A Massive List of Spring 2026 Grants, Labs & Fellowships

About the Author: Lee (f.k.a Laura) Moss is a director, screenwriter, andstory consultant born in NYC and based in Dublin. For years, they have benefited from No Film School’s vetted grant/fellowship lists and are happy to pay it forward in this community.

For many of us, it’s been a long, cold winter. If you’ve had the understandable urge to hibernate, we are here to present you with some opportunities to coax you out from under the covers.

Calls for submissions are organized by regular deadline - check links for early submission - and by category: documentary, narrative, and screenwriting. An asterisk(*) indicates an opportunity available in multiple categories.

As always, double-check eligibility requirements, and use your best judgment when deciding to apply.

Documentary

’7 Beats Per Minute’Credit: National Film Board of Canada

National Film Board of Canada Filmmaker Assistance Program*

Despite its unfortunate acronym, the Filmmaker Assistance Program (FAP) continues to be a steadfast program of support for Canadian citizens looking to get their film over the finish line.

Selected Canadian filmmakers will be provided with the opportunity to travel to Montreal to complete a portion of their post-production in-house at Balmoral Studios. Services provided include post-production services and access to post-production equipment such as picture and sound editing suites, online editing services, title and credits design, sound effects, voice recording, mixing, access to the NFB archives, master copies, and authoring of a complete digital cinema package (DCP).

Filmmakers living within 150 km of Montreal must cover 10% of the total cost of requested post-production services. For filmmakers who live more than 150 km from Montreal but wish to travel to Montreal to access the services, the NFB waives the 10%.

The film must be an independent Canadian production. Eligible formats and genres include: Short, medium-length, or feature-length documentaries, documentary series for the web, animated short, medium-length, or feature-length films, short fiction, and experimental films.

Deadline: March 14

Coexistence Documentary Fund

Who Let The Docs Out, the self-described “newest kid on the block” of the doc grantmaking scene, is issuing funding to documentaries exploring specific topics that “create change”.

Their Coexistence Documentary Fund supports short, feature, and episodic documentary projects that examine the ethical stakes of using animals in modern society.

They are offering research grants of $4,000-$8,000 for projects in their earliest phase, as well as development grants of $7,000-$15,000 for projects with a secured story. Development grants are intended to support the creation of a proof-of-concept trailer and a comprehensive project deck.

Preference will be given to filmmakers with at least one prior credit, and first-time filmmaker applicants are encouraged to partner with experienced producers.

From WLTDO:

“We view interspecies justice not as a niche interest, but as a critical lens through which to examine economics, culture, health, and history…Our mission is to support a new wave of storytelling that exposes the invisible architecture of our reliance on animals. We support filmmakers who are ready to take creative risks, combining rigorous journalistic inquiry with cinematic language to reach mainstream audiences and transform public awareness.”

Deadline: March 16

Automation and Humanity Doc Fund

Also from Who Let The Docs Out, the Automation & Humanity Documentary Fund supports cinematic non-fiction that explores the mechanisms, risks, and global stakes of autonomous systems. Particularly “character-driven stories with conflict, resolution, and emotional depth”.

They are offering research grants of $4,000 for short films and $8,000 for feature projects in their earliest phase. Preference will be given to filmmakers with at least one prior credit and first-time filmmaker applicants are encouraged to partner with experienced producers.

To be competitive, projects should explore the complex spectrum of AI safety to address tangible, present, and near-future realities.

Deadline: March 16

Points North Fellowship

The Points North Institute provides this creative, immersive fellowship program offered to six teams of early to mid-career feature documentarians from around the world.

The 2026 fall fellowship begins in person for one week in Maine. Fellows gather for a series of workshops with mentors and peers to share their work samples, refine their pitches, and expand the creative and strategic possibilities of their films. These workshops culminate at the Points North Pitch, an event during the Camden International Film Festival where each team pitches their project to leading funders, broadcasters, producers, and distributors before a live audience.

In the weeks that follow, fellows continue to receive tailored support through a series of 1:1 virtual meetings with key industry decision-makers.

Submitted projects must be feature-length, with an intended runtime of 60 minutes or more. Projects in all stages of production and post-production are accepted; films either in early development or those about to submit to festivals are not an ideal match for the program and pitch.

From Points North:

“For over 15 years, the Points North Fellowship has become a cornerstone of our artist programs: a launchpad for bold voices, a bridge between independent filmmakers and the industry, and a space where expansive nonfiction projects can find their audiences and continue to grow…At a time when independent filmmaking demands both courage and community, we champion artists who are pushing the boundaries of nonfiction cinema and imagining new ways of making work.”

