Funding and Support

The Mycoskie-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship aims to empower a new generation of filmmakers exploring the field of psychedelics. They're looking for untold stories that shed light on science, policy, business and culture of this new era of psychedelics.

The WFTV Short Film Fund is a funding programme supporting professional women and non-binary filmmakers to bring ambitious short films to life. The fund will award two filmmaking teams with a fully backed production package including £25,000 in cash funding and £25,000 in kit rentals.

The Bill Lane Center for the American West has been supporting journalism about the West and its environment for a decade or more. The fellowship enables journalists to interact with Stanford researchers, scholars, and students, develop or work on a project of their own design, and spur new coverage and understanding of the American West. They are particularly interested in supporting projects that intersect with ongoing research at Stanford and the Bill Lane Center, address significant challenges facing the American West, or explore promising new possibilities for journalism and the media in the region.

The Earth Partner Prize invites filmmakers, photographers, and artists of all nationalities to submit work that comments on the ecological crisis.

Organized by Más Retina, this photography competition promotes human rights and global justice. Ten projects will be selected by the jury to be exhibited in Barcelona. The best will receive a prize of €3,000.

The Frameline Completion Fund provides grants to both emerging and established filmmakers. This program seeks to provide a much-needed source of financial contributions to artists who are struggling to secure funding to complete their works. All categories are accepted, but the films must focus on LGBTQ+ people and their communities.

The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and Film Fund are supporting filmmakers with up to $50,000 in cash and post-production prizes.

In collaboration with Doctors of the World, The Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award, recognizes images that document social inequities, injustices, and/or human rights abuses.

The W. Eugene Smith Grant is presented annually to a photographer or multimedia artist to help begin a project or complete an ongoing body of work related to the human condition: social change, humanitarian concern, armed conflict, or other topics of interpersonal, psychological, cultural, social, environmental, scientific, medical and/or political significance, ideally expressing an underlying acknowledgement of our common humanity.

The Howard Chapnick Grant supports leadership in fields such as editing, research, education, and management--activities essential to photojournalism and documentary photography that complement the creation of images.

The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Center for Business Journalism provides experienced journalists with grants and the editorial support needed to produce deeply reported enterprise and investigative stories with a strong economic, financial or business angle.

The Dan David Prize is the world’s largest history prize, recognizing up to 9 outstanding practitioners in the historical disciplines such as history, archaeology, art history, digital humanities and human palaeontology, as well as independent scholars, public historians, museum curators and documentary filmmakers.

The Neal Peirce Travel Grants support journalists in covering under-told stories about ways to make cities and their metro regions work better for all their people. Grants of up to $1,500 enable journalists to travel to cities within the U.S. to produce one or more stories for publication.

Empowering the work and careers of female and non-binary professionals of all ages and from all countries working in diverse areas of photography. Its mission is to support the growth of new generations and promote stories narrated from a female perspective while responding to the need to work for gender equality in the industry.

The Aesthetica Art Prize is a place of discovery. Art is the mechanism by which we can begin to make sense of a rapidly changing world. If there has ever been a time that we need art in our lives, it is now. The Main Prize is open to all practitioners working at any level, including students. £10,000 prize money for the winner, a group exhibition in a major public gallery, editorial coverage in Aesthetica Magazine, and a profile on the Aesthetica website.

The Image Centre offers a variety of fellowships for research related to photography. Research fellows have the opportunity to study select areas of The Image Centre's photography collections first-hand. In 2027, The Image Centre will offer six competitive fellowships for research related to photography.

The Melissa Rucker Finishing Fund supports U.S. based women and non-binary filmmakers completing narrative and documentary projects in both short and feature formats. Designed for films in post-production, the fund supports bold, original projects while addressing the barriers that women and non-binary filmmakers often face throughout their careers.

The Goethe-Institut’s Visual Arts Project Fund supports the establishment of international networks between cultural professionals from Germany and across the globe. It funds projects that foster artistic and curatorial cooperation across national and continental borders.

Numéro Switzerland is pleased to announce its fourth visual arts contest, a celebration of transformation and creativity in constant motion. This year's theme is “Flux et Forma,” inviting photographers, videographers, visual artists, and creators from around the world to explore the beauty of change, movement, and evolution, showcasing their unique visions and perspectives.

