Film Funding
Most Recent
A New Generation: This Philanthropic Heir Got an Early Start on Running Her Own Foundation
Sabrina Merage Naim is a third-generation member of the family behind Hot Pockets. We connected with her about starting a foundation straight out of college, the family’s wider giving, and her passion for storytelling.
Geeks Give: Philanthropy from the World of Science Fiction/Fantasy, Comics and Gaming
Geek culture hasn’t just become part of mainstream culture — it’s also spawned charitable efforts and philanthropies that reach beyond the fandoms.
So You Want to Make an Independent Film. Who’s Funding Now?
Philanthropic funding for film lags behind support for other arts, leaving some filmmakers with no choice but to foot the bill themselves. But there are funding options out there.
Who’s Funding Efforts to Bring Climate Narratives to the Big Screen?
A new report found that fewer than one in 10 top films passes a basic climate content test. But several philanthropic avenues are emerging to challenge that status quo. Here’s a look at three of them.
“New Urgency.” How the Sundance Institute Helps Filmmakers Navigate an Evolving Field
Robert Redford launched the Sundance Institute in 1981 to help independent filmmakers. Interim CEO Amanda Kelso talks about its program offerings, two big grants the institute recently received, and much more.
“More Than Just a Check.” This Funder Couples Cash and Professional Support to Help Artists Thrive
Creative Capital recently announced the winners of its latest round of awards, totaling $2.5 million. With a heightened focus on equity and accessibility, the funder is helping dozens of artists advance their careers.
Visual Storytellers and Journalists Face Growing Risks. What Can Funders Do to Protect Them?
Backed by the Ford Foundation and others, a recent report from the Safer Storytellers Project outlines the steps funders can take to protect creators from increasing attacks and threats to their safety.
Backed by a Sobrato Heir, This Funder Is Working at the Intersection of Film and Social Change
Cofounded and backed by Jeff Sobrato, the Safe Space Pictures Foundation invests in film projects covering topics such as sustainability, reproductive rights and criminal justice reform. Its founders take us behind the scenes.
How Fundraisers for Filmmaking Adapted During the Pandemic
Fundraisers for filmmaking reported steady revenue thanks to online events, shifts in their donor bases, and in at least one case, a windfall from a certain novelist-turned-donor. Five organizations filled us in on how they’ve evolved.
How the Inevitable Foundation Is Cultivating Underrepresented Disabled Screenwriters
The Inevitable Foundation launched in 2021 with the goal of boosting the representation of disabled mid-level screenwriters. We check in with its co-founders on its mission, early successes and what’s next.
Funder Spotlight: Created by an Oscar Winner, the Jerome Foundation Backs Film and More
Today, we’re catching up with the Jerome Foundation, which supports early-career artists in Minnesota and New York City. It was looking at ways to make life easier for grantees well before COVID.
Recognizing the Power of Storytelling, a Funder Collaborative Backs Media in the Global South
The Ford, Compton and Skoll foundations have partnered to launch a 10-year, $30 million donor collaborative that seeks to strengthen the impact of storytelling through video and related media in the Global South.
For Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Philanthropy is a Family Affair
Hollywood power couple Will and Jada Pinkett Smith established a family foundation all the way back in 1996, focusing on issues like arts, education and equity. And the couple’s kids are already involved with the foundation.
Three Years After His Passing, an Entertainment Mogul’s Estate May Be Ramping Up Giving
After publicity-shy billionaire Jerry Perenchio passed away in 2017, his estate sold off a quarter-billion dollars in assets and now his family foundation has made two large higher ed gifts. Is this a sign of more to come?
Looking Back on the Legacy of a Small but Influential Funder of Independent Film
For 15 years, the Fledgling Fund served as a go-to funding source for independent filmmakers. As the grantmaker takes a new direction, we look back at the lasting impact this small funder made across many social issues.
A Long Tradition: How Celebs Are Stepping Up to Help in a Global Pandemic
Celebs have often leveraged their influence and deployed funds during challenging times. Here’s a rundown of some of the Hollywood players supporting relief efforts for the COVID-19 crisis, including a few making major donations.
Geek Chic: How a Funder Uses Film to Get the Public Jazzed About Science
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has been backing an initiative at Sundance that supports filmmakers who explore scientific themes. If you go to the movies, you may have already seen the impact of this grantmaking.
“A Tool for Positive Social Change.” A Funder Ups Support for Documentary Filmmaking
Despite some recent progress, Hollywood has a long way to go on diversity. An expanded partnership between an L.A.-based art gallery and film school shows that funders aren’t waiting for the industry to take the lead in this area.
“Artistic Expression Meets Scientific Inquiry.” Checking in on the Sloan Foundation’s Film Grantmaking
Slowly but surely, funders have come around to Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s prescient vision of integrating science with the humanities. We dig into the foundation’s recent moves in the filmmaking space.
Pop Pluralism: A Funder Collaborative Works to Shift Norms in Entertainment
Popular culture has tremendous potential as a leverage point for social change. But actually making an impact is tricky. A grantmaking outfit bankrolled by heavy hitters is taking on that challenge.
Intervention Points: Behind a Fellowship to Support Diverse Documentary Filmmakers
Some niche funders aren’t sitting around waiting for Hollywood to do more to support underrepresented filmmakers, after years of complaints. They’re doing it themselves.
“Bay Area Values.” A Stalwart Regional Funder Expands its Support for Narrative Film
Philanthropic support for film remains scarce, and most support goes to documentaries. One major exception is SFFILM, the largest grant-giving body for narrative features in the U.S.
Mind the Gap: Can Hollywood Do More to Support Underrepresented Filmmakers?
There’s no shortage of money in Hollywood, and yet resources are scarce to help boost diversity in the entertainment industry. What’s going on here?
Principle vs. Impact: When Should Institutions Keep Tainted Donations?
In many cases, returning a disgraced donor’s gift is a no-brainer. But what if the gift in question could catalyze an entire funding area like gender equity in the cinematic arts?
Building a Community: A Funder Expands Support for LGBTQ Artists
LGBTQ artists have traditionally lacked the kind of robust support structures that exist across other segments of the arts world. Queer|Art is working to change that.
We’ve Seen This Movie Before: A Big Gift Jumpstarts a Museum’s Flagging Capital Campaign
A billionaire couple historically focused on health and education causes comes around to the educational and economic value of supporting a film museum’s beleaguered capital project.
Exposure and Support: A Foundation Looks to Diversity the Ranks of Visual Storytellers
Amid a growing push to bring more diversity to the film world, we look at what the MacArthur Foundation has been doing lately to support “nonfiction media makers” from diverse backgrounds.
May the Force Be Less White: A Movie Mogul’s Commitment to Diversity in Film
Giving to promote diversity has lately been gaining steam. Recently, the biggest donors in this space, George Lucas and his partner Mellody Hobson, stepped up again.
