The holidays are different for everyone, but whether you’re feeling merry, lonely, reflective, or need an excuse to get away from family dynamics for a moment, we’re gifting you a long list of granting opportunities to keep you busy into the New Year.
In this end-of-year edition of our quarterly list, we’ve tried to include opportunities for every stage of career or project. They are organized by deadline—from December through February—and by category: documentaries, narratives, and screenwriting. An asterisk(*) indicates an opportunity available in multiple categories.
As always, double-check the eligibility requirements, and use your best judgment when deciding to apply.
Documentary
’What We Leave Behind’Directed by Sundance Ignite alum Iliana Sosa
BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship
Founded in 1976, BAVC Media is a community hub and resource for media makers in the Bay Area and across the country, advocating for those whose stories aren’t being told, and providing resources to create, share, and amplify their stories and those of their communities.
Their ten-month-long program supports the development of documentary projects that are nearing post-production, and includes a $10,000 grant, two convention sessions in San Francisco, and travel to two film festivals or industry conferences.
First or second-time feature filmmakers are eligible if their films have already started production and are not yet in the fine cut stage.
Deadline: December 9
CAAM Fellowship
This program from The Center for Asian American Media pairs documentary filmmakers telling Asian American stories with accomplished professionals for a six-month mentorship. Previous mentors include Geeta Gandbhir, Tadashi Nakamura, and Nanfu Wang. The process also includes participation at CAAMFEST in San Francisco and monthly cohort meetings, plus a $5,000 stipend.
From CAAM:
“This Fellowship Program is designed specifically for the next generation of makers telling Asian American stories, prioritizing emerging and mid-career filmmakers from underrepresented geographies, lived experiences, and perspectives. We will be looking for documentary directors and producers, but also seeking out cinematographers, editors, and other creatives in the field who are looking to make the transition into directing or producing.”
Deadline: December 12
Sony Future Filmmaker Award*
If you’re an emerging filmmaker with a completed film under 20 minutes in length, this may be the opportunity for you.
Free to enter, these awards aim to identify breakthrough talent in the documentary, narrative, and animation spheres. Students have their own category and are encouraged to apply.
Shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles for a four-day career advancement workshop and awards ceremony. Winners in each category will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
This year’s judges are Justin Chadwick, Will Gluck, Rachel O’Connor, and Adam Rosette.
Deadline: December 16
ITVS Lab
A six-month program for vertical video makers, the Independent Lens Creator Lab offers up to $36,000 in production funding, mentorship, and industry support to develop serialized shorts and narrated experiences that reimagine what public media can be.
They are looking for creators who are magnetic on camera or bring a compelling narration to their work, with an engaged Gen Z or millennial audience, and have an active following of 10K–100K.
Over the course of the Creator Lab, six fellows will produce up to 12 videos for Independent Lens/PBS social media platforms.
From ITVS:
“We’re looking for curious, charismatic content creators who embody the spirit of our award-winning PBS documentary series Independent Lens—voices that are inclusive, empathetic, and use storytelling to connect people across lines of difference.”
Deadline: December 19
‘Sirens’Directed by Rita Baghdadi; supported by Chicken & Egg
Film Independent Documentary Story Lab
Film Independent offers a wide array of filmmaker development programs throughout the year. Their Documentary Story Lab is a full-time, one-week program that will take place in Los Angeles from May 5-9, 2025. It supports nonfiction feature filmmakers in post-production, with an emphasis on structure and editing.
Applicants must submit a work sample, which should include a minimum of a polished trailer and scene selects, all the way up to a rough cut.
Past fellows include Nathalie Baszile, Reed Harknes,s and Cody Stickels.
NOTE: Film Independent Membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105, in addition to the initial application fee.
Regular Deadline: January 6
Chicken and Egg Research and Development Grant
Now in its fourth year, the Chicken & Egg Research & Development Grant supports gender-expansive filmmakers from around the world who have directed at least one feature-length documentary and are in the research & development stage of their next feature-length film.
Thanks to the support of this grant through Netflix, a total of $450,000 USD will be awarded in the following grant amounts:
- $10,000 USD grants for Research
- $20,000 USD grants for Development.
From Chicken and Egg:
“Many filmmakers invest their personal resources into their films and face funding challenges when entering into the research & development stages of new projects. To address this challenge, the Research & Development Grant provides financial support to directors during a filmmaking stage that is too often unpaid and unsupported.
We have separated the Research Grant from the Development Grant to allow early-stage projects to receive support without the need to submit all the deliverables required for projects in the development phase.”
