Filmmaking Grants

Southern documentary fund
production grant

The call for production grant proposals will open July 14, 2025 and will close August 15, 2025 at 11:59PM EST.

Seven filmmakers will be awarded $15,000 each, totaling $105,000.

Late applications will not be accepted.

GRANT ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for our grant:

Project Directors should reside or have deep roots in one of the following Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
This grant prioritizes stories made in or about the American South.
Applicants must have a U.S. social security number or U.S. federal tax ID number.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project.

If your project has special circumstances regarding eligibility, please feel free to reach out to our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org

Application closed on August 15, 2025

What WE fund

We will fund:

Nonfiction documentaries (shorts, features, docuseries, and experimental).
Projects must be in production. Proposals for research, development, post-production, distribution or engagement/impact funding are not eligible to apply for this grant.

We seek to bring visibility to Southern makers and stories that are oftentimes overlooked. We will award up to seven makers with grants of $15,000 each to assist them in production.

INELIGIBLE PROJECTS

The following projects are ineligible for funding and will NOT be considered:

The applicant and project do not meet the above listed eligibility requirements.
Non-documentary projects.
Projects that meet our criteria, but have an incomplete application and/or are missing support materials.
Projects submitted after the submission deadline.
Projects that have already received production funds from SDF.

Info Sessions

Clink on the images below to view info session times and dates

Grant Info Session #1 Recording

Watch now!

Grant Info Session #2 Recording

Will be posted when available

REVIEW CRITERIA

Project falls within the scope of SDF’s mission and values.
Primary team members have a strong connection to the story.
Proposal is well-researched and clearly presented.
Project has a feasible budget and fundraising plan.
Project Director and collaborators possess the skills necessary to successfully complete the project.
The applicant shows an understanding of their intended audience and how to reach them.
A completed application and all requested documents.
A fulfillment of eligibility requirements.

Resources

Application Checklist

English

Application Checklist

Spanish

Sample Budget

Sample Grant Application

Roundtable budgeting workshop recording 1

Roundtable budgeting workshop recording 2

Readings

From Reflection to Release: Framework for Values, Ethics, and Accountability in Nonfiction Filmmaking

Safe and Secure Handbook

FWD-Doc Engagement Pack

The Impact Field Guide & Toolkit

FWD-Doc

Practices & Resources We Recommend

Captioning and Audio Description Resources

Production Grant made possible through support and community

This Production Grant is made possible thanks to the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation, JustFilms | Ford Foundation and Wyncote Foundation. For questions regarding eligibility or the application process, please email our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org

FAQ

Do applicants have to reside in the South to qualify for the grant?

Project Directors should reside or have deep roots in one of the following Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. If you have any questions about your projects eligibility, please contact our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org

If I’m enrolled in school, can I apply?

Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project. If you have any questions about your projects eligibility, please contact our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org

Can two people working on the same project apply separately?

No, you can not apply separately, we will accept one application per project, per grant cycle.

Do you have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply?

You do not have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply.

Can the funds be used to pay myself for the work I’ll be doing?

Yes, please be sure to include this in your proposed budget.

I understand that new and emerging filmmakers are encouraged to apply. Are experienced filmmakers eligible to apply?

We are encouraging filmmakers at all levels to apply.

Are shorts, features, and documentary series eligible for SDF grants?

Yes, we accept both short and feature film proposals as well as documentary series proposals.

If we receive the grant, what is the turnaround time for a completed project?

There is not a turnaround time for a completed project.

How long should the sample of previous work be?

Applicants are encouraged to submit a sample between 10 to 20 minutes. The sample should demonstrate your access to characters, visual treatment, and the developing tone and style. We encourage applicants to submit a complete scene that provides the viewer insight into the team’s ability to communicate their intention.

I have a narrative reel, can that serve as a work sample?

Yes, this can be submitted as ‘Director’s Prior Work’.