Grants to Submit to in 2022
Analog Cookbooker Gabby Sumney publishes a weekly newsletter called This Week in Experimental–a newsletter packed with calls for entry, grants, fellowships, residencies, and resources for artists. It’s also a Discord and Instagram account, which you should join and follow if you’re looking to connect with other experimenters.
Since it’s a new year, and the calls for entry are flowing, we figured we pull some of the filmmaker-specific grants together from This Week in Experimental alongside some other grants.
A quick note on the grants we feature. This list is in no way exhaustive and we could talk all day about those pie in the sky Sundance grants, but why reinvent the wheel? If you’re looking for the big ones, check out those lists here:
We’re less interested in creating massive lists, and more interested in grants that apply to filmmakers at multiple stages of career. This list focuses on regional grants, small grants, and ones that promote accessibility and inclusivity.
Have a grant that you want to add? Email it.
Grants
LGBTQIA+ Short Film Grant - Indie Memphis
Indie Memphis Film Festival wants to provide 5k cash to Memphis or surrounding counties-based LGBTQIA+ filmmaker to produce a short film.
Deadline: February 20
“NewFest’s New Voices Filmmaker Grant, in partnership with Netflix, supports emerging LGBTQ+ directors by providing funding to make new work, assisting in getting their work more widely shared, and propelling their careers forward through mentorship, networking and professional development opportunities”
Deadline: February 28
The Femme Frontera Film Grant supports women and non-binary filmmakers from El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico. We will provide one grant of up to $2,500 to a filmmaker from these regions. For Ciudad Juárez grants, please see our Juárez grants here.
Deadline: March 1
Vanishing Angle Post-Production Grant
Vanishing Angle will be partnering with post-production house DryDock to offer free post-finishing services to one short film every year. These services include color-correction, DCP creation, film festival strategy sessions, and marketing and release planning. These services are valued at approximately $10,000.
Deadline: March 1 (early bird), May 1 (Regular Deadline), June 15 (Late Deadline)
“The Film Impact Georgia Filmmaker Grant is a no strings-attached (sort of) grant to support Georgia-based filmmakers in producing short film content to practice their craft and further their skills as filmmakers.”
Deadline: March 4
Residencies & Fellowships
"The MediaMaker Fellowship is devoted to supporting documentary filmmakers using bold cinematic language and innovative impact strategies to grapple with critical issues of our time. Our cohort is a collaborative, community-driven space that places diversity, representation, and ethical relationships with storytelling at the forefront of our practice. We aim to build a safe space for filmmakers to workshop their films, establish critical bonds and relationships, and gain valuable insights as they go on to build their careers in the field. We seek candidates who have the potential to impact our understanding of how documentaries can transform the world, as well as expanding the quality of the art of nonfiction."
Deadline: February 15
“The Points North Fellowship invites six teams of early- and mid-career filmmakers to Maine to accelerate the development of their feature documentary, culminating in the public presentation of works-in-progress at the Points North Pitch. The Points North Fellowship aims to strengthen filmmakers’ artistic voices and propel their careers forward by facilitating new relationships with mentors, collaborators, and funders.”
Deadlines: February 28 (early bird), March 28 (regular), Extended Deadline May 3
"Osmosis Films is seeking submissions from filmmakers and producers for documentaries and documentary series in the development or early stages of production. In collaboration with filmmakers, we will assist in creative development, provide production services, and take projects to market to secure further financing and distribution."
Deadline: February 28