Deadline: January 7
Doha Film Institute Production Grants*
The Doha Film Institute provides creative and financial support for short and feature-length films, both narrative and documentary, as well as TV and web series. Award amounts vary, but can be up to $15,000 for short-form projects and $75,000 for features.
While a bulk of their grants are reserved for filmmakers from the Middle East and North Africa, post-production financing is available to feature filmmakers outside of these regions, including artists from the US and Canada.
Previous grant recipients include Kamal Aljafari, Mounia Akl and Johnny Ma.
Deadline: January 8
Sundance Ignite*
Established in 2015 with support from Adobe, this Sundance fellowship is offered to emerging documentary and narrative filmmakers ages 18-25. Fellows will receive a $3,000 grant, one-on-one sessions with a Sundance Institute alumni mentor, and a 12-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud.
Previous fellows include Sean Wang, Charlotte Regan, and Lance Oppenheim.
Applicants must submit a completed short under fifteen minutes that represents their artistic voice.
From Sundance:
“The Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellowship began in 2015 and now has an alumni network of more than 100 artists. Fourteen alumni have had projects selected to screen at the Sundance Film Festival, with several projects winning jury awards. Past Sundance Ignite x Adobe fellows have also gone on to win prizes at SXSW and Tribeca Festival, as well as the Short Film Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination.”
Deadline: February 12
Jewish Film Institute Completion Grants*
The Jewish Film Institute Completion Grants support independent film and media projects that probe nuanced and surprising corners of Jewish life, history, culture, and identity. Applicants do not need to be Jewish, but projects must reflect thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, life, culture, or identity.
Films can be fiction, documentary, or animated, and of any length. Individual grants range from $5,000-$35,000. To be competitive, projects must be in post-production with a strong rough or fine cut.
Projects in development, script-development, pre-production, production, or early post-production will not be considered.
Deadline: Applications will open in January and will close in late February.
Reel South Multi-Platform Distribution
Reel South is a PBS documentary series and a platform for non-fiction filmmakers in the American South working within the region’s tradition of storytelling.
Narrated and non-narrated films are considered along with first-person or point-of-view projects, observational films, and news documentaries. Both shorts and features will be considered for distribution.
Selected films will receive a license fee, series packaging, captioning, mastering, inclusion on the series website, promotion, and errors and omissions insurance coverage.
Filmmakers based in the South are given priority, but all stories set in the South will be eligible.
From RS:
“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.”
Deadline: Rolling
Screen Australia’s Documentary Development Program
If you're an Australian-based filmmaker, you’re probably already aware of Screen Australia. Their documentary development program awards grants of up to AU$30,000 to one-off and series documentaries, as well as VR. A full list of Screen Australia’s funding opportunities can be found here.
From Screen Australia:
“Screen Australia is committed to building equity into its programs and its engagement with the community. Gender equity, anti-racism, authentic storytelling, from and about underrepresented groups, and inclusivity are priorities for Screen Australia. We expect that the lived experience portrayed through the narrative and characters are reflected within the key creative team. It is vital the creative team has the cultural authorship to tell the story so that telling of the story is authentic. This will be taken into account when assessing applications.”
Deadline: Rolling
Narrative
‘Pens & Pencils’Directed by Gia-Rayne Harris; SeriesFest Women Directing Mentorship alum
Sony Future Filmmaker Award*
If you’re an emerging filmmaker with a completed film under 20 minutes in length, this may be the opportunity for you.
Free to enter, these awards aim to identify breakthrough talent in the documentary, narrative, and animation spheres. Students have their own category and are encouraged to apply.
Shortlisted filmmakers will be flown to Los Angeles for a four-day career advancement workshop and awards ceremony. Winners in each category will receive a $5,000 cash prize.
This year’s judges are Justin Chadwick, Will Gluck, Rachel O’Connor, and Adam Rosette.
Deadline: December 16
The Davey Foundation Short Film Grant
Need that starting push of momentum to get into production on your short? The Davey Foundation supports emerging filmmakers with financial and gear grants (valued up to $5,000 each). Grantees also receive mentorship from experienced filmmakers to help bring their vision to reality.
Past jurors and mentors include yours truly, Janicza Bravo, Joanna Arnow, and Zach Clark.
From Davey:
“The Davey Foundation was created in memory of actor, director, producer, musician, and community activist David Fetzer, who passed away at age 30 from an accidental prescription painkiller overdose. Collaborating with others in music, theatre, and film, David lit a fire in all who came within his sphere of influence. Named one of The Salt Lake Tribune’s eight Emerging Artists in 2011 (at the age of 28), it is fitting that we dedicate our endeavors to helping other emerging artists.”