Deadline: March 23

Ellis Beauregard Documentary Film Award

In collaboration with Points North, The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation will provide one $50,000 unrestricted grant to a feature-length documentary currently in post-production, as well as a creative retreat opportunity in conjunction with the 2026 Camden International Film Festival (CIFF). During the retreat, the filmmaker and editor will share a work-in-progress cut in an intimate, supportive environment with leading documentary editors, producers, and creative advisers.

Finalists will be reviewed by a panel of invited industry leaders, with selection based on artistic excellence, originality, clarity of vision, and creative potential. The panel is looking for “ambitious, artist-driven work that challenges convention and expands the language of nonfiction cinema.”

Projects that are anticipated to be completed by Summer 2027 are preferred. Emerging and established filmmakers are encouraged to apply.

Deadline: March 31

Creative Capital Award*

The Creative Capital Award provides artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of innovative new artistic works that engage urgent social issues of our time. This is a particularly good opportunity for projects that are formally inventive or employ mixed media. The program awards unrestricted grants from $15,000-$50,000. A special State of the Art prize of $10,000 will be awarded to fifty additional artists, one in each U.S. state. Previously supported documentary filmmakers include Almudena Carracedo, Amber Bemak, and Chris Eyre.

Applicants must be at least twenty-five years old and have at least five years of professional experience in the field. Documentary films of any length are welcome to apply.

Deadline: April 2

Sandbox Fund

This program is administered by the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, in collaboration with Sandbox Films. It offers grants of up to $100K, engagement events, and other opportunities for independent artists seeking to highlight diversity in science. The program supports projects in development, production, and post-production, and there is no application fee.

Supported filmmakers include Jessica Kingdon, Drew Xanthopoulous, and Penny Lane.

Applications Open: March 16** **

Deadline: April 13

‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’Credit: Neon

Eggcelerator Lab

Supported by Chicken and Egg, this lab is for women and gender-expansive non-fiction filmmakers in early-to-mid production on their first or second feature. Support includes $40,000 in grant funding for production, mentorship, two creative retreats, and a travel stipend upon acceptance for a forum or market this year.

From Chicken and Egg:

“Priority will be given to films committed to creating social change and/or uplifting underrepresented stories that challenge mainstream narratives. We support a broad range of issues from the personal to the political that explore a variety of artistic approaches, such as personal, experimental, animated, essayistic, archival, and beyond.”

Applications Open: March 4 Regular Deadline: April 29

Film Independent Documentary Producing Lab

Film Independent offers a wide array of filmmaker development programs throughout the year, including this program designed for non-fiction producers. Held for one week during the fall, this lab pairs fellows with creative and business consultants and offers professional coaching as well as case studies with notable nonfiction producers and a networking day with industry professionals. Last year's fellows included Beth Levison, Khaula Malik, and Hansen Lin.

Non-fiction projects in active development, production, or post-production are encouraged to apply. Applicants who are also directing the project they are submitting to are ineligible.

NOTE: Film Independent Membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105, in addition to the initial application fee.

Applications Open: March 9** **Deadline: May 4

Black Lens Alabama Filmmaker Grant*

Alabama’s Sidewalk Film Center and The Law Firm of Stacey A. Davis have partnered to provide this $1,000 cash prize to Alabama artists who identify as Black and who are in development, pre-production, production, or post on a motion picture or TV project. Fiction and non-fiction projects of any length will be considered.

The award will also include a one-year Director’s Membership to the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema, with access to a year’s worth of education and development initiatives.

But really, everyone’s a winner: every applicant who completes the application by the designated deadline will receive a 1-Year Sidewalk Filmmaker/Industry Membership to the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema ($100 value).

The Grant recipient will be announced at the annual Sidewalk Film Festival awards ceremony held this August.** **

Deadline: May 31

BRIC Lab

BRIC, a leading arts and media institution in Downtown Brooklyn, is offering this Film + TV residency to innovative NYC documentary filmmakers working on short, episodic, or feature-length projects.

Three filmmakers will receive a stipend of $2,500, up to $2,000 towards production costs, as well as access to equipment, studio, and post-production resources from the BRIC Media Center. They will also be paired with an experienced industry mentor, selected in collaboration with BRIC staff. A public presentation of the resident’s work is expected upon completion of the program.

