded within a larger arts organization that also programs and operates 6000 square feet of gallery space, a music venue, a 419-seat black-box theater, a maker space, and a bar.
Elevate Collective
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Empowering mid- and upper-level disabled screenwriters with the mentorship, coaching and connections they need to level-up their careers.
Emergency Financial Assistance and Disaster Relief Fund For SAG-AFTRA Members
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The SAG-AFTRA Foundation offers several Emergency Financial Assistance Programs to eligible, dues-paying SAG-AFTRA members who are in urgent financial need due to an unexpected life crisis, such as a natural disaster, accident, health crisis creating a financial burden, loss of work due to an illness, loss of housing due to an eviction, death in the family, or other emergency crisis situations covered under IRS guidelines which pertain to granting tax free monies to individuals.
Emergency Fund for Filmmakers
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The fund supports filmmakers with small grants of EUR 500, EUR 1,000 or EUR 1,500 to be able to assist in covering temporary relocation expenses, legal and administrative fees (visas etc.), to cover initial minor but necessary expenses required during the current situation. Please note that the Emergency Filmmaker Fund is not a film fund - it does not support projects, filmmaking activities or equipment at this time.
Entertainment Community Fund: Social Services and Emergency Financial Assistance
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Our free and confidential social service programs address a wide array of challenges faced by people in performing arts and entertainment. Our professional social workers offer support, counseling and practical help. If you would like to speak with a social worker, please complete our application or contact an office nearest to you.
Film Independent Fiscal Sponsorship
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Fiscal sponsorship is an arrangement between an existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an individual or entity lacking the legal status needed to receive grants from foundations, individual donors and government agencies.
Final Draft Big Break Contest
DEADLINE: June 12 2023 Big Break rewards screenwriters in 11 categories the chance to win up to $80,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to Los Angeles for a series of A-list industry meetings with managers, producers and executives.
Flaherty Fellowship
DEADLINE: March 31, 2023 For the 2023 edition of the Seminar, Queer World-Mending, the Flaherty will welcome an in-person cohort of 25 to 30 fellows to participate in the Seminar program at Skidmore College. The Fellowship strives to provide more intimate opportunities to engage with and reflect on screened work in conversation with the filmmakers, programmers, your cohort, and other seminar participants. You will have the opportunity to share details of your creative, community, or curatorial practice with one another and self-organize spaces for further conversation.
Florida Emerging Filmmakers Fund
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Florida Emerging Filmmakers Fund provides cash in the amount of $1,000 – $2,000 per project to deserving filmmakers needing help for their film projects. In addition to cash, projects selected for the Emerging Filmmakers Fund will receive mentorship from an industry professional throughout the project.
Ford Foundation Just Film
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 We support artist-driven film and new media storytelling projects that explore aspects of inequality, as well as the organizations and networks that support these projects.
Funds for Writers: List of Grants
DEADLINE: Multiple 2023 List of filmmaker grants, fellowships, and other opportunities.
Ghetto Film School Fellow Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 A free, multi-year visual storytelling course for young artists in New York, Los Angeles, and London.
Hollywood Climate Summit
EVENT: June 21 - 24 2023 The Hollywood Climate Summit is an annual multi-day conference that creates a community space for thousands of cross-sector entertainment and media professionals to take action on climate.
IDFA Bertha Documentary Funds
DEADLINE: Multiple 2023 Applications to the IDFA Bertha Fund can be made in a variety of different funding categories. In all categories, the Fund is looking for films that use strong visual treatments to tell compelling stories and have the potential to reach a global audience.
IDFA Bertha Fund
DEADLINE: June 10 2023 IBF Classic offers development and production support to filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Oceania. IBF Europe aims to stimulate the collaboration between independent European producers and producers from the above regions.
IF/THEN X HULU SHORT DOCUMENTARY LAB 2023
DEADLINE: March 21, 2023 IF/Then Shorts, in partnership with Hulu Documentary Films calls short-documentary filmmakers based in North America to take part in the 2023 IF/Then x Hulu Short Documentary Lab. This lab will channel IF/Then and Hulu’s shared vision of creating a new pipeline of diverse talent, incubating strong voices who will be the next class of non-fiction storytellers, and spotlighting creators elevating LGBTQIA+ narratives with their filmmaking prowess.
Impact Partners Development Fund
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Impact Partners is now accepting applications on a rolling basis for its seven-figure development equity fund. Between 4-8 documentary features, series, or projects will be selected a year and given $10,000-$100,000 per project.
Inevitable Foundation: Mid-Career Disabled Screenwriting Fellowship
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Accelerate Fellowship is a year-long program that gives mid-level disabled screenwriters $40,000 in funding, bespoke mentorship, industry connections and community they need to become industry-leading creators.
