If you’re a UK documentary maker looking for funds, here’s our guide to what’s out there that we know of. Please help us build this up.
We’re determined to help independent filmmakers via Film Stories and its platforms, and hopefully this resource is going to be a useful one. It’s a guide to pots of funding available in the UK to indie documentary filmmakers, that we’ll aim to keep up to date. Please feel free to advise us of more in the comments.
If a guide like this is of use to you, please do support us in return. We’re an indie too!
Good Pitch – https://goodpitch.org
In their words, “connecting the world’s best social justice films with new allies and partners”. Good Pitch – run by the people behind DocSociety – offer such opportunities as Filmmaker Development.
Rather than a fund where you can vie for money, they provide a host of resources such as immersive four-day workshops and the chance for international exposure.
From what I can tell, Good Pitch is more aimed at those with finished films or who are ready to pitch.
—
Catapult Film Fund – https://catapultfilmfund.org
In their words, “Catapult Film Fund is dedicated to supporting nonfiction filmmakers with critical early stage funding and mentorship to launch distinctive, story-driven, and cinematic films.
We believe in taking a chance on filmmakers who have ideas for artful and compelling nonfiction films that make us think differently about the world. Every day, we help launch new projects by providing research and development funding for documentary filmmakers because getting films off the ground is incredibly hard.”
Catapult’s various grants and funds are inactive for now, but keep your eyes peeled through 2025!
—
Tribeca Film Institute: Filmmaker Programmes – https://www.tfiny.org/program/filmmaker
In their words, “We provide funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities for entry- to mid-level filmmakers.”
Ranging from funds, labs, retreats, pitch and networking events.
Be mindful, though: some opportunities are no longer active, so you will have to fish through, work out what’s best for you, and see which are available.
—
Hot Docs – https://hotdocs.ca/industry/film-funds
In their words, “Year-round, Hot Docs supports the Canadian and international industry with professional development programmes and a multi-million-dollar production fund portfolio.”
It’s worth reading through, but the one opportunity which seems to be open at this time – Hot Docs Partners – is a “$2.6 million CAD financing initiative” that “connects a select group of committed investors with Canadian and international feature-length documentary productions seeking financing”.
Their initiative’s goal is “to assess and match films in development or production with appropriate investors”.
Werner Herzog is just one of the filmmakers they have supported!
—
The Rogovy Foundation – https://rogovy.org/film-fund/overview
“We are a small foundation. Like angel investors, we provide seed capital to those who are in the early stage of developing their projects. We look for innovative ideas with huge impact potential. We fund proposals that are implementable and scalable.”
Rogovy’s current funding opportunity is The Miller / Packan Film Fund.
In their words, it “provides grants to feature-length non-fiction projects that address social issues and inspire others”.
They also add, “Each year, grants totaling $200,000 are awarded to between eight and twelve filmmakers. The fund operates an open call submission process, and awards are announced bi-annually. Each grant is one-time only and offered in amounts up to $25,000.”
Their next selection announcement for The Miller / Packan Film Fund is July, so be sure to submit your applications by 23.59 Eastern Standard Time (that’s 5am in the UK!) on May 15th, 2025 (that’s this year!).
As well, Rogovy offer The Frontier Grant, which aims “to fund a few proposals with exciting potential. Each chosen submission is awarded a one-time only grant offered in an amount of between $5,000 to $50,000”.
I cannot see a deadline, so assume it’s open on a rolling basis.
—
Ford Foundation (JustFilms) – https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/justfilms
In their words, “JustFilms supports independent film and emerging media projects that explore urgent social justice issues and seek to challenge inequality in all its forms. We also support the organizations and networks that help further these projects. Funds are distributed in two areas, social justice storytelling and 21st-century infrastructure, which together aim to transform pervasive narratives that produce and maintain inequality, and attract more resources for artist-driven creative visual storytelling around the world.”
If you feel this is you, Ford Foundation / Just Films will begin accepting submissions in Spring 2025.
They further add, “To be considered for funding, your project must be a documentary feature film (running time of at least 50 minutes) in which the filmmaker/s have creative control. We welcome applications for direct content development, production, or post-production.
The open call does not support student films, narrative films, short films, commissioned films where the filmmaker is not the rights holder to the project, episodic series, new media (AR, VR), podcasts, films that have already premiered or broadcast, or impact or outreach campaigns.”
On their website is a set of evaluation criteria, so please do refer to this before making an application.
—
Scottish Documentary Institute (Edinburgh Pitch) – https://www.scottishdocinstitute.com/opportunities/edinburgh-pitch
In their words, “Edinburgh Pitch is an international documentary pitching forum for independent filmmakers and productions companies developing and raising finance for urgent, challenging, engaging authored feature films.
We are looking for international developed feature projects, ready to be presented to financiers. Projects can be at an advanced development stage, in production or in early post-production.”
Your film should have the potential for a minimum of 52 minutes running time on any theme, and you will be expected to provide a project trailer as part of your application.
If successful, you would need to be in Edinburgh from June 16-18th (2025).
“In addition to invaluable networking, development and pitching opportunities, the Edinburgh Pitch offers cash prizes to the best pitch: Audience Award (£3,000) and Panellist Award (£2,000).”
