Filmmakers Collaborative SF:
Guide to Grants for Filmmakers in California
Here is a curated list of grants we think you need to know about if you’re a filmmaker in California.
For a more extensive list of national grants, check out American Documentary’s list and IDA’s grants calendar.
If you find these resources helpful, please consider donating to our organization or subscribing to our email list!
California Humanities offers grants for documentary media, with the California Documentary Project, and public humanities events, with Humanities for All.
California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all.
San Francisco Arts Council supports San Francisco-based artists, arts organizations, and historically underserved communities.
The Center for Cultural Innovation promotes knowledge sharing, networking, and financial independence for individuals in the arts by providing business training, grants, and incubating innovative projects.
SFFILM Makers offers a wide range of funding and artist development services for fiction and documentary filmmakers all over the world.
Berkeley FILM Foundation provides grants in the production, postproduction and distribution stages. Filmmaker must work or live in Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond or Oakland.
The Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation is committed to preserving the creative spirit of the Bay Area by supporting local working artists and the organizations that help to promote and sustain their artistic practice.
The Fleishhacker Foundation supports film projects within its Small Arts Grants and Special Arts Grants programs.Only films directed by residents of San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Sonoma, San Mateo, and Santa Clara are considered.
BAVC provides training, resources, and opportunities for storytellers to empower themselves, whether its by making new connections at a panel discussion, starting a show on SF Commons public access television, or realizing a project as part of the National MediaMaker Fellowship.
The Rainin Foundation’s arts funding is focused on helping artists thrive in the Bay Area. They encourage artistic risk and support new projects that highlight important issues facing our society and communities.
The Creative Work Fund invites artists and nonprofit organizations to create new art works through collaborations. The principal collaborating artists must live in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, or Sonoma County and have lived there for at least two years prior to submitting a letter of inquiry.
Film Independent Grants & Awards allow filmmakers to advance their current projects and help recognize professional accomplishments in independent film.
Catapult gives early support to propel projects forward that hold the promise of a story that should be uniquely told in film.
ITVS provides documentary funding and co-production support so you can complete your nonfiction work in progress, then air it on public television.
The IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund supports in-depth explorations of original, contemporary stories that integrate journalistic practice into the filmmaking process. The Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund supports feature length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz's work.