Southern Documentary Fund Filmmaking Grants is sponsored by Southern Documentary Fund (SDF). The Southern Documentary Fund provides grants to documentary filmmakers living in the American South, with a focus on projects that explore North Carolina's cultural traditions and diversity, and address pressing social issues like race, the environment, inequality, and democrac…

Filmmaking Grants – Southern Documentary Fund Southern documentary fund The call for production grant proposals will open July 14, 2025 and will close August 15, 2025 at 11:59PM EST. Seven filmmakers will be awarded $15,000 each, totaling $105,000. Late applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for our grant: Project Directors should reside or have deep roots in one of the following Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. This grant prioritizes stories made in or about the American South.

Applicants must have a U.S. social security number or U.S. federal tax ID number. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project.

If your project has special circumstances regarding eligibility, please feel free to reach out to our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund. org Application closed on August 15, 2025 Nonfiction documentaries (shorts, features, docuseries, and experimental). Projects must be in production.

Proposals for research, development, post-production, distribution or engagement/impact funding are not eligible to apply for this grant. We seek to bring visibility to Southern makers and stories that are oftentimes overlooked. We will award up to seven makers with grants of $15,000 each to assist them in production.

The following projects are ineligible for funding and will NOT be considered: The applicant and project do not meet the above listed eligibility requirements. Non-documentary projects. Projects that meet our criteria, but have an incomplete application and/or are missing support materials.

Projects submitted after the submission deadline. Projects that have already received production funds from SDF. Clink on the images below to view info session times and dates Grant Info Session #1 Recording Grant Info Session #2 Recording Will be posted when available Project falls within the scope of SDF’s mission and values.

Primary team members have a strong connection to the story. Proposal is well-researched and clearly presented. Project has a feasible budget and fundraising plan.

Project Director and collaborators possess the skills necessary to successfully complete the project. The applicant shows an understanding of their intended audience and how to reach them. A completed application and all requested documents.

A fulfillment of eligibility requirements.

Roundtable budgeting workshop recording 1 Roundtable budgeting workshop recording 2 From Reflection to Release: Framework for Values, Ethics, and Accountability in Nonfiction Filmmaking The Impact Field Guide & Toolkit Practices & Resources We Recommend Captioning and Audio Description Resources Production Grant made possible through support and community This Production Grant is made possible thanks to the generous support of the John D.

and Catherine T. McArthur Foundation , JustFilms | Ford Foundation and Wyncote Foundation . For questions regarding eligibility or the application process, please email our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.

org Do applicants have to reside in the South to qualify for the grant? Project Directors should reside or have deep roots in one of the following Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. If you have any questions about your projects eligibility, please contact our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.

org If I’m enrolled in school, can I apply? Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project. If you have any questions about your projects eligibility, please contact our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.

org Can two people working on the same project apply separately? No, you can not apply separately, we will accept one application per project, per grant cycle. Do you have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply?

You do not have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply. Can the funds be used to pay myself for the work I’ll be doing? Yes, please be sure to include this in your proposed budget.

I understand that new and emerging filmmakers are encouraged to apply. Are experienced filmmakers eligible to apply? We are encouraging filmmakers at all levels to apply.

Are shorts, features, and documentary series eligible for SDF grants? Yes, we accept both short and feature film proposals as well as documentary series proposals. If we receive the grant, what is the turnaround time for a completed project?

There is not a turnaround time for a completed project. How long should the sample of previous work be? Applicants are encouraged to submit a sample between 10 to 20 minutes.

The sample should demonstrate your access to characters, visual treatment, and the developing tone and style. We encourage applicants to submit a complete scene that provides the viewer insight into the team’s ability to communicate their intention. I have a narrative reel, can that serve as a work sample?

Yes, this can be submitted as ‘Director’s Prior Work’. Anonymous (Working Title) The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes.

Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.

Manage {vendor_count} vendors Get your Early Bird Passes today Get ready for another 3 days of learning, networking and good genuine Southern community fun! Supporting southern stories and makers This Giving Tuesday, join Southern Documentary Fund in reaching our $5,000 goal to support Southern filmmakers. Your gift amplifies diverse voices, fuels powerful storytelling, and ensures Southern stories continue to be told.

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