Deadline: December 14
Uptilt Film Fest Scholarships for Women
Uptilt, a North Carolina film festival showcasing films by women and gender non-conforming individuals, is supporting women who are helming projects where 50% of the following positions are held by women or gender non-conforming individuals: Writer / Director / Cinematographer / Editor.
This year, they will also be awarding a $5,000 scholarship for emerging filmmakers breaking into the field. To qualify for this scholarship, you must be a student or a first-time filmmaker.
They will also be offering one $2,000 grant to a North Carolina filmmaker and another $2,000 to a filmmaker from an underrepresented gender residing anywhere in the U.S. Films must screen at the Uptilt Film Festival, though it is not stated whether the grant requires premiere status.
Deadline: December 15
Stowe Story Labs Short Film Production Grant
Stowe Story Labs will award a grant of $50,000 to support the development, production, and distribution of a short film with a total run time of approximately 10 minutes. Films should be producible for the amount of the grant.
Support will be available to support the winning project through all aspects of its development and production, including mentoring services, a discounted ARRI camera package, festival submission waivers, and automatic admission to the Sidewalk Film Festival. There is a $65 application fee.
From Stowe:
“We are looking for a great story well told containing notes of hope and uplift. We are agnostic on genre. Given the expense involved, we are ideally looking for scripts avoiding serious stunt, animation, or effects needed. Such stories are welcome if the applicant has a plan to make the film given this concern. Applicants (and teams) must demonstrate a collaborative nature and capacity to do the work.”
Late deadline: December 16
SeriesFest Women Directing Mentorship
SeriesFest and Shondaland are partnering on their seventh cycle of this Women Directing Mentorship: A competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers.
Founded in 2019, the Women Directing Mentorship is anchored by the opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series. Past recipients have shadowed shows such as Bridgerton and Station 19. The shadowing experience generally lasts 3–4 weeks, depending on the project.
Candidates must have three years of professional experience. This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
From Tom Verica, Head of Creative Production at SHONDALAND:
“We’re thrilled to launch Cycle 7 of the Women Directing Mentorship, a program that continues to champion the incredible talent and diverse voices in storytelling that female directors have to offer, furthering their experience on some of television’s most dynamic sets. This mentorship is not only about fostering careers, but also about enriching the industry with bold, authentic, and powerful stories that reflect the world we live in.”
Final Deadline: December 18
MPI Short Film Lab
The Moving Picture Institute holds a ten-week screenwriters lab, followed by a directors lab, in order to support the development and production of short films. At the end of that process, one lab participant will receive a $10,000 grant for their short. MPI may also select one or more scripts for in-house production, planned for summer 2026.
Priority will be given to films that have a limited cast (five or fewer characters, few or no extras) and locations, be shootable in one or two days in the Los Angeles area, and tell stories about characters in the United States.
NOTE: According to their mission, the MPI is both a production company and an incubator. In order to opt into their pipeline, you may be required to cede the copyright to your script and film.
From MPI:
“[MPI] creates high-impact films designed to entertain, inspire, and educate audiences with captivating stories about human freedom. Founded in 2005 on the belief that stories can change the world, we advance our mission in two unique and effective ways: producing original content in-house and launching talented filmmakers’ careers.”
Deadline: January 4
Doha Film Institute Production Grants*
The Doha Film Institute provides creative and financial support for short and feature-length films, both narrative and documentary, as well as TV and web series. Award amounts vary, but can be up to $15,000 for short-form projects and $75,000 for features.
While a bulk of their grants are reserved for filmmakers from the Middle East and North Africa, post-production financing is available to feature filmmakers outside of these regions, including artists from the US and Canada.
Previous grant recipients include Kamal Aljafari, Mounia Akl and Johnny Ma.
Deadline: January 8
‘Honeyjoon’Written and directed by Lilian Mehrel; supported by AT&T Untold Stories
AT&T Untold Stories
Ready to go into production with your feature film? Now entering its ninth year, Untold Stories is a funding and mentorship program sponsored by AT&T in partnership with Tribeca Festival. It is geared towards supporting underrepresented filmmakers from development through production of their first or second feature.
They offer a $1,000,000 prize to the winning filmmaking team, guidance through their production process, and a guaranteed premiere of their film at the 2026 Tribeca Festival. Four finalist teams will receive $15,000 grants.
Past years’ judges have included Cynthia Erivo, Stephanie Hsu, and Daveed Diggs.
From AT&T:
“Our esteemed group of past winners have not only produced several critically acclaimed films and reached millions of people, but their stories have inspired audiences and connected communities all over the world. Year after year, the Untold Stories program proves that connecting talented filmmakers with mentorship and resources really can change everything.”
