Independent Television Service (ITVS) Film Grant, TV, Documentary

ITVS funds, distributes and promotes new programs primarily for public television. We work with independent producers to create and present programs that take creative risks, advance issues and represent points of view not usually seen on public or commercial television. ITVS is committed to programming that addresses the needs of underserved and underrepresented audiences. We look for programs that bring new audiences to public television and that expand civic participation by bringing diverse voices into the public sphere.

ITVS Funding Film Grant Types

Open Call
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 U.S. and its external territories.

International Call
International Call provides production funds for single non-fiction television programs that bring international perspectives, ideas, events and people to U.S. television. This initiative is for non-U.S. producers who are citizens of a different country and live outside the U.S.

Linking Independents and Co-Producting Stations (LINCS)
Provides matching funds (up to $100,000) to partnerships between public television stations and independent producers. LINCS funds single non-fiction public television programs on any subject and from any viewpoint. Producers must be U.S. citizens or legal residents.

Diversity Development Fund
The Diversity Development Fund provides up to $15,000 in research and development funding to producers of color to develop single documentary programs for public television. Producers must be U.S. citizens or legal residents.

Commissioned Funding
ITVS accepts proposals on an ongoing basis for documentary projects that fall outside of the parameters of the standing initiatives (DDF, LINCS, OPEN CALL).

More Info: https://itvs.org

Documentary Funding Tips

Documentary funding is tough work, but here's the good news...You CAN raise documentary capital and it may not be as hard as you think. Get the best fundraising advice, from the Emmy-winning creator of Desktop Documentaries, at Documentary Funding Tips.

Desktop Documentaries offers the Documentary Fundraising Toolkit, which includes a 190-page full-color documentary fundraising guide, a 25-page documentary proposal template with instructions, two budget templates with budgeting guide, list of the top 100 documentary film grants, e-book with 25 specific fundraising ideas to start raising your first $10,000 and a fundraising check-list. All the best fundraising tools, templates and resources, including 20+ years of experience, combined into one comprehensive packet.

List of Film Grants

Do you have a Film Grant to share with our readers? Please post your Film Grant here.

Documentary Film Grants

Short Film Grants

Women in Film Grants

Feature Film Grants

Emerging Filmmaker Grants

Screenwriting Film Grants

Television Grants

Canada Film Grants

More Film Grants

See All: Full List of Film Grants

Film Grant Deadlines Rolling/Various Application Deadlines

Film Grant Deadlines Spring

Austin Film Society Film Grants
Chicago Digital Media Production Fund (April)
Derek Freese Documentary Fund (April)
Filmmakers Without Borders Filmmaking Grants (June 1)
Intercept Documentary Film Grant (June 1)
Shore Scripts Short Film Fund (May)
Princess Grace Film Awards (May)
Miller Packan Documentary Film Fund (May)
Women In Film | Film Finishing Fund Grant (WIFF FFF) (May/June/July)

Film Grant Deadlines Summer

Filmmakers Without Borders Filmmaking Grants (Aug 1)

Film Grant Deadlines Fall

Frameline LGBTQ+ Film Grant Completion Fund (Oct)
NYC Womens Fund for Media, Music and Theatre (Oct)
Miller Packan Documentary Film Fund (Nov)

Film Grant Deadlines Winter

Filmmakers Without Borders Filmmaking Grants (Jan 1)
JDC Archives Documentary Film Grant (Feb)
Creative Capital Film Video Grant (Feb)
UK Jewish Film Grants (Jan)

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