Many Emerson School of the Arts and VMA faculty have expressed interest in finding funding for narrative and documentary film, and media projects. ORCS has prepared a list of film and media funders to get you started.

Some of these funders make awards to individual artists; some may require a fiscal sponsor. Emerson can serve as a fiscal sponsor many of those cases. Please contact us at orcs@emerson.edu for more details.

Funder Name

Film Type/Topic

Next Deadline

narrative fiction feature film related to science, technology or economics in distribution phase

Application open: rolling deadline

long form, shorts or episodic documentaries, podcasts, radio documentaries engaging in climate conversation

February 1, 2023

narrative feature films that address social justice issues: screenwriting, development, or post-production

March 24, 2023

public media film & television projects representing culture & experience of Native Americans

March 31, 2023

documentary; short film; feature film

March 31, 2023

2023 call for new Visual Arts & Film/Moving Image projects that push boundaries

April 1, 2023

non-fiction projects, priority to raising underrepresented voices

April 17, 2023

feature-length documentaries addressing social issues: advanced development, production & post-production

May 15, 2023 November 15, 2023

short films, feature films, new media projects: development, production, post-production

June 1, 2023

documentaries & limited series on the Latino experience: production & post-production, limited research & development funds

June, 2023 (expected)

documentary producers with deep roots in southern states: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV. Projects in production only.

July, 2023 (expected)

documentary films, radio programs, podcasts that engage with humanities: development, production & distribution

August 9, 2023

documentary film, new works by New England filmmakers: all stages of production

August 31, 2023: Development/Pre-Production
January, 2024 (expected): Production/Post-production

Applicants of color working on standard-length non-fiction projects that have not begun production

September, 2023 (expected)

documentaries for public televison about Asian Americans: production or post-production

October, 2023 (expected)

social issue documentary films highlighting Asian American narratives: research & development and early production

November, 2023 (expected)

documentary films related to California: Research & Development, Production

November 1, 2023

small grants to individuals for independent film/media projects

December, 2023 (expected)