Emerging to mid-career individual artists or creative teams of two, with at least one professional film/project completed, are encouraged to apply.

From BRIC:

“BRIClab is prioritizing applications from disabled, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ artists, as part of BRIC’s ongoing commitment towards addressing systemic inequities in creative fields and industries, and as part of efforts to expand access for disabled artists, audiences, and staff. We interpret disability broadly and include neurodiversity, chronic illness, mental health disabilities, and invisible disabilities, as well as disabilities that affect mobility, sight, and hearing…BRIClab review panels reflect BRIC’s values and artists, and will be inclusive of disabled, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ reviewers.”

**Deadline: June 5 **

Film Independent Fast Track*

Every year, Film Independent selects up to five documentaries in production or post to participate in an intensive film finance market that takes place over four days in November.

The program is open to both experienced and first-time filmmakers, as long as they are actively seeking financing for their project. Previous Fast Track participants include Nicholas Bruckman, Erica Tanamachi, and Daresha Kyi. Previous industry participants include 30WEST, Searchlight, Mandalay Pictures, Netflix, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, and Plan B.

NOTE: Film Independent membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105, in addition to the initial application fee.

Applications Open: April 13** **Deadline: June 8

SFFILM Documentary Film Fund

Since its launch in 2011, the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund supports three to four feature projects each year with grants of $10,000-$15,000. Previous DFF supported filmmakers include RaMell Ross, Zach Heinzerling, and Assia Boundaoui.

Projects must be within 3 months of beginning post-production, must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission, and must represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form. Projects that primarily use interviews as a storytelling device will not be considered.

Applications Open: March 3** **Deadline: June 9

The Awesome Foundation*

The Awesome Foundation is a global community comprised of autonomous chapters that support “awesome” projects through micro-grants of $1,000, usually given out monthly. Dozens of documentaries, narratives, film clubs, and festivals have received support. There are no fees to apply.

In each chapter, ten or more “trustees” contribute funds that are given on a no-strings-attached basis. Most chapters are geographic, but a few are organized along thematic lines (Conservation and Climate, Disability, etc.)

Most chapters show a strong preference for projects that contribute to their own communities, though some occasionally consider applications from further afield. Applicants are encouraged to apply to a chapter in a location where they have roots or that they think would have a particular interest in their project.

If you don’t see a chapter near you and are interested in starting one, find more information here.

From The Awesome Foundation:

“Every chapter interprets "awesome" for itself. As such, awesome projects include initiatives in a wide range of areas, including arts, technology, community development, and more. Many awesome projects are novel or experimental, and evoke surprise and delight. Awesome sometimes challenges and often inspires. Browse some grants on the chapter pages of this site to see what we mean!”

*Deadline: Various, per chapter*.

Narrative

‘Exit 12’Courtesy of Mohammad Gorjestani

Shore Scripts Short Film Fund

This program offers one production grant of $15,000 and one finishing grant of $4,000 for narrative shorts in all genres. Filmmakers will own their work in perpetuity, but Shore Scripts will be listed as an executive producer in the finished credits. Of the twenty-four shorts awarded, several have gone to top-tier film festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, BFI London, and Palm Springs.

Deadline: April 2

Creative Capital Award*

The Creative Capital Award provides artists with unrestricted project grants for the creation of innovative new artistic works that engage urgent social issues of our time. This is a particularly good opportunity for projects that are formally inventive or employ mixed media. The program awards unrestricted grants from $15,000-$50,000. A special State of the Art prize of $10,000 will be awarded to fifty additional artists, one in each U.S. state. Previously supported narrative filmmakers include Nikyatu Jusu, Jake Yuzna, and Edin Vélez.

Applicants must be at least twenty-five years old and have at least five years of professional experience in the field. Documentary films of any length are welcome to apply.

Deadline: April 2

TIFF Director’s Lab

Created as the TIFF Filmmaker Lab in 2004, this Director’s Lab is a five-day talent development programme designed to be a catalyst for emerging filmmakers to refine their debut feature and prepare their projects for the marketplace. It takes place during the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

The Lab selects 20 Canadian and international directors to receive an impactful career-launching mentorship from renowned directors, producers, agents, distributors, and industry experts. Past mentors and speakers include Jane Campion, Alfonso Cuarón, and Julie Dash.

Applicants must have a minimum of two short-film credits as a director or screenwriter, and the two short films must have been selected for an accredited film festival or screening series. Filmmakers who have directed or co-directed a feature narrative that has screened at a top-tier international festival are ineligible to apply.