The Short Film Fund provides an opportunity for emerging writers, directors and producers from around the world to receive much-needed financial support to get their work produced and seen. The fund accepts narrative short films (live-action & animation), web series pilots, and proof-of-concept shorts for TV series and features. Many of the fund's alumni have gone on to gain representation, sell their screenplays, get staffed on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, & BBC shows, and develop their shorts into features and TV shows.

The Short Film Fund provides an opportunity for emerging writers, directors and producers from around the world to receive much-needed financial support to get their work produced and seen. The fund accepts narrative short films (live-action & animation), web series pilots, and proof-of-concept shorts for TV series and features. Many of the fund's alumni have gone on to gain representation, sell their screenplays, get staffed on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, & BBC shows, and develop their shorts into features and TV shows.

Providing short film production grants to filmmakers making stories centering on Asian and Pacific Islander Women and Non-Binary protagonists.

The Roy W. Dean Grant funds independent films that are unique and make a contribution to society that, without its help, might otherwise never get made. Winners receive a cash prize of $3,500.

The Fujifilm Moment Street Photo Awards were born out a fascination with street photography, and aim to promote and support professional or amateur photographers working in the genre.

The American-Scandinavian Foundation offers fellowships of up to $23,000 to graduate students and academic professionals interested in pursuing research or creative-arts projects in the Nordic region.

Final Frame is an in-kind investment by OkayStudio, giving selected directors access to the studio's world-class edit, VFX, colour, and finishing artists and resources. The initiative represents a total in-kind value of £100,000 in post-production services, supporting high-calibre short films.

In cooperation with the Hessian state capital, Nassauischer Kunstverein Wiesbaden promotes international creators whose work connects with the trans national, multicultural and interdisciplinary art movement Fluxus. The legendary event series “Fluxus Internationale Festspiele Neuester Musik” laid a central cornerstone in 1962 in Wiesbaden for the still ongoing international reception of Fluxus.

The Pulitzer Center invites journalists who are working on projects related to tropical rainforests to submit a proposal to the Rainforest Journalism Fund. This particular grant focuses on work around the themes of the rainforest in our overall climate equations, and the solutions and effects of deforestation.

Mongabay are asking for pitches on topics related to Bangladesh’s response to climate change. They’re offering payment for already completed work, and grants to fund future trips for the creation of new stories. Due to limited resources compared to the scale of the challenges, Bangladesh is now facing hurdles in taking adequate adaptation measures to tackle the harmful impacts of climate change.

The Pulitzer Center’s global reporting grants support in-depth, high-impact reporting on critical issues that are often overlooked in the media, from global health to climate change. Their stories address the root causes of crises around the world, including within the United States. They support projects across all media platforms and encourage ambitious, prize-worthy proposals that combine print, photography, audio, and/or video for one or more news outlets.

The Congo Basin Journalism Fund aims to support and build capacity of local, regional, and international journalists reporting on issues related to rainforests, funding costs associated with reporting projects on rainforests, with an emphasis on unreported or underreported issues in the regions and how they connect on a global scale.

The South Asian Journalists Association Fellowship program is designed to promote in-depth, long-form news reports covering issues which are often ignored or given only fleeting coverage by the media. Examples of these are news of natural disasters, accidents and scandals which are often prominently featured as "Breaking News" over a few new cycles, spanning a few days but whose long-term impact are seldom covered in depth, if at all.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is a New York based, philanthropic, not-for-profit institution that makes grants in three areas: research in science, technology, and economics; quality and diversity of scientific institutions; and public engagement with science.

Impact Partners Films are looking for early-stage projects that have a director attached and have secured some access. Submitted projects should tell strong, cinematic stories, explore the urgent issues and questions of our time, and have a clear point of view and artistic vision. Through Impact Partner's general and development funds, they invest in 10-15 projects a year, and review projects year-round on a rolling basis.

Culture Colab seeks grantees working at the intersection of pop culture and social change who identify culture change as a clear outcome of their work. Submitted projects must demonstrate commitment to long-term narrative and culture change strategies in the arts, entertainment, digital, mass media, and/or social justice sectors.

