Making movies requires money, and it can be tricky to find that funding. Summer is a good time to go for grants to help with the funding of upcoming projects. With June drawing to a close, we compiled a master list of all grants open in July and August.
JULY
FAP – Filmmaker Assistance Program: Deadline Varies by Region
This program is put on by the National Film Board. It’s designed to help indie filmmakers by providing tech support and services.
Requirements
- Canadian citizenship or immigration to Canada.
- Projects must fall within the NFB’s guidelines around cultural and social objectives.
- Innovation and originality in style and content.
- The film must showcase an underrepresented point of view.
Money: Up to $5,000
Production Finance Market: July 3
PFM is a two-day event in London designed to help filmmakers make business connections.
Requirements
- International or European film projects with a budget under €1m.
Money: Possibly over €1m depending on the type of film project.
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Fund for Canadian Filmmakers: July 5
This funds three or four projects a year depending on the quality of the applicants. Previous winners can re-apply.
Requirements
- Applicants must be a Canadian-controlled program with no license to any other Canadian network or program.
- Must have previously produced a documentary or fiction film/series released in Canada.
- Must be in good standing with Hot Docs.
- The project must be majority owned by the applicant.
- Must have a commitment from a market partner Hot Docs deems eligible.
- Must not be a series.
- Must have a run-time of at least one hour.
- Must be suitable for theatrical release or broadcast to Canadian audiences.
Money: $35,000 to each project chosen.
Points North Fellowship: July 12
Six applicants will be chosen to get help with the development of a feature-length doc through funding, focused mentorship, workshops, industry meetings and a public pitch session at the Camden International Film Festival.
Requirements
- Must meet guidelines established by IDA’s Documentary Core Application Project.
Money: Unspecified.
MountainFilm Commitment Grant: July 12
Eligible to filmmakers, photographers, artists, and adventurers as long as their projects are made to call audiences to action on issues.
Requirements
- Applicants must be creating work that can be presented in a theater, gallery, television, and/or online.
- Projects must have an effect on specific issues.
- Projects must be able to be completed fully.
Money: $5,000
Short-Form Editing Residency: July 12
This residency lasts from Septemeber 10th-17th on the coast of Maine and provides guidance and mentorship to filmmakers working on a short film or episodic doc. Opportunity includes a stipend for travel, all access passes to the Camden International Film Festival and Points North Forum, and meetings with funders and distributors at CIFF.
Requirments
- Must be an independent nonfiction filmmaker or multimedia journalist.
Money: $1,000
World Cinema Fund: July 17
Organized in partnership by the Federal Foundation for Culture, the Goethe Institute, the Foreign Ministry, and other German producers. This fund’s mission is to develop and support film work in regions with weak film infrastructure.
Requirements
- The project must be produced and/or distributed in Latin America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caucasus, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, or Sri Lanka.
Money: Unspecified
Rocliffe Children’s Media Script Competition: July 18
This is one of four competitions put on by Rocliffe throughout the year. Winners receive a showcase at BAFTA’s London headquarters, industry introductions, access to masterclasses, a screenplay script report, a featured spot on the Forum List and a tailored career planning and profiled building session. There is an entry fee.
Money: Unspecified
Hubert Bals Fund: July 28
Open to filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe. Since it’s creation in 1989, it has helped more than 1,000 projects and has an 8% project completion rate.
Requirements
- Must be from one of the countries mentioned above.
- Other requirements vary depending on the facet of the project.
Money: Varies based on project need.
Southern Documentary Fund: July 31
The SDF is for documentaries that are either made in or made about North Carolina.
Requirements
- Must have a US Social Security Number.
- Must be 18 or older.
- Must live, work, or have a story that takes place in North Carolina.
- The project must be a documentary that is at least 26 minutes long.
- Must own the copyright to your production.
- Must have editorial and budgetary control over the project.
- Applicants cannot be enrolled in film school.
Money: $1,000-$5,000
AUGUST
Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund: August 1
12 documentaries that reflect the work of the fund’s namesake, Pare Lorentz will be selected.
Requirements
- Must be 18 or older.
- Must be a producer and/or director of the submitted work.
- Must be an independent filmmaker working on an original project.
- The project must address an issue in the US that focuses on one of Lorentz’s central concerns.
- The project must be in post-production.
- Must have at least one key-above-the-line credit on another documentary.
- Applicants cannot be enrolled in film school
- The project must be at least 40 minutes long.
Money: $15,000-$25,000
Visions Sud Est: August 3
This Swiss fund supports film productions from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Winners are guaranteed distribution in Switzerland.
Requirements
- Must start shooting within 18 months of being awarded the fund.
Money: 10,000 Swiss Francs – 50,000 Swiss Francs
IF/Then Short Documentary Program: August 4
The Tribeca Film Institute is partnering with the New Orleans Film Society to put on a new program to promote inclusive voices in short filmmaking. Six films will be picked for a pitch competition at the New Orleans Film Festival in October. That winner will receive support from IF/Then and ongoing mentorship year-round.
Requirements
- Must be working in, or telling stories about the American South.
- Must be an original short documentary under 40 minutes long.
- Must complete the project within 3-6 months of the competition’s conclusion.
- Must be factually accurate and follow documentary ethics.
- Must be designed for US audience.
- The story must be driven by “compelling characters” with access to those characters.
- Must be either in English or subtitled in English.
- Must have no prior distribution.
Money: $20,000
Media Projects: Production Grants: August 9
Seven awards are granted each year for both film and television projects.
Requirements
- All projects must deal with humanities disciplines (history, art history, film studies, literature, drama, religious studies, philosophy or anthropology).
- Projects must have a thoughtful, balanced, and analytical approach.
- Projects must be intended for national distribution (traditional carriage or online distribution).
Money: Unspecified
The Alter-Cine Foundation Documentary Film Grant: August 15
This Canadian based grant is open to younger filmmakers born or currently living in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
Requirements
- Must be born or currently living in Africa, Asia or Latin America.
- Must be planning on directing the film.
Money: up to 10,000 Canadian dollars.
Hot Docs-Blue Ice Fund: August 18
Offering grants in the categories of development and production. Between 4 and 10 projects are awarded each year. Each applicant will be considered for up to five of their mentorship program spots. Some applicants will be invited to apply for The New York Times–Op-Docs.
Requirements
- Must be the primary rights holder for the project.
- Must be the director/producer of the project.
- Must hold citizenship/have permanent residency and live and work in Africa.
- Must have at least one previous professional credit.
- The project must be produced and shot in Africa.
- The project must be either a feature or broadcast length documentary.
- The project must be high quality and suitable for release both locally and internationally.
- The project must have a registered company associated with it in Africa.
Money: $10,000-$40,000
MN/NYC Film, Video, and Digital Production Grant: August 24
The Jerome Foundation offers several grants for filmmakers who live in Minnesota with experimental, narrative, animation, and documentary projects. Open only to production and post-production expenses (not including marketing or distribution costs).
Requirements
- Must live in Minnesota.
- The project must fall within one of the above genres.
Money: Up to $30,000
Looking for more? Check out the links below for grants that operate on rolling deadlines:
Catapult Film Fund: Moving Documentary Films
Bertha BritDoc Journalism Fund
Big Vision 2017 Kickstart Diversity Program
Film Independent Sloan Distribution Grant
Film Independent Abelcine Camera Grant
With so many great grants offered throughout the year, we are bound to miss a few! Use this list as a starting point in your search for the funding you need to complete your film!
Looking for more resources like this? Check out our Resources page on our website!
