Upcoming Funding Deadlines:

• September 29: The BAVC MediaMaker Fellowship is a 9-month long intensive devoted to supporting documentary filmmakers using bold cinematic language and innovative impact strategies to grapple with critical issues of our time. Fellows will receive $10,000; two San Francisco convenings (travel paid); an all-access pass, round trip flight, accommodations, and a customized itinerary for one film festival or industry conference; and more. Early applications are strongly recommended. Apply here.

• September 30: The National Film Board of Canada and TIFF are teaming up to support Canadian filmmakers 30 and under who are redefining Canada through their lens. Five selected short films will be produced, financed, and distributed by the NFB, to premiere at TIFF 2026! Submit your proposal here.

• September 30: Thinking about entering a screenwriting contest? Shore Scripts’ Short Film Fund is for writers who want to see their short professionally produced, with a proven track record of success since 2016. Since then, the Fund has produced 24 funded films, many of which have screened at Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes, and more. Every submission gets feedback, and their prizes are designed to help you bring your vision from page to screen. Submit here.

• September 30: The Reel Sisters Micro Budget Film Fellowship offers women of color a chance for $5000 to produce a short film or web series pilot. The pilot episode of your web series or short film will air on Reel Sisters Tea & Cinema virtual series and have a world premiere in their annual international Oscar qualifying film festival. Scripts must be written or co-written by a woman of color of nonbinary filmmaker of color. Apply here.

• October 8: Applications are now open for the 2025 Filmed in NC Fund, supporting bold, independent filmmakers across North Carolina. Grants from $500-$3,000 are available. Narrative, documentaries, short films, and experimental projects are eligible, and the Fund prioritizes women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers. Learn more.

• October 9: The 14th annual Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA 2026) champion storytelling at the intersection of creative excellence and social resonance. SIMA is accepting submissions of feature & short documentaries, impact videos, XR/interactive media projects, impact campaigns, and production companies. Submit here.

• October 9: The third cycle of the Prince Claus Fund’s Moving Narratives program brings together nine socially and politically engaged mid-career artists and cultural practitioners working across a wide range of mediums and approaches. They welcome applications from artists who are actively engaged in their local communities. Learn more.

• October 17: The Fondazione Prada Film Fund is an annual initiative that supports independent cinema. Every year, it selects films without any restriction on geography, theme, genre, or language. Projects can be submitted during the development, production, or post-production phase. Submit here.

• October 31: The Kodak x First Flights Short Film Fund allows emerging talent worldwide to test their ideas before embarking on a feature film. Grants of up to $10,000 are available towards the production costs of all scripted genres and documentary short film content. Two winners will receive rolls of Kodak 16mm film stock, and one filmmaker will receive a comprehensive $10,000 post-production package from Periscope. Apply here.

• October 31: The Mycoskie-UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship aims to empower a new generation of filmmakers exploring the burgeoning field of psychedelics. They are offering three distinct types of grants: research and development grants (up to $10,000), production and post-production grants (up to $20,000 to support the production or post-production of a feature-length documentary), and student grants (up to $5,000 for the production of a short form documentary). Read more here.

• Rolling: The Pulitzer Center provides grants to cover the hard costs of reporting projects. Grants are open to all journalists: writers, photographers, radio producers, and filmmakers; staff journalists as well as freelancers. Deadline is rolling, find out more here.

• Rolling: All Facts co-founder and documentarian Adam Bhala Lough is launching a new documentary development grant inspired by the #stayinla movement. The STAY IN LA Grant is designed to give local documentary filmmakers the boost they need to get their projects off the ground & help bring vital local stories to life in LA. Read more. 

• Rolling: The Sustainability Prize, launched by Creo and Sony, offers filmmakers passionate about communicating key themes linked to the Sustainable Development Goals with $5,000, Sony digital imaging equipment, and promotion across Sony’s channels. The work of the winners will also get the chance to be honored at a showcase hosted by the United Nations Foundation and Sony Pictures. Apply here. 

• Rolling: The Undocumented Filmmakers Collective is providing an unrestricted grant for UFC members. The grant can be used for any production costs, festival fees, or even some much needed self care! Applications are open and rolling for the rest of 2025. Submit here. 

• Rolling: The BFI Doc Society Fund supports and nurtures independent non-fiction films and immersive projects by UK filmmakers: prioritising expansive, director-led storytelling. They offer both a shorts fund and a features fund. The Fund offers support of up to €150,000 for feature documentaries and immersive non-fiction projects. Apply here.

