Beginning your profession as an artist can really feel fairly intimidating and infrequently fairly lonely. Hell, for creatives at any stage, significantly in unbiased filmmaking, it will possibly really feel this manner on a regular basis. However we at IndieWire’s Way forward for Filmmaking are right here to let you know, we’ve obtained your again and others do too.
As we transfer into the summer season season, in addition to the second half of the 12 months, quite a few grants, labs, fellowships, and different funding alternatives will both start or shut their utility course of. This consists of extremely coveted applications from Sundance Institute and Movie Unbiased, in addition to different teams centered on filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Preserve studying under and mark your calendars for all of the upcoming deadlines.
NARRATIVE
Movie Unbiased Screenwriting Lab
A two-week workshop held within the first quarter of the 12 months, Movie Unbiased’s Screenwriting Lab works to provide rising screenwriters with individualized story and profession improvement by pairing them with one-on-one classes with a Inventive Advisor, in addition to group classes with fellow individuals. As a part of this program, a spread of visitor audio system will share classes they realized all through their careers. It concludes with a pitch occasion attended by trade executives the place writers will get additional suggestions on their work. A accomplished screenplay draft is required for submission.
Purposes open: June 30
Non-Member Deadline: August 25
Movie Unbiased Member Prolonged Deadline: September 8
Sundance 2026 Growth Monitor
The Sundance Institute is greater than conscious how in style its lab alternatives are, which is why they make it simpler on candidates by permitting one submission to be entered for all three of its applications, fellowships, and grants. Growth Monitor includes the Screenwriting Lab, Screenwriting Intensive, and the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Funding Grant for scripts that include scientific or technological content material. Solely the primary 5 pages of a screenplay are wanted to use, however those that transfer on to subsequent steps later in the summertime might want to present the complete script.
Deadline: Might 14
Austin Movie Society Grant for Characteristic Movies
Awarding particular person Texas-based filmmakers as much as $15,000 yearly, the AFS Grant is designed to encourage and assist all phases of manufacturing within the Lone Star state. A separate improvement grant can also be obtainable for mid-career artists and the appliance for the shorts grant will open later this summer season. For Texas filmmakers lucky sufficient to have their work proven at festivals around the globe, money stipends are additionally supplied by the AFS Journey Grant program.
Deadline: Might 21
The Arab Fund for Arts and Tradition Cinema Grant
Out there to tasks capturing within the Arab area, in addition to Arab administrators, this grant applies to each function size tasks in any respect phases of improvement and manufacturing and shorts which might be capturing or in put up. $85,000 has been put aside for options, whereas $30,000 is on the market for shorts.
Deadline: June 13
NEA Grants for Arts Initiatives (GAP)
Many have tried to carry an finish to the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts, however many have failed. Regardless of our present tenuous instances, its GAP program remains to be in operation and approaching its second utility cycle for the 12 months. Designed to offer funding for the humanities in numerous sectors of American every day life, starting from schooling to enterprise, GAP can also be the place many filmmakers and competition organizers go for a portion of their funding. As much as $100,000 may be requested by a single applicant. With a view to apply, first an Software for Federal Home Help should be submitted to Grants.gov. As soon as accredited, you may fill out your request through the Applicant Portal throughout the specified time window.
Submission Deadline: July 10
Portal Opens: July 15
Portal Closes: July 22
DOCUMENTARY
Non-Fiction Works-in-Progress Sequence
Want suggestions in your non-fiction challenge forward of a festival-run or launch? Movie Unbiased is joyful to help. By means of its Non-Fiction Works-in-Progress Sequence, the nonprofit org gathers audiences to offer constructive criticism for growing documentary filmmakers. Although director and/or key members of the artistic workforce should attend the screening in individual, this system is open to filmmakers positioned wherever. Every challenge should have a minimal runtime of 40 minutes, however be now not than 120 minutes.
Deadline: Rolling
The Miller/Packan Fund
Financed by the Rogovy Basis, the Miller/ Packan fund is dedicated to supporting documentaries that focus round Training, the Atmosphere, and Civics. At two factors all year long, grants totaling $200,000 are awarded to eight to 12 filmmakers through an open name submission course of. Every recipient will obtain as much as $25,000, with the general fund geared towards tasks in superior phases of improvement.
Summer season Deadline: Might 15
AXS Movie Fund
Based to assist documentary filmmakers and non-fiction new media creators residing with disabilities, the AXS Movie Fund goals to serve a spread of artists from historically underserved communities. Annually, 5 candidates are awarded as much as $10,000 every to go in direction of finishing their challenge in numerous phases of manufacturing.
Purposes Open: June 2
Deadline: July 31
SFFILM Documentary Movie Fund
Awarded to 3 to 4 worldwide function documentary tasks yearly, grants of $10,000 to $15,000 are supplied along with involvement with the artist improvement program, SFFILM Makers. Initiatives should be capable of start post-production three months from the ultimate deadline to be eligible and strategy non-fiction by modern storytelling strategies.
Common Deadline: June 23
Last Deadline: July 7
Yale Legislation College Doc Undertaking
Although not offering any monetary advantages, the Yale Legislation College Doc Undertaking does present the precious service of authorized analysis from the event stage of tasks by rough-cuts, each as a service to documentary filmmakers and future media legal professionals. In collaboration, these events will type methods to cut back potential legal responsibility from points surrounding supply safety, trespass, intrusion, and different privateness issues. This group additionally advises on libel, mental property, and different issues referring to content material.