Deadline: February 6
Sundance Ignite*
Established in 2015 with support from Adobe, this Sundance fellowship is offered to emerging documentary and narrative filmmakers ages 18-25. Fellows will receive a $3,000 grant, one-on-one sessions with a Sundance Institute alumni mentor, and a 12-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud.
Previous fellows include Sean Wang, Charlotte Regan, and Lance Oppenheim.
Applicants must submit a completed short under fifteen minutes that represents their artistic voice.
From Sundance:
“The Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellowship began in 2015 and now has an alumni network of more than 100 artists. Fourteen alumni have had projects selected to screen at the Sundance Film Festival, with several projects winning jury awards. Past Sundance Ignite x Adobe fellows have also gone on to win prizes at SXSW and Tribeca Festival, as well as the Short Film Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and an Academy Award nomination.”
Deadline: February 14
Jewish Film Institute Completion Grants*
The Jewish Film Institute Completion Grants support independent film and media projects that probe nuanced and surprising corners of Jewish life, history, culture, and identity. Applicants do not need to be Jewish, but projects must reflect thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, life, culture, or identity.
Films can be fiction, documentary, or animated, and of any length. Individual grants range from $5,000-$35,000. To be competitive, projects must be in post-production with a strong rough or fine cut.
Projects in development, script-development, pre-production, production, or early post-production will not be considered.
Deadline: Applications will open in January and will close in late February.
Panavision's New Filmmaker Program
If you are a student or a low-budget indie filmmaker, Panavision might supply you with free camera packages as well as post-production color and finishing services.
Deadline: Rolling
Screenwriting
‘Resurrection’Written and directed by Andrew Semans; developed at the Hamptons Screenwriters’ Labs
Hamptons Screenwriters’ Labs
This three-day lab takes place each spring in East Hampton, New York. It pairs selected fellows with established writers and creative producers for one-on-one mentorship, and also includes group development sessions. Travel, accommodations, and meals for selected fellows are covered by labs. Applicants must submit a completed draft of a feature screenplay.
Previous mentors include Mollye Asher, Peter Hedges, and Celine Song.
Deadline: December 4
CAPE New Writers Fellowship
Are you an AAPI writer with a half-hour or hour-long pilot script in your pocket? The CAPE New Writers Fellowship features masterclasses, workshops, and panels that explore writing opportunities in TV, features, animation, video games, narrative audio, and new media. It also features a Writing Lab where each fellow is matched with an industry mentor to help them revise their original script into a professional-level writing sample.
The year-long fellowship begins in the spring. Sessions take place on weekday evenings Pacific Time for approximately three hours, twice a week. Fellows must be available to regularly attend Los Angeles-based events in person.
The application fee for this one is on the higher end, at $65. Live action and animation pilots of all genres are welcome.
From CAPE:
“Founded and co-chaired by Emmy Award-winning Writer, Creator and Showrunner Leo Chu (Disney’s Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion) and veteran film and TV executive and producer Steve Tao (Previously at The CW, ABC, & Bad Robot), the CAPE New Writers Fellowship is one of few writing programs in Hollywood created by a creative and an executive. This immersive program equips each writer with the practical and business knowledge they need to succeed as a professional in the entertainment industry.”
Deadline: December 15
Blacklist/Women In Film: Episodic Lab
The Black List and WIF will invite six promising non-professional television writers who are of an underrepresented gender (women, NB/GNC, and/or trans, and others) to the Lab.
The Lab, which will consist of script development, pitching, peer workshopping sessions, and master classes with established writers and industry executives, will run for four weeks in-person in Los Angeles beginning in March 2026.
There will be additional mandatory sessions on several weekend days (to be announced). All selected Lab participants will be invited to join the yearlong WIF Fellowship Program following the Lab.
Deadline: December 15
Massachusetts Assets for Artists Grants
Assets for Artists (A4A) provides professional development workshops, coaching, working capital grants, and creative community building for artists of all disciplines residing in the Northern Berkshires, Massachusetts.
In addition to their capacity-building program guiding a cohort of artists through a year of communal development, 10 artists will be provided with an unrestricted $2,000-$3,000 microgrant.
Deadline: December 15
Anarchists United
The Anarchists United Writers Discovery Fellowship is a six-month program providing an immersive introductory experience to the world of the TV ecosystem.
Each fellow must submit a TV pilot they intend to work on throughout the fellowship. They will be assigned an industry mentor who will guide them through script development and introduce them to television producers and executives who align with their creative voice. Each fellow also receives a $10,000 stipend.
