Grants support social change through the arts, as well as out-of-the-box artists who are socially conscious and socially active. The foundation prioritizes artists working in digital and multimedia.
This funder supports projects that encourage filmmaking, promote the film industry, and contribute to an understanding and appreciation of motion pictures.
In the film space, the Adobe Foundation works to propel young people to the next level of creativity and career opportunities. Grants for film serve high school, college, and graduate students in documentary and narrative filmmaking, as well as film courses, film mentoring and work focused on social impact.
AAS funds fellowships that improve the American people’s understanding of pre-twentieth century history.
This funder makes grants to women academics and supports women and girls through activism and empowerment. It supports filmmaking that supports women directors or addresses women’s issues.
The Anderson Center is an artist community in rural Minnesota that provides opportunities for residencies and retreats. It supports the arts in the upper Midwest.
Anonymous Was a Woman awards $25,000 prizes to women-identifying artists who are over the age of 40 and who are “at a critical juncture in their career.”
Astraea funds grants for lesbians and queer women, trans and gender non-conforming people, intersex people, and people of color. The foundation also supports rights organizations that advance racial, economic, and gender-related justice.
Black Public Media runs training and funding programs for filmmakers and teams producing works that bring the global Black experience to broad audiences.
The Bogliasco Foundation, near Genoa, provides short residencies to scholars and creative artists from all over the world.
Britdoc funds documentary filmmakers who spotlight underreported and unreported topics of importance. It also offers awards to creative storytellers.
The Brown Foundation prioritizes supports both large and small arts organizations in Texas, but conducts some work across the United States.
This funder's grants support makers of short films and seek to build audiences for short films.
California Humanities supports arts and culture, film, libraries and other humanities topics throughout the state of California.
This funder makes grants to promote and strengthen Tarrant County, Texas, which includes Fort Worth, and conducts work nationwide.
Catapult offers grants to documentary filmmakers and provide informal mentorship to filmmakers.
The Ceres Trust supports the environment, climate change resiliency, animals and wildlife, film and sustainable agriculture in Hawaii, the Upper Midwest and Central California.
Cinereach grants are given to small and independent filmmakers involved in creating socially conscious films. They also administer the Reach Film Fellowship program with support from the Ford Foundation.
The Compton Foundation recently revamped its mission to include support for projects with "transformative leadership and courageous storytelling" and that inspires action toward a "peaceful, just, sustainable future." Their film grants are given to documentaries.
Creative Capital grants for film are limited to $50,000, but that’s not all they offer their grantees. Creative Capital grants offer a variety of kinds of support.
DFA seeks to promote and preserve dance on film and video.
The Dobkin Family Foundation funds organizations that help produce films and documentaries that reflect upon social change, among other important topics.
Doc Society, formerly the Britdoc Foundation, offers grants to documentary filmmakers who spotlight unreported and underreported issues; it also offers awards for creative storytellers.
This law firm funder describes itself as “an enthusiastic supporter of cultural programs and initiatives" and prioritizes organizations located in one of the firm’s U.S. locations.
The foundation was created upon the death of famed music publisher Max Dreyfus, who worked with American greats like George Gershwin and Cole Porter.
This low-profile funder offers modest grants to documentary and narrative film projects.
The fund supports documentaries. It also offers filmmakers assistance with distribution strategies and film festivals.
Film Independent offers grants to creative, independent filmmakers and producers whose work supports diversity and "uniqueness of vision.”
Filmmakers Without Borders funds independent filmmakers across the world.
This funder supports documentary filmmakers of color and from ethnically diverse communities. Many of the films it produces appear on PBS.
This foundation supports arts and culture organizations, including a range of film projects and programs throughout the United States. Flora does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. Grant proposals are considered by invitation only.
Ford’s JustFilms Initiative is enormous. With it comes an enormous amount of competition. If your project has a social justice/human rights angle, you will have a better chance at a Ford grant.
The Foundation for Middle East Peace supports educational, humanitarian, public affairs, and civil rights organizations seeking to contribute peaceful solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Freese Documentary Fund awards up and coming documentarians up to $35,000 to finish projects.
From the Heart Productions awards grants for short films, low budget independent features, web series, and documentaries.
Good Pitch brings documentary filmmakers together with foundations and other partners in a 7-minute, rapid-fire pitch session. Participants then give feedback and decide whether or not to pledge funding and other support.
The Greenbaum Foundation funds documentarians whose work may be categorized within one of the foundation’s areas of grantmaking interest.
The Gruber Family Foundation has demonstrated an undefined commitment to organizations working in film and film education.
One of the most prestigious awards in its field, the Guggenheim Fellowship is considered a mid-career award for those who are well established in their area of expertise.