BFI Development Funding
BFI (British Film Institute), National Lottery
The main public route for developing a British fiction feature, from treatment through to a screenplay ready to finance.
VariesGrant or repayableany time
National fund United Kingdom, London
BFI Filmmaking Fund: Discovery and Impact feature funding
Run by BFI (British Film Institute), National Lottery
Production money for British features in two strands split by budget and by the director's experience. A finished script, a director and a producer are the starting point; the writer comes in as part of that package. Discovery runs in rounds, Impact is open year-round.
Grant or repayable, up to £1,250,000Open to writers in United KingdomA production company
Discovery round 3 Dec 16, 2026 (closes in 45 days)
That closing date has passed. We check the funder's page every day and add the next dates once they are published.
The money
- Amount
- Up to £1,250,000Discovery awards up to GBP 1,000,000 for debut directors on budgets of GBP 1,000,000 to 3,500,000; Impact awards up to GBP 1,250,000 for experienced directors above GBP 1,000,000 or debut directors above GBP 3,500,000. The page does not say whether the money is recouped.
- What it is
- Grant or repayable
- To apply
- Free
Who can apply
- Applicant
- A production company
- Where you write
- In United Kingdom
- Rules
- Producers apply with an original live action or animated feature. Discovery is for films by first-time directors with budgets between one and three and a half million pounds; Impact is for experienced directors, or debut directors on larger budgets. The guidelines were last updated August 13, 2026.
- Stages
- Production
- Formats
- Feature, Animation
- Language of the application
- English
When to apply
The next closing date is Dec 16, 2026. The dates below are the current cycle's, as the funder states them. Discovery round 3 opens November 12, 2026 and closes at 5pm on December 16, 2026. Impact takes applications on a rolling basis, at least 20 weeks before the first day of shooting.
| Round | Closes |
|---|---|
| Discovery round 3 | Dec 16, 2026 |
Dates are as the funder states them. Check the time of day and the time zone on the official page.
Also open to writers in United Kingdom
BFI Doc Society Fund: features development and production
Doc Society for the BFI (British Film Institute), National Lottery
The UK's National Lottery money for feature documentaries, run by Doc Society.
range£150kGrantcloses in 50 days
Made of Truth (BFI Doc Society short film fund)
Doc Society for BFI NETWORK (British Film Institute), National Lottery
A yearly grant for short documentaries by UK filmmakers at the start of their careers, in live action or animation.
up to£25kGrantbetween rounds
UK Global Screen Fund: International Co-production
BFI (British Film Institute) for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Government money, administered by the BFI, for UK companies joining international co-productions as the smaller partner.
up to£300kGrantcloses in 23 days
More production funding elsewhere
AFS Grant
Austin Film Society
Texas filmmakers have their own state fund: cash for features and shorts in production or post, with camera and finishing packages on top.
up to$20kGrantbetween rounds
Minnesota Film Production Grant
Jerome Foundation
The Minnesota twin of Jerome's New York City grant: up to USD 30,000 of production money for early career directors who take creative risks, applied for in two steps each fall.
up to$30kGrantcloses in 23 days
New York City Film Production Grant
Jerome Foundation
A production grant for New York City directors near the start of their careers, in any moving-image form from animation to documentary.
up to$30kGrantcloses in 23 days
BPM Open Call
Black Public Media
Public television's fund for Black nonfiction stories runs one call a year: five projects get USD 20,000 and a place at PitchBLACK, where one leaves with up to USD 150,000 of production…
range$150kInvestmentbetween rounds
Also useful
Where Creative Europe's development money goesEvery MEDIA development grant since 2014, by country, company and year.Fellowships and labsPrograms that pick a few writers and work with them for months, on the events pages.How to write a treatmentThe document a development application is built on, step by step.Screenwriting eventsContests, labs, festivals and conferences, with their deadlines.