Grants

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, is supporting a new public media initiative, Coming Home: Connecting to Community, to increase and promote authentic local storytelling through multi-platform media (original television, radio and digital-first) and engagement that develops and delivers a renewed narrative about life in rural America. New multi-platform content, created by local stations with local voices and talent, will celebrate the diversity, culture, traditions, and richness of small-town America, not being told by commercial media.

AMERICA REFRAMED seeks completed American independent documentaries that showcase our nation's diversity in front and behind the camera, present themes and perspectives underexplored in mainstream media, and shine a light on socially-relevant issues through personal, intimate storytelling. They must be 50-90 minutes in length and exhibit strong craft.

American Experience looks for good dramatic stories out of the American past, stories about people both ordinary and extraordinary, about events that helped define who we are as Americans and why we are the way we are. They accept completed films and works-in-progress (including films in production, films at rough cut and films with substantial funding in-hand.) Note: This is NOT a grant application.

American Masters, Thirteen/WNET's award-winning biography series, celebrates our nation's arts and culture. Launched in 1986 and still acclaimed as "the best biographical series ever to appear on television," American Masters has produced an exceptional library exploring the lives and illuminating the creative journeys of our most enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists and filmmakers. In content and in style, these are uniquely crafted programs, reflecting the particular attention deserved by subjects, resonating the extraordinary mosaic of creative heritage and traditions.

The 360 Incubator and Fund is a funding initiative of the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC) devised to help launch multi-part, non-fiction broadcast projects, non-fiction and scripted web serial content, as well as interactive or "trans-media" projects, about the Black experience. The 360 incubator and fund features training, mentorship and funding support for producers of color, designed to harvest and pipeline important, engaging stories.

NBPC has a legacy of proudly supporting producers and digital media storytellers who represent the global Black experience. It's a goal to provide funding and distribution within NBPC's affiliated public media networks including representation on their dedicated online/web series channel BlackPublicMedia.org.

CAAM provides production funding to independent producers for national public television. Documentaries are eligible for production or post-production funding and must be intended for public television broadcast. Awards typically range between $15,000 and $50,000.

FRONTLINE is committed to providing a venue for engaging documentaries that fully explore and illuminate the critical issues of our times. They seek credible, thoughtful reporting combined with powerful narrative, and a good story well told. FRONTLINE accepts well-researched film proposals, completed films and works-in-progress—including films in production, films at rough cut and films with substantial funding in-hand.

Independent Lens is currently seeking submissions of films in advanced rough cut or fine cut stage or completed films to broadcast. When selecting programs, Independent Lens considers a range of factors, including the quality of the filmmaking, the timeliness of the story, and audience appeal. Programs should offer a fresh perspective, especially if the topic has been explored on other PBS series.

The Digital Open Call provides up to $30,000 in R&D funding to develop and pilot digital series concepts on any subject, and from any viewpoint, for public media's digital platforms. Projects must be in development, and cannot have begun principal production. The Digital Open Call funding is only available to independent producers who are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. and its external territories. Carefully review the full eligibility criteria before beginning an application.

The Diversity Development Fund (DDF) provides up to $15,000 in research and development funding to producers of color to develop single documentary programs for public television. Funded activities may include travel, research, script development, preliminary production for fundraising/work-in-progress reels, or other early phase activities. DDF is not a grant; applicants receive funding in the form of a development agreement that assigns ITVS certain important rights over the project during the term of the contract.

LINCS (Linking Independents and Co-producing Stations) provides matching funds to producer-station partnerships. Up to $100,000 in matching funds is available for a single broadcast program. LINCS applications are accepted year round. The review process of a complete submission can take up to two months. Around 8 to 10 percent of LINCS applicants will receive funding.

ITVS provides completion funds for single nonfiction public television programs on any subject, and from any viewpoint. While there is no minimum or maximum amount you can request, the average ITVS Open Call production agreement falls in the range of $150,000 - $350,000. Be realistic and request what you need to finish your program.

The Public Media Content Fund (PMCF) is an open invitation to independent producers to submit proposals for a program, limited series or short web-based digital new media video projects (no longer than 20 minutes) for distribution on PBS.org or another public media web platform on any subject that relates to or is representative of Latino Americans that is appropriate for public television and/or one of its platforms. LPB funding will average between $5,000 and $100,000 for programs of most genres, including documentary, narrative, performance, mixed genre or new media. LPB is interested in funding projects at the production and post-production stage.

Media Fund has four funding calls per fiscal year. Two calls for R&D funding applications, and two calls for Production or Completion funding applications. Applicants may apply with only one project per call. Each Media Fund call has four phases, and the entire process from Phase 1 to Phase 4 can take up to 10 weeks. Media Fund provides up to $15,000 for Research & Development (R&D), up to $50,000 in Production funding and up to $50,000 in Completion funding.

PIC is seeking programs in many genres including documentary, performance, and cultural/public affairs. Projects submitted must be intended for national public television broadcast. In addition PIC is now accepting completed short films of Pacific Islander content for its Short Film Acquisition Call. The acquired short films will be streamed on PIC's website non-exclusively for a period of three years.

CPB provides funding for the development of public media television, radio, and digital content as well as multiplatform projects that reflect public media's mission to educate, inform and inspire the American public by providing stories through diverse perspectives, genres, styles and technologies.

POV, public television's premier showcase for independent, nonfiction film seeks programs from all perspectives to showcase in its annual PBS series. All subjects, aesthetic approaches and lengths are welcomed.

Vision Maker Media invites proposals for programs intended for Public Television that represent the experiences, values and cultures of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Projects should be accessible to a broad audience, have the potential for a national broadcast, and be used for effective outreach/community engagement activities to reach audiences beyond a Public Television broadcast.