SF Film - Youth Education and Media Grant is a grant from San Francisco Film Society (SFFILM) that funds film education and media arts programs for youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. SFFILM's Artist Development program provides a wide range of funding and support services for filmmakers, including youth-focused education initiatives that develop the next generation of storytellers. Eligible applicants include schools, nonprofits, and community organizations delivering media arts education to Bay Area youth. Specific program guidelines, award amounts, and application deadlines are published annually through the SFFILM Artist Development portal.

Research & Development Grant is a grant from Chicken & Egg Pictures that funds women and non-binary documentary filmmakers during the early research and development phase of their next feature-length film. The grant addresses a critical funding gap: directors often cannot secure investors without sample material, but producing material without external support is difficult. Two award levels are offered: $10,000 Research Grants and $20,000 Development Grants, with $450,000 total awarded per cycle. Supported by Netflix, the program is now in its fourth year. Eligible applicants must have directed at least one prior feature-length documentary. Applications for the 2026 cycle closed February 4, 2026; the next cycle opens tentatively December 2026.

Save Our Seas Foundation — Ocean Storytelling Film Grant is a grant from the Save Our Seas Foundation that supports early-career filmmakers and storytellers creating original work focused on ocean conservation, marine research, and the protection of sea life. The Foundation has supported over 300 research, conservation, and education projects worldwide since 2003, and backs individuals who develop original ideas and act as drivers of their projects in the field. Eligible applicants are early-career filmmakers with a conservation focus, and global projects including U.S.-based work are eligible. Grant amounts are not specified and awards are made on a competitive basis.

Film and Media Arts Production Grant is a grant from the Jerome Foundation supporting early career film directors in Minnesota and New York City. The foundation offers Minnesota and NYC Film Production Grants of up to $30,000 for filmmakers whose work takes creative risks in expanding, questioning, or reimagining the medium. A companion Minnesota Filmmaker Mentorship Grant provides up to $10,000 for self-designed mentorship aligned with a specific project. Jerome Foundation grants serve as pivotal early-career investments, enabling emerging directors to pursue ambitious, innovative storytelling that might not otherwise receive mainstream financing.

Sundance Institute AI Literacy Initiative Grants is a grant from the Sundance Institute supporting independent filmmakers in understanding and engaging with artificial intelligence tools. Part of a three-year, product-agnostic initiative launched with initial funding from Google.org, this program offers resources, workshops, and learning opportunities to help filmmakers navigate an evolving AI landscape. Developed in partnership with The Gotham, Film Independent, and the Creators Coalition on AI, the initiative is designed to ensure that independent voices in storytelling can meaningfully engage with — rather than be displaced by — emerging AI technologies in film and media production.

New York City Film Production Grant from the Jerome Foundation supports early-career film directors based in New York City who are taking creative risks in expanding or reimagining filmmaking. The program funds narrative, documentary, and experimental film projects with production grants of up to $30,000. Eligible applicants are individual NYC-based filmmakers who have lived in the city for five years or less. The foundation prioritizes work that challenges conventional storytelling and pushes the boundaries of the medium.

Filmmakers Without Borders Grants is sponsored by Filmmakers Without Borders (FWB). FWB supports independent filmmakers around the world via grants and other funding initiatives. Supported projects include narrative films, documentary films, and new media projects that align with themes of social justice, empowerment, and cultural exchange. Grants are available for all stages of production.