IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund Production Grant

The IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund Production Grant is a grant from the International Documentary Association (IDA) that funds independent documentary filmmakers and producers with projects currently in production. For nearly 30 years, IDA has supported independent documentary projects of all types through its fiscal sponsorship program, administering over $7 million in donations and grants annually to sponsored projects.

The program is open to filmmakers regardless of educational background, career stage, or previous credits. As of late 2024, IDA has been redesigning its grant programs; applicants should check the IDA website for current availability. Eligible applicants are independent filmmakers and producers with projects in production.

Awards reach up to $50,000. No fixed application deadline is listed.

Fiscal Sponsorship & Grants | International Documentary Association Fiscal Sponsorship & Grants We help independent documentaries get funded! Fiscal Sponsorship Program For almost 30 years IDA's fiscal sponsorship program has been helping independent documentary projects of all types get funded, finished and seen. Last year we administered over 7 million dollars in donations and grants to our sponsored projects.

The fiscal sponsorship program is open to independent filmmakers and documentarians, regardless of education, background or previous credits. Whether this is your first film or you've been making documentaries as long as we've been sponsoring them, if you have an idea and a plan to see it through, we can help.

Important Updates on IDA Grant Offerings Since late 2024, IDA has been redesigning our programs and restructuring our organization so that we can better support and advocate for the needs of documentary makers everywhere. This includes our grant programs, which have provided funds for many filmmakers for several years.

Following extensive consultation with stakeholders and funding partners, we decided to temporarily pause new applications for some of our grants (see details below) while we make changes. This will allow us to ensure the best possible impact and long-term sustainability in our support programs. We know documentary filmmakers rely on independent funding sources such as IDA to make bold and impactful work.

We are committed to continuing to fund sustainably in ways that respond to the changing landscape for non-fiction filmmaking. We plan to strengthen our support for documentary filmmakers across all that we do, including a stronger commitment to advocacy for the field. We remain steadfast in providing the documentary field with educational, editorial, administrative, legal, and financial resources.

In the coming weeks, we will announce the details of our new Artist Support team, which we are creating to serve all our constituents, grantees, fellows, members, and fiscal sponsorship clients. We look forward to sharing our enhanced funding framework later this year. In the meantime, please visit our Other Grants Directory , and for specific questions regarding existing grants, please contact funds@documentary.

org Enterprise Documentary Fund: The fund is under strategic review; applications are paused for 2025. Learn more here . Logan Elevate Grant: The grant program is under strategic review and evaluation.

Applications are paused for 2025. Learn more here . Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund: The program will continue with an enhanced mission focus.

The process to award Pare Lorentz fund grantees will begin in May 2025. Learn more here . IDA Field-Building Fund: The program will return in the summer of 2025 with program information announced in June 2025.

Learn more here . Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund The Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund supports full-length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of legendary documentary filmmaker Pare Lorentz's work.

The Fund provides annual grants totaling $95,000 to be used in the creation of original, independent documentary films that illuminate pressing issues in the United States and focus on one of Pare Lorentz's central concerns—the appropriate use of the natural environment, justice for all or the illumination of pressing social problems.

IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund The IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund in-depth explorations of original, contemporary stories that integrate journalistic practice into the filmmaking process. In addition to funds, grantees will receive additional resources and expertise tailored to the needs of the project.

Started in 2020, the Field Building Fund is organized and administered to support organizations/initiatives with low to no operating budgets and independent nonfiction media makers working with limited means. The fund includes our Organizational Field-Building Grant, which directly supports organizations/initiatives, and our IDA Supported Artist Award, which we distribute in partnership with regional festivals.

The Field-Building Fund is administered through a rolling nomination process. Logan Elevate Grant provides funds to emerging women filmmakers of color directing feature-length journalistic documentary films. Each year, IDA invites organizations in the documentary field from all over the country to nominate potential candidates for this award.

IDA has also included a few new updates to the Logan Elevate Grant. The grant amount has been increased to $30,000, and will now select three grantees. The grant will also include and consider non-binary filmmakers of color.

These changes are made possible by the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation. Nonfiction Access Initiative The Nonfiction Access Initiative (NAI) is made possible through the generous support of the Ford Foundation with the goal of creating a scalable regrant fund for nonfiction storytellers and media makers from the disability community.

The Documentary Core Application Project The Documentary Core Application is a collaborative effort by grantors who regularly fund documentary projects to standardize application requirements, with the aim of fostering greater access and a more equitable and sustainable documentary field. Grants and Fellowship Directory Looking for funding, fellowship or workshop opportunities for your documentary?

IDA has a comprehensive database for filmmakers around the world. The IDA+XRM Media Incubator supports short vérité documentary films from around the globe, with an emphasis on emerging filmmakers and new perspectives.

Both a fund and a mentorship program, the Incubator provides production and post-production grants and mentorship from Academy and Emmy award-nominated directors to filmmakers crafting character-driven observational shorts. IDA Netflix Global Emerging Filmmaker Award The Award provides a $25,000 grant to an emerging documentary maker from four countries.

IDA solicits nominations for the grant from partner organizations in each of the countries. IDA Sarowitz Project Completion Fund The Award provides a $25,000 grant to an emerging documentary maker from four countries. IDA solicits nominations for the grant from partner organizations in each of the countries.