The Ultimate Film Grants List for Every Screenwriter

CraftBusiness
Written By Shannon Corbeil

From production to finishing funds to festival circuits, even short films can be expensive. While there are many options for funding your project — self-financed, crowdfunding, investors — one great resource is to secure a film grant. 

The list of grants out there is endless, so hopefully this article can help serve as a resource for screenwriters looking for funding opportunities, including different types of film grants available as well as tips for applying to a film grant.

What Are Film Grants?

A film grant is a sum of money awarded to a filmmaker to support a certain aspect of the creation or distribution of their film. The grant itself is given with the understanding that it does not need to be repaid (as opposed to, say, an investor who may wish to recoup their investment or a loan). 

Film grants are typically offered by non-profit organizations, governments, or arts entities with the goal of assisting filmmakers with their expenses. They can cover development, such as research or screenwriting; production costs such as equipment, locations, or crew salaries; post-production costs, including editing, visual effects, and music composition; or distribution costs such as marketing and festival submission and attendance costs. 

Why Screenwriters Should Care

First and foremost, funding can help screenwriters literally bring their screenplays to life — especially for new and independent writers with limited funding and resources. Grants are a low-risk option for funding a film.

The grant itself can also lend credibility to a project. It serves as a stamp of approval, especially from respected sources. It tells audiences and the industry that someone was interested in the filmmaker and the idea enough to financially back it. Not only that, but oftentimes grants come with additional support services such as mentorship or screening opportunities.

Types of Film Grants Available

There are many different types of film grants available, so it is prudent to do research when looking for funding. These can also be quite competitive and the applications can be a time-consuming process. The more niche and specific you can get with your application, the better. Are you a female filmmaker creating your first short film? You can find grants specifically for women and specifically for shorts and specifically for first-time filmmakers. 

Let's look at some options. 

Short Film Grants

Short film grants are specifically for projects that are films — not web series or TV pilots — shorter than feature film length. Each grant will have its own definition of what constitutes a “short film” but generally they tend to be under 45 minutes (but I always recommend keeping your short short). 

Here are a few to check out:

Documentary Film Grants

Documentary grants specifically support nonfiction filmmakers — as opposed to narrative storytelling. Many of these are especially keen on addressing pressing socio-cultural issues. You can review an extensive list of opportunities here.

Here are a few to check out:

Experimental Film Grants

An experimental film diverges from traditional narrative utilizing unconventional techniques and aesthetics. It might not rely on a linear story, but instead explore abstract visuals and narratives or unexpected sound and editing. 

Here are a few to check out:

Student Film Grants

Each grant will have their own requirements for student films, whether full-time, part-time, collegiate, or high school. Often your school will have a list of resources — and may even have grants of their own. 

Here are a few to check out:

Women in Film Grants

Often for women, gender-expansive, or non-binary filmmakers, these grants specifically uplift filmmakers of traditionally excluded genders. Some are for female stories, some just for the filmmakers themselves. 

Here are a few to check out:

Government Film Grants

Many state and federal entities provide funding opportunities for the arts — even if certain administrations gut the programs. Some may be geographically specific, such as funding to film in a state, or for residents of that location.

Here are a few to check out:

International Film Grants

While the United States may be the home of Hollywood, the international filmmaking scene is bustling. Different countries may have their own grants for citizens or productions, so do your research!

How to Find and Apply for Film Grants

There are a lot of grants out there, so you should devote time to researching the ones that are right for you and your project. Remember, the top ones on a web search are probably going to be very competitive because they will have a lot of applicants. But a few smaller grants can add up, so approach your grant submission process with diligence and patience. 

Begin your research by looking at different sites that list grants (No Film School is a great one that tends to list seasonal opportunities), as well as directories and local film commissions. Once you have your list of ideal grants, it’s time to craft your application. 

I like to keep a submissions folder on my Google Drive with docs that contain application questions. This saves me from re-writing my logline and synopsis every time I submit a project to something. You can often borrow what you used for a previous application for the next one.

What Grant Organizations Look For

Every organization is different. A great thing to do is to see if they hold Q&A sessions to talk specifically about what they are looking for. At a minimum, most will have an FAQ section. You can also research previous grantees to see what projects were greenlit.

Most likely, if you begin with the questions “why you” and “why now” you will start to come up with strong application substance. If your artistic statement is that you love films…well…so does every filmmaker. What makes you as a filmmaker special? And what is it about your story that needs to be told? 

A strong package should have originality, feasibility, a realistic budget, and some kind of impact. It also doesn’t hurt to align your project with the funder’s mission — especially if that is a requirement. 

Common Application Materials

Most film grant applications will ask for some kind of combination of the following:

  • Filmmaker bio

  • Project logline

  • Project synopsis

  • Lookbook or pitch deck

  • Examples of previous work

  • Artistic statement

  • Director’s statement

  • Budget breakdown

  • Sample script

  • Production timeline

In fact, as a filmmaker you will likely be curating these materials for most of your projects for the remainder of your career. Whether you’re trying to get funding from a small-town grant or you’re trying to get greenlit from a studio, investors want to know why the project is special and why you are trustworthy with their money. 

Final Tips for Securing a Film Grant

Get organized! Research your grants and create a spreadsheet with requirements and deadlines. Utilize organization tools like Google Docs to create submission folders for each grant. Get your web presence looking professional. 

Start early! The skills to apply for a grant are not necessarily the skills to create a film. There will be a learning curve. Give yourself time to go through a few revisions of your application — and then ask a trusted colleague or mentor to review them. 

Build those skills! You may need to learn how to build a pitch deck, so research other successful pitch decks or ask filmmakers for copies of theirs that led to funding. Crafting a synopsis or artistic statement can take some time and practice, but there are resources available for that. 

The truth is, it’s hard to just get to wear one hat these days. You want to be a screenwriter, but first you’re also going to have to learn how to be a graphic designer, copy-editor, and marketing guru. Unless you’re very lucky or your dad is Tom Hanks, them’s the ropes. 

The good news is that oftentimes the process of creating the application itself will help you hone in on what your story is about and what makes you special. It will all help you in the end. 

Good luck!

Shannon Corbeil
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