National fund Norway, Oslo

Idé- og manusutvikling dokumentar (idea and script development, documentary)

Run by Norsk filminstitutt (Norwegian Film Institute)

The documentary twin of NFI's fiction script grant: a single payment of NOK 100,000 or 150,000 to a writer or director for the idea and script stage of a documentary. The applicant is an individual with a registered one person business, not a company, and 100 awards are listed with names and sums.

Grant, nOK 100,000 to NOK 150,000Open to writers in NorwayA writer alone

Next dates not yet published

The money

Amount
NOK 100,000 to NOK 150,000A fixed NOK 100,000 or NOK 150,000 depending on the scope of the work, paid in one phase.
What it is
Grant
To apply
Free

Who can apply

Applicant
A writer alone
Where you write
In Norway
Rules
Directors and screenwriters with a sole proprietorship in the Norwegian business register, plus either a relevant degree at bachelor's level or above or professional experience on distributed or publicly funded productions. Projects without a director attached are not prioritized.
Stages
Writing
Formats
Documentary
Language of the application
Norwegian

When to apply

The fund opens once a year. The next cycle's dates are not yet published; we add them when they are. Opened for 2026 applications on Feb 1; the 2027 date is not yet published. Eight to ten weeks to a decision.

Also open to writers in Norway

See every fund for Norway

ProductionNorwayNational fund

Fond for lyd og bilde, Film (Fund for Sound and Image, film scheme)

Kulturdirektoratet (Arts Council Norway) on behalf of Fond for lyd og bilde

A rights holders' fund, financed as compensation for private copying, that pays for short films, documentaries, music videos, art film and text work tied to film projects.

Spring round Feb 2, 2027A writer alone or a production companyShort, Documentary

VariesGrantcloses in 93 days

WritingNorwayNational fund

Manusutvikling fiksjon (script development, fiction)

Norsk filminstitutt (Norwegian Film Institute)

Fixed sums paid straight to the writer to take a feature or series from idea to treatment and on to a revised first draft, with no producer required.

Next dates not yet publishedA writer aloneFeature, Series

rangeNOK250kGrantbetween rounds

DevelopmentNorwayNational fund

Neo utvikling (Neo development)

Norsk filminstitutt (Norwegian Film Institute)

NFI's low budget talent program for first long films and series, in fiction, documentary and hybrid form.

Applications taken any timeA production companyFeature, Series, Documentary

VariesGrantany time

More writing grants elsewhere

See all writing grants

WritingUnited StatesRegional fund

Arts Innovator Award

Artist Trust

Two Washington artists a year receive USD 25,000 for pushing at the edges of their field, with no project report attached.

Next dates not yet publishedA writer aloneFeature, Series, Short, Documentary, Animation

range$25kGrantbetween rounds

WritingUnited StatesRegional fund

Creative Accelerator Fund

Illinois Arts Council

Illinois pays working artists USD 10,000 by lottery rather than by jury: show an active practice with two work samples and the state lottery draws the winners region by region.

Next dates not yet publishedA writer aloneFeature, Series, Short, Documentary, Animation

range$10kGrantbetween rounds

WritingUnited StatesRegional fund

Fellowship Awards

Artist Trust

Washington State's merit award for working artists: USD 10,000 with no strings, judged on the body of work rather than a project.

2027 Fellowship deadline Nov 2, 2026A writer aloneFeature, Series, Short, Documentary, Animation

range$10kGrantcloses tomorrow

WritingDevelopmentUnited StatesRegional fund

Grants for Artist Projects (GAP)

Artist Trust

Small, fast and plentiful: 65 Washington artists a year receive USD 2,500 toward a specific project, from research travel to a first draft.

Next dates not yet publishedA writer aloneFeature, Series, Short, Documentary, Animation

range$2.5kGrantbetween 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.