ITVS Diversity Developement Fund
DEADLINE: June 16 2023 Diversity Development Fund gives directors of color up to $35,000 in research and development funding to develop a documentary for public media. The documentary can be on any subject, viewpoint, or style as long as it is in development or pre-production
Jewish Story Partners Film Fund
DEADLINE: July 14 2023 Jewish Story Partners stimulates and supports the highest caliber independent films that use fresh, nuanced perspectives to tell stories about the diverse spectrum of Jewish experiences, cultures, and encounters. Projects which provide insight into some aspect of Jewish experience—contemporary or historical—with an expansive and inclusive range of what this can mean. Filmmakers need not be Jewish.
Louisiana Film Prize
DEADLINE: July 11 2023 Your film must be no shorter than 5 minutes, be no longer than 15 minutes, and must be filmed in Louisiana to compete. Films that shoot at least 90% of their production in Caddo Parish, Louisiana are eligible for the $50,000 cash grand prize. All other productions filmed elsewhere in Louisiana are eligible for a $25,000 cash grand prize.
Made In NY: PA Training Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The “Made in NY” Production Assistant Training Program is here to help you access your potential in the film and television industry.
Moving Picture Institute Internship Placements
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Since 2006, we have awarded over 200 paid internships. Our interns regularly receive offers of full-time employment from their host companies and go on to work in Hollywood full-time.
Moving Picture Institute Rising Filmmaker Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Moving Picture Institute's Rising Filmmaker Program supports filmmakers who are committed to developing and producing marketable projects about human freedom.
Moving Picture Institute Screenwriting Workshops
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 In these ten-week virtual workshops, participants develop original concepts under the guidance of award-winning screenwriters and develop them into compelling, pro-freedom scripts for short or feature length films. There is an opportunity for scripts developed in these workshops to be acquired for production as an MPI Original Film.
National Academy of Television Scholarships
MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS 2023 The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a professional association dedicated to the advancement of television and related electronic media and best known for its Emmy Awards that recognize excellence in a number of categories with both National and Regional Scholarships.
NEH Media Grant
DEADLINE: August 9 2023 The Media Projects program supports the development, production, and distribution of radio programs, podcasts, documentary films, and documentary film series that engage general audiences with humanities ideas in creative and appealing ways. Projects must be grounded in humanities scholarship and demonstrate an approach that is thoughtful, balanced, and analytical. Media Projects offers two levels of funding: Development and Production.
Netherlands Film Fund for projects made in the Netherlands (EU,Netherlands, EEA or Switzerland productions)
DEADLINE: Multiple 2023 The Netherlands Film Fund supports multiple programs funding films made in the Netherlands by production companies from the EU,Netherlands, EEA or Switzerland.
Osmosis Films: Open Call for Submissions
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Osmosis Films is seeking submissions from filmmakers for projects in development or the early-stages of production for consideration for development funding. Osmosis partners with selected films to assist with creative development, provides production services, and takes projects to market to secure further financing and distribution.
Panavision: New Filmmaker Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Grants for equipment and post services
Parity Pipeline
Ongoing 2023 Through the Parity Pipeline Initiative, Film Fatales connects underrepresented directors with production companies, funding organizations, agencies and other industry programs looking to expand their talent pool. We also reach out directly to grantors and film festival programmers to introduce them to new projects as well as negotiate submission waivers and discounts.
PGA Create: The Documentary Cycle 2023
DEADLINE: June 14 2023 Launched in Fall 2021, PGA Create is a lab for emerging and mid-career creative producers in active development, financing or packaging of a feature or series. A maximum of ten producers or producing teams are invited to each cycle.
Prairie Ronde Artist Residency
DEADLINE: June 15 2023 Prairie Ronde Artist Residency offers artists from a range of disciplines a 5 – 7 week residency in the historic Village of Vicksburg, Michigan. We offer a unique environment for our artists to develop their craft: the 420,000 square foot former Lee Paper Company mill and its adjacent 80 acres of property.
Reel South PBS Documentary Submissions
DEADINE: Rolling 2023 REEL SOUTH reveals the South's proud yet complicated heritage, as told by a diversity of voices and perspectives, through the commission, curation, and distribution of feature-length and short documentaries. Reel South is a PBS documentary series and a platform for and a service to non-fiction filmmakers in the American South working within the region’s tradition of storytelling.
Rideback Rise
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Rideback Rise program identifies an annual cohort of Fellows who are supported financially and creatively to make mainstream film, television, digital and audio content and other innovative projects that advance racial equity through technology and content. Fellows are established writers, filmmakers and creative entrepreneurs from throughout the industry
Roadmap Writers: Diversity Initiative Competition
DEADLINE: 25th of each month 2023 A monthly competition for diverse screenwriters with at least one completed original Feature or TV Pilot who are ready to tackle the marketing aspect of their career. Open to BIPOC, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, womxn over 45, writers with disabilities, and more.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay Competition
DEADLINE: May 31, 2023 The overall grand prize winner in either feature or TV category will recieve $1000 Cash and be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s) who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters.
