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
Foundation or company fund United States, Los Angeles
New Filmmaker Program equipment grant
Run by Panavision
No cash changes hands, but a camera package from the house that shot most of Hollywood can be the biggest line in a first film's budget. Panavision lends gear to new filmmakers in the US and Canada when inventory allows; Napoleon Dynamite and Requiem for a Dream are among the credits it claims.
Stipend or servicesOpen to writers in United States and CanadaA writer with a producer
Applications taken any time
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
- Amount not statedUse of a Panavision film or digital camera package at little or no cost, subject to availability
- What it is
- Stipend or services
- To apply
- Free
Who can apply
- Applicant
- A writer with a producer
- Where you write
- In United States and Canada
- Rules
- New filmmakers shooting in the United States or Canada. The page states no further rules; terms depend on the project and on what equipment is free.
- Stages
- Production
- Formats
- Feature, Short, Documentary
- Language of the application
- English
When to apply
Applications are taken at any time; decisions follow in the fund's own rhythm. Applications are taken through an online form at any time.
What it gives besides money
Presentations, equipment demonstrations and facility tours for student and non-student groups at Panavision's US locations.
Also open to writers in United States
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.
range$25kGrantbetween rounds
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.
range$10kGrantbetween rounds
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.
range$10kGrantcloses tomorrow
More production funding elsewhere
CMF Indigenous Development, Predevelopment and Production Programs (administered by the ISO)
Indigenous Screen Office with the Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund's Indigenous money is handed to the Indigenous Screen Office to run, with higher contribution rates than the general programs: up to 84 percent of a predevelopment…
up toCA$750kGrant or repayablebetween rounds
Explore and Create: Artistic Creation
Canada Council for the Arts
Since 2026 the Council's Artistic Creation grant stands in for two retired components, Concept to Realization and Research and Creation, and it is the arts council route for a screenwriter…
VariesGrantany time
Indigenous Funding streams
Telefilm Canada
Three ring-fenced streams inside Telefilm's feature programs: development, production and a Talent to Watch component for a first micro-budget feature.
VariesGrant or repayablecloses in 100 days
POV Program
Canada Media Fund
Single, authored documentaries have a selective CMF round of their own, in English and in French, each spring.
VariesGrant or repayablebetween rounds
Also useful
Fellowships and labsPrograms that pick a few writers and work with them for months, on the events pages.Where Creative Europe's development money goesEvery MEDIA development grant since 2014, by country, company and year.How to write a treatmentThe document a development application is built on, step by step.Screenwriting eventsContests, labs, festivals and conferences, with their deadlines.