Deadline: April 9

The Future of Film Is Female Short Film Fund

FOFIF considers short films directed by women or non-binary filmmakers for two funding cycles a year. Grants of $500-$1,000 are awarded for short films of all genres in any stage of production. Post-production grants are provided by Heard City (sound mixing and editing, $16K value) and Nice Shoes (color correction, $20K value).

Filmmakers applying for pre-production funds must include samples of previous work

Seven years running, FOFIF has supported over 62 filmmakers since beginning its funding initiative in 2018. Supported filmmakers include Carolina Costa, Francesca Mirabella, and Jessica Barr.

Applications open: April 17** **Deadline: May 1 (or when 400 submissions are received)

SFFILM Rainin Grant*

Cash awards of up to $25,000 and institutional support are offered to a maximum of twenty projects once a year for screenwriting, development, or post-production on features with a budget of under $3,000,000. Films must have strong and recognizable social value - contributing, for example, to a greater public appreciation of a disenfranchised group, identifying an area where social change is needed, or bringing to light a difficult or inspirational story, condition, or issue.

To date, the Rainin Grant has funded more than a hundred projects from filmmakers, including Nia DaCosta, Rob Meyer, and Josef Kubota Wladyka.

Deadline: May 8

‘If/When’Courtesy of The Awesome Foundation

Cedar Road Iyagi Grant

SFFILM also facilitates Cedar Road’s Iyagi Grant, dedicated to nurturing stories that capture the depth, nuance, and complexity of Asian and Asian-American characters and experiences.

Awards are made to 1-2 projects for narrative feature projects at any stage of production. In addition to a cash grant between $10,000-$30,000, recipients receive access to the FilmHouse (located in San Francisco) and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic development programs.

Applicants should apply for the phase of production they expect to be in six months after the final submission deadline.

From Cedar Road:

“In Korean, iyagi means “story”—a word that embodies the heart of this grant’s mission: to champion storytelling as a powerful bridge connecting people across cultures and perspectives…Cedar Road (known for projects such as Dìdi (弟弟), The Last Year of Darkness, and The Accidental Getaway Driver), is dedicated to fostering bold and original stories that amplify Asian and Asian-American perspectives. This grant focuses on development narratives that go beyond stereotypes—prioritizing compelling themes in unexpected ways, fresh artistic visions, and uplifting or comedic genres.”

Deadline: May 8

Black Lens Alabama Filmmaker Grant*

Alabama’s Sidewalk Film Center and The Law Firm of Stacey A. Davis have partnered to provide this $1,000 cash prize to Alabama artists who identify as Black and who are in development, pre-production, production, or post on a motion picture or TV project. Fiction and non-fiction projects of any length will be considered.

The award will also include a one-year Director’s Membership to the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema, with access to a year’s worth of education and development initiatives.

But really, everyone’s a winner: every applicant who completes the application by the designated deadline will receive a 1-Year Sidewalk Filmmaker/Industry Membership to the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema ($100 value).

The Grant recipient will be announced at the annual Sidewalk Film Festival awards ceremony held this August.

Deadline: May 31

Film Independent Fast Track*

Every year, Film Independent selects up to ten narrative feature projects in production or post to participate in an intensive film finance market that takes place over four days in November. Films must be in the development or pre-production stage at the time of application.

One participant, whose film contains science-based content, will be awarded the annual Sloan Grant of $20,000 to further develop their project.

The program is open to both experienced and first-time filmmakers, as long as they are actively seeking financing for their project. Previous Fast Track narrative participants include Sushma Khadepaun, Nicholas Ma, and Victoria Rivera. Previous industry participants include Searchlight, Mandalay Pictures, Netflix, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, and Plan B.

NOTE: Film Independent membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105, in addition to the initial application fee.

Deadline: June 8

The Awesome Foundation*

The Awesome Foundation is a global community comprised of autonomous chapters that support “awesome” projects through micro-grants of $1,000, usually given out monthly. Dozens of documentaries, narratives, film clubs, and festivals have received support. There are no fees to apply.

In each chapter, ten or more “trustees” contribute funds that are given on a no-strings-attached basis. Most chapters are geographic, but a few are organized along thematic lines (Conservation and Climate, Disability, etc.)

Most chapters show a strong preference for projects that contribute to their own communities, though some occasionally consider applications from further afield. Applicants are encouraged to apply to a chapter in a location where they have roots or that they think would have a particular interest in their project.