ScreenCraft Film Fund
DEADLINE: June 20 2023 This unique grant program is designed to help fund your vision. We consider a range of projects, from treatments to standalone screenplays, to fully-packaged projects seeking finishing funds and will choose 1 - 4 projects to fund. Grant amounts will vary up to $30,000 depending on the scale and merit of each project.
SFFILM Documentary Film Fund
DEADLINE: June 30 2023 The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund (DFF) supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach.
Shore Scripts Feature Screenplay Competition
DEADLINE: August 31 Our Feature Contest is geared towards screenwriters looking to gain representation with a manager or agent, sell their screenplay, and get hired on writing assignments. This contest has a proven track record of helping emerging writers achieve their goals of becoming full-time working screenwriters. Writers through our Feature contest have gained representation, and gone on to write for Blumhouse, Netflix, Paramount, Film4, NBC, Hulu, & many others.
Snarky Elephant Incubator
DEADLINE: September 15 2023 *Attention: we are offering 20% off our application fee starting may 1st and ending may 31st in honor of aapi heritage month. Our incubator program has a rolling application with a deadline every September for entrance into the next year's cohort. We are looking for emerging creators in the film industry whose work embodies the principles of our mission. Creators should consider themselves actively looking for ways to expand their networks, grow creatively, and support to advance their projects.
Stochastic Labs Residency
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Stochastic Labs awards fully sponsored residencies to exceptional engineers, artists, scientists, and entrepreneurs from around the world.
Streetlights Production Assistant Training Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Streetlights is a non-profit job training, job placement and career advancement program founded to assist economically and/or socially disadvantaged young minority men and women to create ethnic diversity in commercial, feature and television production.
Telefilm Canada Marketing Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Marketing Program supports the marketing, promotion and distribution of Canadian feature films.
Telefilm Canadian Production Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Production Program finances Canadian feature films at the production or post-production stage.
The Big Break Screenwriting Contest
DEADLINE: July 14 2023 Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest is an annual, international feature film and television screenwriting contest designed to help launch the careers of aspiring writers. Writers who have entered Big Break have had their screenplays optioned, sold, and have secured high-profile representation.
The Filmmaker Assistance Program Canada
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 The Filmmaker Assistance Program (FAP) is designed to help developing independent Canadian filmmakers complete their films/videos by providing technical services and support.
THE KAREN SCHMEER FILM EDITING FELLOWSHIP
OPENS: April 4 2023 OUR MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE THE CAREERS OF AN INCLUSIVE GROUP OF DOCUMENTARY FILM EDITORS THROUGH MENTORSHIP TO HELP THEM GROW AS ARTISTS AND BUILD THEIR COMMUNITY. BY INVESTING IN EDITORS, WE AFFIRM AND STRENGTHEN THE CRITICAL ROLE EDITORS PLAY IN DOCUMENTARY STORYTELLING.
The Made of Truth: BFI Doc Society Short Film Fund (UK)
DEADLINE: June 27 The Made of Truth: BFI Doc Society Short Film Fund invites emerging storytellers from all parts of the UK to share original and adventurous non-fiction stories that respond to the changing world around us.
The New Forest National Park Artist in Residence
DEADLINE: June 16 2023 SPUD and the New Forest National Park Authority are delighted to announce the next round of New Forest residencies, which will consist of six residencies over three years. Artists from all disciplines are invited to submit expressions of interest to undertake a paid residency. We are looking for artists with a clear direction in their personal practice.
The Sir Horace Ové Grant for UK crew
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Sir Horace Ové, the aim of the grant is to help Black and Global Majority people working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema in the UK to access opportunity and navigate barriers to career progression. Grants of up to £500 are available and could cover anything from childcare or travel costs to help you access a career opportunity, to courses to support your professional development.
UK Public Film Funding Opportuties
DEADLINE: Multiple 2023 There are many routes to public film funding in the UK, with tax relief benefits and a wide range of awards and schemes running throughout the year with different agencies.
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group To Launch GreenerLight Program
ONGOING Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) announced it has launched the GreenerLight Program, an initiative focused on embedding sustainability across the entire filmmaking process through development, production and distribution. The initiative was announced by Universal Pictures President Peter Cramer.
Women Make Movies Fiscal Sponsorship Program
DEADLINE: Rolling 2023 Our Fiscal Sponsorship is designed for women filmmakers who are actively fundraising for their film or video project and need 501(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt status.
Worldwide Network of Arts Residencies
DEADLINE: Multiple 2023 Uncover open calls for arts residency applications, and find news, events and residencies
YOUNG FILMMAKERS CONTEST
DEADLINE: June 25 2023 Young Filmmakers Contest submissions, from students in grade 3 up through age 25, are due by midnight, June 25, 2023. All winning films will premiere at a special screening event on September 18, and some will be selected for the One Earth Film Festival in March 2024.