The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) has a long and proud tradition of supporting timely and compelling work from independent producers for public television broadcast. With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, CAAM is launching the 2012 Innovation Fund, a new initiative to fund and license short, online content to be streamed on the CAAMedia.org website and PBS affiliate sites.

The new initiative recognizes the increasingly vital role that online content plays in transforming the public media landscape as well as its potential reach a new and talented community of Asian American media makers and producers who have proven to be incredibly prolific and resourceful, churning out creative and imaginative work on shoestring budgets. They have also demonstrated success at reaching and sustaining a large audience; Asian Americans can count themselves among the top 25 most subscribed YouTube channels. Many of these producers have connected with their audience based on a commonality of interest: music, pop culture, political satire, and comedy. The Innovation Fund will encourage work from the community that also addresses contemporary social issues from a unique perspective.

This year the CAAM Innovation Fund will offer funding of up to $20,000 to license short web series (3-5 pieces each) by independent producers that address arts, music, culture, politics in unique and creative ways. Work should have a strong visual component. The focus of the fund may differ from year to year, ranging from online, mobile applications, or audience engagement tools. The work renews as well as revitalizes CAAM’s commitment to public media for both audiences and media producers. The review process takes approximately 4 months.

To apply, visit http://caam.slideroom.com/.

The Women In Film Foundation’s Film Finishing Fund (WIFF FFF) supports films by, for or about women by providing cash grants of up to $15,000 and in-kind services.

Since the inception of the Fund in 1985, the Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in cash and in-kind services to 170 films ensuring that innovative films can be completed and seen by audiences worldwide. Cash awards range from $1,000 to $15,000, with the number of grants varying from year to year. In-kind services may be available upon request.

In order to apply for a FFF grant, a filmmaker must have completed principal photography and a rough cut at the time of application. For specific application requirements, please follow the link and refer to the application. The program funds filmmakers working in both short and long formats in all genres—narrative, documentary, educational, animated and experimental. You do not have to be a Women In Film member to apply for the FFF, and we encourage applications from around the world. Please note that student projects are not eligible to receive Film Finishing Funds.

Catapult Film Fund is now accepting applications for Spring, 2012.
New applications are due by May 25th.

Catapult provides development funding to documentary filmmakers who have a compelling story to tell, have secured access to their story and are ready to shoot and edit a piece for production fundraising purposes. Our mission is to enable filmmakers to develop their film projects to the next level at a moment where funding is hard to find. We support powerful stories, and moving storytelling, across a broad spectrum of issues and perspectives.

To apply, you will submit an online form that includes a written application and a completed budget template as attachments. You can download those files now:

Spring 2012 Written Application [.doc]
Budget Template [.xls]

We also require that you submit a resume/CV with your materials. For further preparation, you can review the online application at any time, and when you are ready, submit your application online.

ELIGIBILITY

• Applicants must be 18-years of age or older.
• Catapult does not fund student films.
• Documentaries must be 28 minutes or longer in length.
• Animation is okay.
• Development funds must specifically be used for the process of completing a fundraising piece, which includes writing, shooting and editing once story and characters are in place.
• Applicants must be independent producers. They must own the copyright of their production, and have artistic, budgetary and editorial control over their project.
• Applicants should have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (director, co-director, producer, co-producer) as demonstrated by submitting previously completed work sample. Applicants who have not yet produced or directed their own feature length documentary must demonstrate that they will be working with an experienced filmmaker in a principal role.
• Applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have successfully fundraised for an independent documentary film in line with its original budget.

• Creative, artful, compelling and innovative storytelling techniques
• Strong story narrative at the core of the film
• A unique perspective or approach; use of humor a plus
• Contemporary relevance
• Market potential
• Feasibility of the project with respect to its budget, financing, schedule and scope
• Demonstrated ability of the creative team to implement previous projects
• Grant amount should have significant impact on development stage of the project
• Emphasis on the story not the lesson or agenda of the filmmaker
• Filmmaker must demonstrate credible access and rapport with the proposed subject(s) of the story.
• Originality of form, approach or content
• Potential of the project to generate public discourse and social engagement

• Catapult Film Fund development grants range from $5000 to $20,000.
• Catapult only makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations. A film production company or individual may submit the application but the applicant needs to submit documentation from the fiscal sponsor before the grant can be processed.
• Catapult accepts only US-based applicants.
• Applicants may submit only one project per funding cycle.
• Previous grant awardees must wait two years before applying for new development funds.
• Catapult may request an interview with the applicant.
• Grantees must submit two financial reports during the course of the grant period: an interim report, which will accompany a narrative report; and a final financial report to be submitted once the grant is complete.
• Grantees must submit at the end of the grant period an edited piece that can be used for production fundraising.
• Catapult Film Fund support must be acknowledged with a tag line and logo–of similar size and stature to other logos in the credits–at the end credits of the film as well as on all publicity and promotional materials relating to the production.
• Catapult will not return DVDs to applicants.