If you don’t see a chapter near you and are interested in starting one, find more information here.

From The Awesome Foundation:

“Every chapter interprets "awesome" for itself. As such, awesome projects include initiatives in a wide range of areas, including arts, technology, community development, and more. Many awesome projects are novel or experimental, and evoke surprise and delight. Awesome sometimes challenges and often inspires. Browse some grants on the chapter pages of this site to see what we mean!”

Deadline: Various, per**chapter.**

Panavision New Filmmaker Program

If you are a student or a low-budget indie filmmaker looking to shoot your short or feature on film, Panavision might supply you with free camera packages as well as post-production color and finishing services.

Recent feature films supported by Panavision include ‘Queens of the Dead’, ‘Preparation For The Next Life’, and ‘In Camera’.

Deadline: Rolling

Screenwriting

’The Last Days of TJ Staggs’Courtesy of The Black List

Humanitas New Voices Fellowship

A six-month mentorship program for early-career screenwriters who are exploring the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way, this program selects five writers each year who are working on a pilot or feature-length screenplay. Fellows are provided with mentorship, networking, and community support, are invited to the Humanitas Prizes event, and receive a $7,500 stipend.

The New Voices Fellowship is for emerging television and screenwriters who do not have a manager or agent, have not been previously staffed in a writers room, and have not otherwise received payment for produced scripted feature film or television writing services prior to the submission period.

Past New Voices fellows include Will Pascoe, Carlito Rodriguez, and Greta Heinemann. Past mentors have included Jenny Bicks, David Shore, and Alan Ball.

Deadline: April 6

The Writers Lab

This three-day lab was founded in 2015 to amplify the voices of women and non-binary writers over 40. Participants will work one-on-one and in group sessions with acclaimed screen industry leaders to develop their feature or pilot scripts. Group sessions include panel discussions, peer workshops, mock writers’ rooms, and more.

For the first time this year, The Writers Lab will offer two Intensives in the US: an inaugural West Coast program in Los Angeles in early October and the East Coast program in New York City in mid-November. Each Intensive will serve 8 writers. Mentors have included Angieszka Holland, Meg LeFauve, and Gina Prince-Bythewood.

From The Writers Lab:

_“ We are committed to storytellers who identify as women, yet we do not limit our search to stories about women. The Writers Lab seeks well-crafted scripts, in all genres, exploring universal themes, using a full range of cinematic tools.” _

Deadline: April 9

The Hedgebrook Residency

Hedgebrook’s Writer-in-Residence Program supports writers from all over the world for residencies of two to three weeks. The cottage, all meals, and the entire residency experience at Hedgebrook are free to selected writers, though travel to the property in Langely, Washington, is not included.

Up to 6 writers can be in residence at a time, each housed in their own handcrafted cottage. They spend their days in solitude – writing, reading, taking walks in the woods on the property or on nearby Double Bluff beach. In the evenings, “The Gathering” is a social time for residents to connect and share over their freshly prepared meals.

Next cycle’s residency dates are February to December, 2027.

Deadline: April 17

AFF Script Competition

As a rule, budding screenwriters should be wary of script competitions. The fact that competition uber-skeptic Craig Mazin has reluctantly endorsed this one is meaningful. Projects for the big and small screen are invited to submit in different categories by genre, and up to $5,000 cash prizes are awarded to winners, who also receive travel stipends and targeted industry exposure at the Austin Film Festival.

Previous winners have included Ru Kuwahata & Max Porter, Erica Rosbe, and Ashley Lyle.

From AFF:

“AFF is trusted by studios, agents, and executives all across the industry to identify the storytellers of tomorrow. With all script submissions evaluated blindly and carefully by our panel of industry judges, AFF winners annually reflect a vast diversity of talent and tend to combat the industry’s trends of exclusivity. As a bonus, AFF winners receive much more than our coveted bronze typewriter award, as our Festival team works hard to curate opportunities and experiences to catapult writers into life-changing careers.”

Deadline: April 24

** **

‘Josephine’Credit: Sumerian Pictures

SFFILM Rainin Grant*

Cash awards of up to $25,000 and institutional support are offered to a maximum of twenty projects once a year for screenwriting, development, or post-production on features with a budget of under $3,000,000. Films must have strong and recognizable social value - contributing, for example, to a greater public appreciation of a disenfranchised group, identifying an area where social change is needed, or bringing to light a difficult or inspirational story, condition, or issue.

