The Pacific Pioneer Fund supports emerging documentary filmmakers—those who have demonstrated commitment to the craft of making documentaries for a period of no more than ten years of practical film or video experience.

Funds are limited to US-based nonprofit organizations, certified by the IRS as "public charities," that undertake to supervise any project for which individuals receive funds, and control the selection of individual recipients of funds. The Fund does not provide support for endowments, building campaigns, accumulated deficits or ordinary operating budgets, or make grants to individuals. The fund does not support instructional or performance documentaries or student film projects. Filmmakers are eligible for only one grant from the Pacific Pioneer Fund during their careers.

Grants to support filmmakers are limited to filmmakers or videographers who live and work in California, Oregon and Washington. The grant range is $1,000-$10,000.

The board meets three times a year. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The next application deadline is June 1.

Print out an application from this  website and send it, along with a VHS tape or DVD of up to 10 minutes of edited footage from the project for which support is sought, to PO Box 5775, Berkeley, CA 94705  For questions, e-mail Armin Rosencranz:armin@stanford.edu. 

The Bridging Cultures through Film: International Topics program supports documentary films that examine international and transnational themes in the humanities. These projects are meant to spark Americans' engagement with the broader world by exploring countries and cultures outside of the United States. Proposed documentaries must be analytical and deeply grounded in humanities scholarship.

The Division of Public Programs encourages innovative nonfiction storytelling that presents multiple points of view in creative formats. The proposed film should range in length from 30 minutes to a feature-length documentary.

We invite a wide range of approaches to international and transnational topics and themes, such as

• an examination of a critical issue in ethics, religion, literature, or history, viewed through an international lens;
• an exploration of a topic that transcends a single nation-state;
• a biography of a foreign leader, writer, artist or historical figure; or
• an exploration of the history and culture(s) of a specific region, country, or community outside of the United States.

 Receipt Deadline June 12, 2013 for Projects Beginning January 2014

Questions?

Contact the staff of NEH's Division of Public Programs at 202-606-8269 or publicpgms@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.

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.

All submissions must arrive by 6 pm, Friday, June 28, 2013. Please note: This is an arrival deadline, not a postmark deadline. All submissions received after June 28 will be considered for the following year's submission cycle unless an extension is granted by POV.

POV continues to accept digital content delivery via download-enabled links or content on flash drives. If you submit a link, the video MUST BE DOWNLOAD-ENABLED. If you don't feel comfortable enabling download, then please submit your film on a DVD. You can password protect to ensure the privacy of your link, but don't forget to send POV the password (look for the password field on the form).

Our updated Call For Entries Guidelines explain everything you need to know about how to submit to POV, no matter what format you choose. POV will still accept DVDs and flash drives this year for those who can't make the jump to streaming video.

Open Call is going digital!

ITVS' Open Call provides completion funds for single nonfiction public television programs on any subject, and from any viewpoint. Projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress video. Open Call funding is only available to independent producers who are citizens or legal residents of the US and its external territories.

Open Call accepts:

• Single programs of standard broadcast length (half-hour or one-hour). In rare cases, when a filmmaker's skills, subject, and story structure warrant it, ITVS will consider programs at feature lengths.
• Works-in-progress (for nonfiction submissions), i.e. projects that have already begun production
• Programs that can be completed within one year of contract

Open Call does not accept:

• Proposals for completed projects seeking distribution
• Series proposals or fictional dramas
• Projects intended solely for theatrical release

The entire proposal review process takes up to five months. Only one to two percent of Open Call applicants will receive funding.

Open Call is not a grant; ITVS provides a co-production investment in the program. All materials must be submitted to ITVS by 5:00 PM PST on Friday, June 28, 2013.

From the Heart Production funds shorts, docs, and independent features that are budgeted under $500,000. They must be films that are unique and make a contribution to society. They fund compelling stories about little known subjects, historical films, and films that touch hearts. They like films that expose, and bring, important information to light; as well as films about little known people when there is a good story. They are story-tellers, and that is the main criteria for entering and winning a grants; stories that can change, heal, and enrich, our lives.

• Film and Video projects that are unique and benefit society.
• New projects.
• Works-in-progress.
• Length is not a consideration.

This grant is now available for shorts and low budget independents as well as documentary filmmakers. From the Heart has expanded to further our goals of creating films that are unique and make a contribution to society. Student filmmakers, independent producers, or independent production companies are all welcome.