This grant aims to support projects that will further understanding of Japanese arts and culture. Successful projects are granted up to $5,000. This grant also supports online projects related to Arts & Cultural Exchange such as virtual exhibitions, virtual performances, film streaming, online conference as well as webinar.

Providing outreach, access, and support to aspiring filmmakers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Revolution Fund accepts nominations for proposals for small one-time grants that last no longer than a year. Mama Cash aims to be responsive to movements by meeting them where they are. The Revolution Fund is Mama Cash’s participatory grantmaking fund that enables them to respond to funding requests that fall outside other grantmaking criteria.

Fiscal sponsorship is an arrangement between an existing 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an individual or entity lacking the legal status needed to receive grants from foundations, individual donors and government agencies.

The Hundred Film Fund aims to fund and produce one hundred films which are making use of AI to tell their stories. If you are a professional director, producer, screenwriter or creative professional looking to tell new stories with an AI-augmented project in need of funding, you're invited you to apply.

The IWMF supports U.S.-based reporting projects by Indigenous journalists on issues related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMMIP) with a concentration on women, girls, Two-Spirit and transgender people. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Indigenous journalists affiliated with media outlets, as well as freelancers, are invited to apply. In addition to monetary support, the IWMF is committed to providing editorial and pitching support to grantees.

The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Grant will select 10 small businesses monthly from June to December 2026 to receive $10,000 grants.

The Shophand $5k Small Business Boost Grant is awarded three times a year to give small business owners the support they need to overcome their biggest tech or operational challenge.

The QuickBooks Small Business Hero Grant awards $20,000 to US-based small businesses that demonstrate strong community impact, resilience, and integrity. It’s nomination-based, runs in multiple rounds throughout the year, and winners also receive promotion and business support resources to help grow their company.

The BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund invests National Lottery funding in a diverse range of work with creative merit and ambition, which the commercial sector is not able to back, in full or in part. Funding supports features from experienced directors with productions budgets of £1,000,000 to £15,000,000 and debut feature directors with production budgets of £3,500,000 to £15,000,000.

The fund will support UK-focused activity at established international festivals, markets, co-production forums, or other industry events or platforms, with international reach and dedicated to screen content.

To bring awareness to the injustice of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People/Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Transgender people (MMIP/WG2T), the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Fund for Indigenous Journalists supports U.S.-based reporting projects by journalists on the issue.

Invideo Research Grants fund experiments and ambitious ideas filmmakers have wanted to test, iterate on, and bring to life, but could never justify. The program launches with a $200,000 grant pool for its first cohort, with applications open worldwide on a rolling basis.

The Kickstarter Culture Fund is a $1 million fund supporting independent creators in Arts, Fashion, Film, and Music through contributions to their Kickstarter campaigns. The fund marks Kickstarter's first direct investment in creative ideas, fueling the power of belief with meaningful financial support.

The Pollock-Krasner Foundation provides unrestricted grants to exceptional visual artists to support the continued development of their work and enable them to meaningfully pursue their practice.

The Ransom Center's internationally renowned collections encourage and support research in all areas of the humanities, including literature, photography, film, art, performing arts, music, cultural history, and interdisciplinary studies.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship Program supports professional artists who demonstrate exceptional creative ability in their chosen discipline, including film and video, photo, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and drawing.

Scholarships will be awarded to those students whose work “tells a story”. This is a fairly broad topic and may include a variety of subject matter and approaches (breaking news, sporting events, etc.) Five $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to college or technical school students. Four awards will be for video work while one will be for still photography. One $2,500 scholarship will be awarded to one graduate student, for video work.

The Monochrome Photography Awards is an international competition dedicated to recognizing the best black and white photography. The competition celebrates photographers from all over the world, whether they are professionals or amateurs, and aims to highlight the artistic value of monochrome imagery.

The Joana Biarnés Scholarship aims to support the professional development of young photojournalists who identify with the concerns and values ​​of the best visual journalism.

Established to provide grants, visibility, and career-enhancing validation to artists demonstrating a serious commitment to their work, the Hopper Prize awards grants of $4,500 to artists working in any media, with recipients selected based on artistic excellence and potential.

The John Ruskin Prize welcomes works in all mediums, including drawing, painting, print, sculpture, photography, textile, animation, mixed media, digital, performance, installation and more.

