Southern Documentary Fund (SDF) champions Southern documentary makers and stories. Inspired by our belief in the power of media to educate and change lives, we provide documentarians with diverse resources, including grants, fiscal sponsorship, community dialogue, training, and mentorship–all to promote Southern stories and lower barriers for documentary makers and underrepresented voices.

Southern documentary makers will be known and celebrated for their projects that educate, inspire, and entertain.

SDF is committed to:

• Providing access, educational opportunities, and resources for documentary makers and underrepresented voices

• Promoting the richness and complexity of Southern stories 

• Revealing truths, large and small, about the world around us

• Championing creativity and freedom of expression for Southern makers

• Building community and connecting documentarians and audiences across the region

SDF was founded in 2002 by two independent filmmakers, Steve Channing and Cynthia Hill. They were producing and directing feature-length documentaries, and found themselves reaching out to organizations in New York or on the West Coast to sponsor their films. Eventually Cynthia and Steve felt compelled to create a home for southern storytellers closer to home. Based in Durham, North Carolina, SDF became the first and only arts nonprofit dedicated to supporting documentary artists in the American South, filling a substantial gap in services locally and within the region. Over the past decade, SDF has become a trusted partner for veteran, emerging, and first-time documentary producers across our region, helping them direct their lenses and microphones at powerful southern stories and critical issues. The work of SDF artists covers a diverse spectrum of topics—civil rights, the environment, history, and the arts—and their films are being used as effective tools for social change, education, and community development. SDF is passionate about providing our artists with opportunities for professional growth, offering support and programming that connects them to the resources necessary to hone their skills, complete their projects, and exhibit them widely. And as a leading advocate for documentary culture in the Southeast, SDF forges relationships between our regional makers and industry professionals around the country. Since our founding, SDF has sponsored over 100 independent documentaries. Currently we have approximately 77 active documentaries on the roster, a record number for our small organization.