Deadline: Rolling
IDA Documentary Grants
To be trustworthy, there are a variety of useful funding alternatives obtainable around the globe and fortunately, the Worldwide Documentary Affiliation (IDA) has been variety sufficient to collect them multi functional place. Starting from monetary assist applications to fellowship applications, this record is certain to have one thing for everybody and properly value pouring over must you be a non-fiction filmmaker searching for assist.
Deadline: Varied
MISCELLANEOUS
Pupil Academy Awards
Able to stay out your Oscars fantasy? For those who’re an undergraduate or graduate pupil with movies accomplished on the intermediate, capstone, or thesis stage, that chance could occur for you before you suppose. That includes the classes of Animation, Documentary, Narrative, and Various/Experimental work, the Pupil Academy Awards present a direct hyperlink between the academic expertise and the leisure trade, in addition to money grants of as much as $5000.
Deadline: Might 18
Filmmaking With out Borders
Devoted to supporting the subsequent technology of digital storytellers, FWB supplies present funding and assist for unbiased filmmakers to hone their craft and discover their imaginative and prescient. Grants can be found at three factors all year long for shorts and options throughout narrative, documentary, experimental, animation, and new media tasks in numerous phases of manufacturing. Purposes contain a video essay factor, in addition to three short-essay prompts.
Summer season Deadline: June 1
AmDocs Movie Fund
Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary in 2026, the American Documentary and Animation Movie Competition held in Palm Springs is centered round worldwide documentary shorts and options, in addition to animation and music movies. AmDocs’ Movie Fund supplies as much as $50,000 a 12 months for brand spanking new tasks which might be both accomplished or works-in-progress.
Early Fowl Deadline: June 15
Alfred P. Sloan Quick Monitor Grant
As a part of Movie Unbiased’s efforts in constructing alternatives for growing creatives, by its Quick Monitor Grant, as much as ten fiction and 5 non-fiction function tasks are chosen to have interaction in a four-day movie finance market in November. This market consists of conferences with high executives, financiers, brokers, managers, distributors, granting organizations, and manufacturing firms. Previous individuals embrace Bing Liu’s Academy Award-nominated “Minding the Hole,” Raven Jackson’s “All Dust Roads Style of Salt,” and Class Bratton’s “The Inspection.”
Non-Member Deadline: June 9
Movie Unbiased Member Prolonged Deadline: June 23
Movie Unbiased Fiscal Sponsorship
For these missing the authorized standing wanted to obtain grants from foundations, particular person donors, and authorities companies, for its member Movie Unbiased presents fiscal sponsorship. The best profit to this program is that people can entry charitable funding for his or her challenge with out committing to the time consuming and costly course of of making and working a 501(c)(3) group themselves. One of these assist is on the market to brief or longform tasks, fiction or non-fiction, movie or video.
Deadline: Rolling
Undertaking Contain
Maybe essentially the most the important program organized by Movie Unbiased, annually Undertaking Contain is devoted to offering 30 filmmakers with various backgrounds the prospect to achieve mentorship and trade entry, type artistic partnerships, and hone their abilities by creating shorts. It presents tracks in writing, directing, writing/directing, producing, cinematography, modifying, programming, animation, or government coaching.
Purposes Open: Might 19
Non-Member Deadline: July 14
Movie Unbiased Member Prolonged Deadline: July 28
Panavision New Filmmaker Program
Taking pictures on movie is a rarity lately, however if you happen to’re a pupil or low-budget unbiased filmmaker, Panavision is prepared that can assist you obtain that privilege. By submitting their on-line type, you could obtain entry to certainly one of their digicam and tools packages for a specified shoot date. By means of a separate grant, additionally they present post-production shade and ending companies.
Deadline: Rolling
Sundance Graton Artists Alternative
Solely obtainable to artists from federally and non-federally acknowledged California Indian tribes, this program is designed to assist this group commit their tales to cinema. By means of the Sundance Institute Collab platform, these rising skills might be taught craft and profession methods and be given an area to construct group by programs, workshops, advisor classes, intensive assets, and digital group gatherings.
Deadline: August 31
ResArtists
Want a getaway with a purpose to discover your artistic heart? ResArtists is right here to assist. Conveniently housing quite a few residency applications and author’s retreats around the globe in a single place, this web site is a terrific useful resource for these artists in search of an opportunity to journey and discover inspiration, with a number of deadlines and excursions to select from in nations all around the world, together with Argentina and Finland.
Deadline: Varied
NEH Media Manufacturing Grants
We will’t make certain how lengthy the Nationwide Endowment of Humanities will continues offering grants, so attempt to get ’em whereas they’re nonetheless round. (The NEH website notes that candidates “ought to pay attention to revisions to the Uniform Administrative Necessities, Value Rules, and Audit Necessities for Federal Awards;” right here it’s as a useful PDF.) Offering as much as $75,000 for tasks in improvement, $700,000 for these in manufacturing, and $1,000,000 for the Chair’s Particular Awards, these grants assist radio applications, podcasts, documentary movies, and documentary movie collection that interact audiences with humanities in a artistic and creative method.
Purposes Open: Might 13
Deadline: August 13