• Rolling: The Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund provides support to creators during times of extraordinary hardship, empowering creators of all backgrounds to have access to the tools and inspiration they need. The Community Fund aims to respond to global events that directly impact the wellbeing of creators. Adobe is currently focusing their Community Fund efforts on providing support to creators who have been directly impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Learn more. 

• Rolling: Panavision’s New Filmmaker Grant Program offers grants for camera equipment and post-production services. The equipment grant provides use of Panavision digital or film camera packages, while the post-production grant works with Light Iron to provide new filmmakers with access to final color and finishing services. Only available in the US. Apply here. 

• Rolling: The British Council Travel Grant Fund is helping filmmakers bring their work to the global stage. Whether your short or feature is screening at an eligible festival, lab, or co-production forum, you may qualify for support. Learn more here.

• Rolling: International Women’s Media Foundation has launched the 2025 Ukraine Reporting Grant. This program supports journalists from local and regional outlets in the U.S., France, and Germany in producing in-depth projects or underreported stories from Ukraine that will resonate with their respective home communities. The IWMF will approve fifteen to twenty reporting grants (average size of $8,000). Apply here.

Upcoming Festival Submission Deadlines:

• October 3: The Academy Award-qualifying 2026 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is now accepting submissions! Big Sky seeks documentary films of all lengths, genres, forms, and subject matters. The 23rd annual BSDFF will take place February 13-22, 2026, in Missoula, Montana. Awards include Best Mini-Doc and the Big Sky Award, which is reserved for films of any length that artistically honor the character, history, tradition, and imagination of the American West. Learn more.

• October 10: The REEL WILD Film Festival is now accepting submissions for their festival in New York, taking place April 16-19, 2026. The Festival accepts films in any genre related to wildlife and wild places, particularly in connection with pertinent issues surrounding conservation, climate change, and affected communities. Accepted submissions will be evaluated by the jury for the opportunity to win REEL WILD awards. VC members can use the code “VCxREELWILD2026” for 20% off when submitting via FilmFreeway. Submit here.

• October 12: The American Documentary and Animation Film Festival and Film Fund (AmDocs) is a unique event focusing on international films in both the short and feature categories, as well as showcasing animation and music videos. In conjunction with the festival, filmmakers can compete for the American Documentary Film Fund to win up to $50,0000. More info here.

• October 17: Attention Black non-fiction filmmakers in the Midwest — this is your moment! Submissions are now open for the 2026 Reel Black Film Fest, presented by Kansas City PBS. The festival showcases stories of cultural icons, unsung heroes, and need-to-know history. Show your work, share your story, and be part of this powerful celebration of Black storytelling. Submit here.

• October 15: The Sonoma International Film Festival returns for its 29th edition from March 25–29, 2026, celebrating the best in global cinema, food, wine, and community. SIFF offers an exceptional platform for emerging and established filmmakers. The festival programs narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and food/wine films across all genres. Filmmakers benefit from cash prizes, lodging support, and deep networking with industry jurists and tastemakers. Submit here.

• October 28: The 19th edition of Glasgow Short Film Festival will take place 18-22 March 2026. GSFF competitions are comprised of submitted films, and other elements of the festival programme also draw from submissions. They are accepting submissions for the Scottish Film Award, open to films where one or more key role is a resident of Scotland, and the Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film Award, open to all films that do not qualify for the Scottish Film Award. Apply here. 

• November 14: Be part of the 15th edition of East Doc Platform (EDP) –– the largest industry event for documentary filmmakers in Central and Eastern Europe. EDP is accepting submissions from directors and producers with creative documentary projects, and will help connect them with international decision-makers and gain access to key networking opportunities. Read more.

• November 16: One World Romania is seeking film submissions for the 19th edition of the International Documentary & Human Rights Film Festival. They are looking for documentary films that serve as a vehicle for social and political change. They accept films of any length, including children/youth docs. Submit here.

• November 30: Submissions are now open for the DOC. Coimbra Festival 2026. If you are a filmmaker with a feature or short documentary, this is your opportunity to showcase your work at an incredible film festival in Portugal, taking place March 17-22, 2026. Learn more.

• December 11: The Festival International du Film de Fribourg is accepting submissions, with its Official Selection –– the International Competition: Features Films and the International Competition: Short Films –– focusing on works from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Near and Middle East, and Eastern Europe (outside the EU). For more information and the list of eligible countries, click here.