In a break from previous year’s eligibility rules, writers with representation are now welcome to apply.
From AU:
“We feel compelled to acknowledge that making TV in 2025 looks different than it did when we first started back in 2021.
According to the WGA, TV writing jobs have fallen by 42% in the ‘23-24 season. In response, the Fellowship aims to offer inspiration and resources to writers by examining routes outside that traditional modality. The Fellowship will expose its writers to emerging, nontraditional long-form storytelling avenues such as digital series and new media, while exploring the creator economy and the nascent indie TV space with a focus on how writers can begin to build their brand through new media opportunities.”
Deadline: January 5
‘El ‘último verano de la Boyita’Co-written and directed by MacDowell
Yaddo
Yaddo is an artists' community in Saratoga Springs, New York. Each year, they offer over 200 creative artists from all nations and backgrounds uninterrupted time to work in a supportive environment. Residencies last from two weeks to two months and include room, board, and a studio. Artists who qualify for Yaddo residencies are working at the professional level in their fields; students are not eligible.
Filmmakers and screenwriters are encouraged to submit work samples that reflect the project you wish to pursue during your residency and that represent recent, finished work. Samples may be visual images, video clips, manuscript pages, or audio files, depending on the requirements for your discipline.
Yaddo alums include Dee Rees, Minhal Baig, Annie Baker (and, way back in the day, Truman Capote).
Deadline: January 5
Women In Film Writers’ Fellowship
Created in honor of Women In Film’s 50th Anniversary, this flagship program provides gender-expansive fellows with a year of mentoring, master classes, network building, and one-on-one career strategy sessions.
Each fellow will also meet with the Programs Team to develop a personalized project to complete during the fellowship year, aligned with their prioritized goals. Fellows will set benchmarks throughout the year, with support and accountability from the Programs Team.
Writers applying to the Episodic Lab may opt in to also be considered for the WIF Writers’ Fellowship by checking a box within the application. Writers selected for the Episodic Lab will automatically be included in this fellowship.
Deadline: December 15
Michael Collyer Black List Fellowship
Now in its 18th year, the Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship is supported by the Writers Guild Initiative.
It is awarded each year to an outstanding emerging screenwriter aged 18-25.
The recipient will receive a $10,000 stipend to support their development of an original feature screenplay and will be mentored during the course of one fellowship year by a prominent screenwriter. The screenwriter will retain all rights in their original screenplay.
This year, the Black List will choose ten projects to send to the Writers Guild Initiative selection committee for consideration. In order to submit for this program, you must be logged in to the Black List website and have uploaded a feature screenplay. This is considered a work sample and should not be the screenplay you intend to develop during your fellowship year.
Deadline: January 9
UCROSS Residency
UCROSS is a Wyoming-based organization that offers 2-6 week residencies each fall and spring. Residencies include a private studio, living accommodations, staff support, meals by a professional chef, and the experience of living on Wyoming’s High Plains. The fellowship is fully funded and includes a stipend.
The $40 application fee is waived for Native American artists and writers.
From UCROSS:
“The mission of Ucross Foundation is to foster the creative spirit of deeply committed artists and groups by providing uninterrupted time, studio space, living accommodations, and the experience of the majestic High Plains while serving as a responsible steward of our historic 20,000-acre ranch. We support each artist’s practice by providing the space, time, and inspiration needed to pursue their work to its fullest potential.”
Deadline: January 15
MacDowell Residency
MacDowell’s prestigious residency program has supported hundreds of artists since its founding in 1907. Artists are provided with a private studio, chef-prepared meals, and living accommodations on their 450-acre property in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Residencies last from 4-6 weeks.
Past screenwriting residents include Billy Luther, Guinivere Turner, and Julia Solomonoff.
From MacDowell:
“About 300 artists in seven disciplines are awarded fellowships each year and the sole criterion for acceptance is artistic excellence. There are no residency fees, and need-based stipends and travel reimbursement grants are available to open the residency to the broadest possible community of artists.”
Deadline: February 10
Useful Links:
Documentary Grants - International Documentary Association
Sundance Co//ab List of Opportunities - Sundance Institute
(sign up for a free Co//ab account to see all grants)
- Res Artis - Worldwide Network of Artist Residencies
- Funds For Writers
- The Writers Guild Foundation Master List
Laura Moss is a director, screenwriter and story/grant consultant born/raised/based in NYC. Their debut feature, ‘BIRTH/REBIRTH’ premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, and was distributed theatrically by IFC films that same year. For years they have benefited from No Film School’s vetted grant/fellowship lists and are happy to pay it forward in this community.