To date, the Rainin Grant has funded more than a hundred projects from filmmakers, including Nia DaCosta, Rob Meyer, and Josef Kubota Wladyka.

Deadline: May 8

Science In Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship

SFFILM also facilitates The Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of their mission to champion films and projects that explore scientific or technological themes or characters.

Fellowships are offered to two feature-length films or episodic series once a year, at the screenwriting phase of development. Each fellow will be given a cash grant of $35,000 and will be connected to a science advisor with expertise in the subjects at the center of their screenplays, as well as leaders in the Bay Area’s science and technology communities. Recipients also secure a residency at FilmHouse and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development programs.

From Sloan:

“There must be realistic scientific or technological content at the center of the screenplay. Science fiction and speculative stories are, in almost every case, ineligible. In some rare cases, a futuristic story might be eligible if it involves science or technology that is truly on the cusp of being introduced to society…Eligible films for Sloan opportunities must portray scientific or technological themes at their center that directly drive the story arc and/or character development forward.”

Deadline: May 8

Black List Lab

The Annual Black List Labs offer training to six promising, non-professional writers in each of two cohorts: (1) the Writers Lab cohort, focused on feature scripts to be sold within the studio system, and (2) the Projects Lab cohort, focused on feature scripts that the writer intends to direct.

Writers in both cohorts will workshop their feature screenplay through one-on-one sessions with professional screenwriting mentors and peer workshops, over the course of a weeklong, in-person fall intensive in Ojai, CA. Housing and accommodation will be provided.

The Labs will also include several story- and industry-related training sessions with executives, producers, lit agents, and managers.

Applicants will have the opportunity to be considered for a Sloan fellowship, which will provide additional support to projects that explore scientific or technological themes.

Deadline: June 1

Sundance Screenwriters Lab

The cornerstone of the Sundance Institute’s feature film program, this five-day Screenwriters Lab still takes place in Utah just prior to the Sundance Film Festival, which in 2027 will be relocated to Boulder. Fellows are matched with experienced screenwriters and mentors.

This opportunity is open to first and second-time feature writers, writer/directors, and writing/directing teams. Applicants are asked for the first five pages of their feature, a cover letter, and an artistic statement in the first round.

If admitted into the second round of consideration, applicants will be asked for a completed draft of their screenplay.

Past fellows include Renee Zhan, Gregg Araki, and Sky Hopinka. Past mentors included John August, Robin Swicord, and Lulu Wang.

Deadline:WATCH THIS SPACE– dates haven’t been posted yet, but last year’s window was April 11 - May 16.

Slamdance Screenwriting Competition

A total of $18,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to the winners in this competition, founded in 1997. In addition to this award, readers nominate bold scripts for the Slamdance Screenplay Mentorship Award, which offers one-on-one coaching and feedback to a burgeoning writer whose script could, with a little more support, turn into an award-winning film. Additional prizes include all-inclusive passes to the next Slamdance Film Festival, and every entrant will receive short feedback from a reader.

Previous awardees and finalists include Carlotta Summers, Neil Ferron, and Ryan Self. The application fee is $45-75, depending on deadline/length of manuscript.

From Slamdance:

“Since 1997, this competition has established a strong track record for introducing writers to members of the entertainment industry who have gone on to produce, option, and represent submitted work. Like the Film Festival, the Screenplay Competition is a place for new, bold, and raw voices. We are looking for scripts that take risks, refuse compromise, and go places where Hollywood hacks fear to tread.”

Deadline:WATCH THIS SPACE– Last year’s submission window opened March 13.

Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest

Sponsored by Final Draft, the Big Break Screenwriting Contest accepts online entries of feature film, television, and short screenplays. The Grand Prize includes $10,000, a 3-day round-trip travel with accommodations to L.A.

Feature and TV winners in multiple sub-categories will receive $1,000 and a variety of in-kind services and software, including (of course) Final Draft 13.

The judging panel includes executives and managers at Feigco, IAG, and Anonymous Content. Application fees range from $45-$65, depending on the length of the manuscript.

Deadline:Watch This Space– Last year’s submission window opened April 20.

Useful Links:

• Documentary Grants - International Documentary Association
• Sundance Co//ab List of Opportunities - Sundance Institute (sign up for a free Co//ab account to see all grants)
• Res Artis - Worldwide Network of Artist Residencies

_ _

Keep an eye on ourGrants, Contests & Awards section, where we will be sharing new opportunities that come up throughout the season.

---