The Film Fund supports in-progress narrative short films. Their grant covers costs associated with the production of your film, including travel, equipment, talent etc.

Through the “Contemporary Talents” competition, François Schneider aims to support creative artists by acquiring their works and showcasing them at the Foundation’s Art Centre. Applicants my submit completed or in-progress concepts.

Eighty applicants will be selected by our jury and invited to spend the week with over twenty five of the most influential and creative photographers, book makers, gallerists, museum curators, and photobook publishers in the industry. One full tuition scholarship, two half tuition scholarships, and five partial tuition scholarships will be awarded. At the end of the event, one grand prize winner will be awarded the Charcoal Publishing Prize. The winning project will be published and distributed worldwide by Charcoal Book Club.

Look Aside Films offer financial support for debut and established filmmakers working on unique short film projects of all genres. This year, two short film funds are open - their Primary Fund, for more established filmmakers, which is cash value £5000, and their Debut Fund, for new filmmakers, which is cash value £1000.

The Developing Room's Feature Film Treatment Development Award gives a filmmaker the time and support to develop a promising feature film idea into a strong treatment, welcoming live-action and animation fiction feature film projects.

The Underscore Studios Short Film Fund supports working-class filmmakers across the UK through funding, mentorship and practical support. The Film Fund provides the selected filmmaker with production finance, and festival support.

The MiraBan Post Production Film Fund supports independent filmmakers in need of professional post-production assistance. The fund includes a post-production support package valued at £5,000, including access to experienced creative and technical collaborators from post through to delivery.

The Rencontres d'Arles Curatorial Research Grant is aimed at curators wishing to carry out a new project related to images/photography.

Onewater, UNESCO, and the UN are turning their lens toward the hidden intersections of water, ecosystems, and human life. Photo stories should explore ecosystem health, reveal wastewater surveillance, expose the hidden cost of polluted water, celebrate the cultural value of blue spaces, or document safe drinking water as the foundation of healthy lives.

Emergency Grants is a year-round, multi-disciplinary program that offers immediate, project-based assistance to artists living and working anywhere in the United States, for projects occurring in the U.S. and abroad.

Culture Forward is a $5 million grant initiative by The Svane Family Foundation supporting arts, entertainment, and culture in Downtown San Francisco. Grants are open to individual artists, collectives, and arts and culture organizations.

The Vital Impacts Environmental Photography Fellowships and Mentorships support visual storytellers undertaking long-term documentary photography projects that explore environmental and conservation challenges and, importantly, the people and communities working toward solutions.

The Aftermath Project is committed to telling the other half of the story of conflict — the story of what it takes for individuals to learn to live again, to rebuild destroyed lives and homes, to restore civil societies, to address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace.

The Fellowship will grant $20,000 each to three writers to support revision of a feature screenplay or pilot that engages with climate change in a compelling way through events, actions, character, emotions, plot, and/or setting.

The Material Works Art Award supports artists through a one-time $2500.00 award in exchange for an original artwork that will join our growing contemporary art collection. This award recognizes artistic excellence and aims to promote career advancement through increasing visibility and exposure.

The Annual Photography Awards is an international competition celebrating the best photography from around the world. Open to professionals, amateurs, and students aged 18 and above, the contest aims to preserve photography as a contemporary fine art medium and assist artists in advancing their careers. Participants receive global exposure and are eligible for various cash prizes.

The Mobile Photography Awards recognize and the talent and imagery of the mobile photo and art communities. It is an annual way to bring the community of artists and photographers together, exhibit their work in galleries, bring wonderful images into the fine art world and create a legitimate way to focus real world attention on mobile artists.

The CFA Institute, in partnership with IMGN, is awarding one filmmaker $4,500 to support an independent narrative project in 2026. Applications are open to U.S.-based filmmakers.

Unlock funding of up to £5,000 for your short film project, regardless of its genre. Apply at any stage of your project's journey, whether it's in development, production, post-production, or to support film festival expenses.

The PRIFF Short Film Fund, powered by Genera Films, offers up to £5,000 to help filmmakers bring their stories to life, whether through production or post-production support, providing crucial backing to projects that are ready to move.