The deadline for submissions for this year was Sunday 23rd March, 23.00 GMT. Selected projects will be announced in April 2025.
But don’t just take my word for it!! Check out their guidelines at the website.
—
The Whickers – https://www.whickerawards.com/apply/film-and-tv
In their words, “The Film & TV Funding Award is awarded annually to an emerging filmmaker from anywhere in the world with the most promising pitch for a director-led documentary which fulfils the core criteria.”
They offer a main award worth £100,000 and a development award for the runner-up of £20,000.
Applications are closed at present, but it appears the window for submissions will reopen in November 2025. Which gives you plenty of time to read their criteria, as there are quite a few requirements necessary (£400,000 budget proposal limit and six-minute taster at application stage, for example) before you can submit.
The Whickers also host The Podcast Pitch, which IS open for submissions as we speak!
“The Podcast Pitch is a joint initiative with Sheffield DocFest. The Whickers are giving a £15,000 production award to the winner and £5,000 to a runner up. Six finalists will also receive a free pass to Sheffield Documentary Festival in June 2025, 2 nights’ accommodation, a contribution of up to £400 per project towards their travel expenses and access to top industry professionals and commissioners of the audio world.”
Single episode proposals will also be considered.
The 2025 deadline has passed.
—
The Sundance Institute Documentary Film Programme – https://www.sundance.org/programs/documentary-film
In their words, they “support nonfiction filmmakers worldwide in the production of cinematic documentaries on contemporary themes”.
“The fund offers support to projects at all stages of development, production, and post-production. Average grant sizes are as follows:
– Development (up to $40,000)
– Production (up to $100,000)
– Post-Production (up to $100,000)
Selection criteria for the Sandbox Fund will emphasize creative narrative techniques and projects that highlight diversity in science, specifically those that feature characters, topics, or disciplines that broaden and redefine what it means to be a scientist or to do science.”
Right now it’s just the Sandbox Fund that’s open. It offers grants two times a year, with two separate application windows (their current grant cycle closes on 10th March 2025, and applicants are notified within 4-6 months of the deadline).
Additionally, The Sundance Institute Documentary Fund will be opening their latest callout for applications (up to 40 grant submissions will be accepted) sometime in 2025. It will offer support for independent nonfiction films with budgets under $1 million USD. Watch their space!
—
BFI Doc Society (Research and Development Fund) – https://bfi.docsociety.org/bfi-doc-rad
In BFI’s words, the fund can provide “support of up to a maximum of £5,000 to first or second time feature length documentary directors or director/producer teams with a single feature documentary film in early development; or up to £10,000 to producers with more than one feature documentary film in early development with first or second time feature length documentary directors attached”.
They are looking to support:
– Bold creative non-fiction films and immersive projects
– Projects in early stages of development but with a clear project outline and need for development support
– Cinematic proposals with theatrical distribution intentions
But not:
– Films in late stages of development, production, or completion
– Loose themes or subject explorations, that show no clear potential as a feature length documentary or immersive work
– Broadcast, or commercial productions
– Series, installation pieces, and formats that are not intended for theatrical distribution
– Films or immersive projects with existing financial resources to conduct research and development
They are “focused on access and inclusivity to make sure that untold stories from under-represented talent across the English regions and Nations of the UK have the opportunity to be shared with as many audiences as possible”.
The grant can be used for:
– Writing time for an initial treatment document of up to ten pages
– Creating visual materials – e.g a mood board
– Actual costs of conducting research (for example, archive charges to view materials, travel to visit relevant locations) that contributes to developing your project idea
– Access to research material
– Consultant fees (eg. Story consultant or experts)
– Test or research footage exploring the feasibility or visual style of a project, provided this footage is not intended to be part of the final production
– Director and/or Producer fees for activities such as writing, equipment testing and location visits
For reference and perhaps to help you best prepare your application, there are a number of BFI Doc Society Fund webinars you can watch to inform you: https://vimeo.com/showcase/10532796
There is individual access support available for applicants with access support needs (please refer to the website further down the page).
A new window will open in April 2025 on a rolling basis.
—
AXS Film Fund – https://www.axsfilmfund.org
In their words, “We strive to support independent documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators of colour living with disabilities in their endeavours to tell stories, make films, and create content.”
They seek to:
– Award creators, who identify as a person of colour living with a disability(ies), in documentary filmmaking and nonfiction new media a one-time grant that will aid them in completing their projects
Each year they award up to five creators with grants of up to $10,000 each to assist them in finishing their projects at any stage of production.
—
Filmmakers Without Borders – https://filmmakerswithoutborders.org
In their words, “Filmmakers Without Borders 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.”
Your proposed project should be scheduled for completion within 365 days of their application deadline.
The types of grants they offer are:
– Development
– Production
– Post-production
– Film Festival Applications
Available for:
– Short Film Projects of 6-40 minutes
Or:
New Media Projects of various lengths and formats.
You can apply for as little as $250, up to $5000. The Summer submission cycle closes 1st June 2025, then the Autumn round will finish on 1st August 2025.
—Thank you for visiting! If you’d like to support our attempts to make a non-clickbaity movie website:
Follow Film Stories on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.
Buy our Film Stories and Film Junior print magazines here.
Become a Patron here.