• January 5, 2026: Film submissions for Mountainfilm 2026 are open! Mountainfilm brings together a community of filmmakers and changemakers, showcasing documentary films that celebrate adventure, activism, social justice, environment, and indomitable spirit. They accept and screen feature and short films on a broad range of subjects, but are particularly interested in work that focuses on mountains –– both physical and symbolic. Apply here.

• February 13, 2026: DC/DOX is accepting films for consideration for its fourth edition, running June 11-14, 2026 in Washington D.C. The festival accepts feature documentaries and short documentaries, and gives preference to films that have not yet premiered in Washington D.C. DC/DOX provides abundant networking opportunities and social events, as well as a series of panels, master classes, and workshops. Submit here.

Workshops, Labs, and Pitches:

• Fall 2025: DCTV’s Fall Workshop Lineup is packed with everything you need to take your creative skills to the next level! Participants will learn hands-on from industry experts in an accessible, supportive environment. Workshops include: DaVinci Resolve, Non-Fiction Scriptwriting, AI Filmmaking, Documentary Budgeting, and many more! Learn more.

• September 29: As part of Trilith Studios’ annual State of the Industry educational and workforce development non-profit, Trilith Institute is partnering with SeriesFest to host the Pitch-a-Thon! Roadshow on Thursday, October 23 in Atlanta, GA. This dynamic competition celebrates the art of the pitch, giving selected creators five minutes to present their original series idea live, followed by real-time feedback from an expert panel. More info here.

• November 1: Cine Qua Non Lab’s 2026 Storylines Lab is now open for applications! The Lab provides an opportunity for independent filmmakers from around the world to work intensively on the creative development of their projects in an environment designed to foster professional collaboration and offer high-quality support for project development. Apply here.

• November 9: Submissions Are Open for the 2026 Big Sky Pitch! Big Sky’s headline event of the DocShop Filmmaker’s Forum, the Big Sky Pitch is held during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and invites up to ten film teams the chance to pitch their feature length documentary works-in-progress to a panel of top commissioning editors and funders of documentary film. Learn more.

• November 26: The call for applications is now open for the EuroDoc26 Cohort program. EuroDoc is an intensive training program and global network for mid-career producers in creative documentary filmmaking. The flagship workshop runs March-October, and they consider all forms of creative documentary: features, series, essay, animation, archival, and more. Submit here.

• December 1: Ready to turn your factual project into reality? Documentary Campus is calling for excellent projects from emerging filmmakers and digital creators working in documentary and factual storytelling for their training program, Masterschool. Develop your project in high quality workshops alongside key markets and festivals across Europe, and pitch on a world stage to funders, broadcasters, and more. Read more.

• December 16: The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards provide emerging talent from across the world with the creative momentum to push their careers forward. Shortlisted filmmakers are flown to Sony Picture Studios to attend an awards ceremony and a bespoke industry immersion program. Apply here.

• December 18: The Woman Directing Mentorship is open for submissions through December 18. SeriesFest and Shondaland are partnering on their 7th cycle of the Mentorship, a competition designed to discover aspiring female-identifying directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers. Learn more.

• January 9, 2026: The Ouray Film Sabbatical offers creative support, rest, and community for filmmakers (in any role), film writers (critics, academics, journalists), and film programmers (festivals, theaters, and filmmaker education), all through a fully-funded residential experience in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. VC members can use the code “ofs50percent” for 50% off the submission fee, bringing it down to $15. Apply here.

• Rolling: Submit your documentary for Educational Distribution with GOOD DOCS! If your latest doc is based on education and engaging with students about rarely heard stories then this is where your next application should be. Find out more here.

• Rolling: Sunny Side of the Doc is launching the Sunny Academy, a brand-new support program for emerging documentary talent. Learn all they have to offer here.

• Rolling: Field of Vision has relaunched their free mentorship & consultation service! Filmmakers from around the world can sign up for consultation about Professional Development, Technical Assistance, Pitch Training, Story Development, Distribution Strategy, and more. Sign up today!

• Rolling: More to Her Story is always looking for pitches from women in journalism. They believe in solutions journalism and its power to drive real-world change. In a world where women’s rights are increasingly under threat, they champion the voices of female journalists and use their stories as catalysts to drive lasting change. Pitch here.