💰 Funding Deadlines:

• July 6: The Doc Society Climate Story Fund supports independent non-fiction films of all lengths from rough cut through late production, plus completed projects seeking impact-only funding. Grants range from $40,000-$125,000 with ongoing support throughout production and impact. This cycle is especially interested in short films. Apply here.
• July 7: The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories told through an innovative, original visual approach. The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with cash grants of $10,000-20,000, as well as access to the comprehensive SFFILM Makers artist development program. Learn more here.
• July 17: SIFF's Grant for Courageous Documentary Filmmaking is distributing $450,000 to Washington State documentary filmmakers in 2026. The Grant supports storytellers with projects rooted in moral courage, who take action despite the risk of negative consequences for doing so.  Apply here.
• July 17: Reporting on Religion, a program by 100 Days in Appalachia, is launching its first microgrant to support trauma-informed investigative or explanatory reporting on faith and religion in daily life. Three microgrants of $750 each are available to professional journalists anywhere in the U.S. Apply here.
• July 22: Inside Out’s RE:Focus Fund aims to address industry inequities through providing direct financial support to women, non-binary, and/or trans filmmakers telling 2SLGBTQ+ stories. The Fund has distributed more than $300,000 in festival travel grants and professional development programs for filmmakers since its creation. Learn more here.
• July 24: The Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund is accepting applications for production and post-production support through WCF Classic and WCF Europe, backing feature-length projects with a strong artistic vision that are produced in regions whose film industries face structural constraints. Maximum funding is €60,000 per project for production and €40,000 for post-production. Submit your application here.
• July 31: As Los Angeles prepares to host its third Olympic Games in 2028, PBS SoCal is launching the Community Storyteller Initiative, a three-year program commissioning videos from storytellers, documentarians, and content creators that capture the spirit of Los Angeles as it transforms for 2028. Submit here.
• July 31: The AXS Film Fund, a program of AXS Lab, supports independent documentary filmmakers and nonfiction new media creators living with disabilities, awarding up to five grants of $10,000 each to creators at any stage of production. The program centers creators of color living with disabilities and those from historically underserved communities. Apply here.
• August 14: The Bloomberg Green Docs competition is open to all eligible filmmakers who would like to compete to win a $25,000 grand prize for a short climate documentary. Films must be under 10 minutes and address the urgency of climate change to be considered. Apply here.
• August 15: The Fondation Altercine awards 10,000 CAD and 5,000 CAD grants to documentary filmmakers born and living in The Global South (Africa, Asia, or Latin America) who want to direct a film in the language of their choice that respects the aims of the Foundation. Apply here.
• August 31: The Scottish Documentary Institute’s WRITE NOW Fund creates space for Scotland-based directors to think, write, and plan before the camera rolls. The Fund will offer grants up to £3,000, plus tailored support. The Institute is looking for distinctive, creative, director-led projects. Submit here.
• September 14: A new storytelling partnership between Guardian Documentaries and arte.tv invites filmmakers to pitch short docs on the theme of democracy in Europe today. The initiative seeks deeply human stories and creative approaches that reveal how political shifts are felt, resisted, and defended. Projects at any stage that will be completed by spring 2027 will be considered. Pitch here.
• Rolling: The Outrider AI + Nuclear Reporting Fund supports journalism and multimedia storytelling projects that explain the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and nuclear weapons. Journalists may receive up to $10,000 for projects, supporting expenses such as travel, research, multimedia production, and more. Deadline is rolling, submit your project here. 
• Rolling: The Pulitzer Center’s Global Reporting Grant supports in-depth, high-impact nonfiction projects that push boundaries and spotlight underreported stories. The Grant is open to journalists, filmmakers, and visual storytellers worldwide, and the typical award amount is $5,000-$10,000. Apply here.
• 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. 

💡 Fellowship, Lab, and Pitch Deadlines:

• July 12: The Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Fellowships support journalists from all beats and formats who want to deepen and diversify reporting on artificial intelligence through an accountability lens. The 10-month Fellowship provides up to $25,000 in funding, plus mentorship, training, a peer network, and impact plan development support for each investigation. Apply here.
• July 20: The International Documentary Association’s Getting Real ‘26 biennial conference will be held July 20—23 in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo and online. The core of the conference brings together participants from diverse independent filmmaking sectors and powerful players from the documentary industry, sparking real conversation and collaboration. Register here.
• August 3: ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network is taking on 15 new yearlong accountability journalism projects in 2026 across seasonal cohorts, with the fall cohort program accepting applications until August 3. ProPublica will reimburse partner newsrooms for the selected reporter’s salary (up to $80,000 plus a benefits stipend) and pair them with a senior editor as well as additional production support. Apply here.
• August 12: DOK Short n’ Sweet, the short film pitch at DOK Leipzig, returns for its tenth edition and is seeking short and/or animated documentaries at any stage with strong points of view and creative visions. Selected projects get three minutes to pitch and four to field questions from the panel, plus a preparatory workshop to make the most of those seven minutes. Learn more here.
• September 1: The Investigative Reporters & Editors’ Chauncey Bailey Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship supports journalists of color interested in investigative journalism. Over the course of the year, fellows receive IRE training, mentorship, data services, and support. Applicants must be U.S. journalists of color currently working with a newsroom or independent with at least three years of post-college work experience. Submit here.
• September 23: The Ouray Film Sabbatical offers a fully funded residential experience centered on creative support, rest, and community for filmmakers in any role, film writers, and film programmers. Rather than focusing on advancing a specific project, the Sabbatical is built around the person behind the work, inviting participants to reconnect with their creative lives in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Apply here.
• September 30: Harvard University’s Radcliffe Fellowship Program supports 50 scholars, artists, and public intellectuals with demonstrated records of achievement and great promise for future contributions. Fellows will come from around the world to work on an individual project while drawing on the knowledge and resources of the Harvard community. Learn more here.
• Rolling: The Retraction Watch Research Accountability Reporting Fellowship supports up to six U.S.-based journalists covering scientific accountability issues — retractions, fake data, fraud — at research universities or institutions. Newsrooms receive $7,500 in funding, one-on-one mentorship, and four virtual training sessions. Fellows are selected on a rolling basis as early as May 4. Submit 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: 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. 
• Rolling: The Dot Line Space Art Foundation invites artists, collectives, and interdisciplinary practitioners to submit portfolios for Water Bodies & Ecology 2026, a research-driven program exploring water, ecology, climate, memory, and environmental consciousness. Unfolding across two venues over 40 days in 2026, the project includes research, installations, and exhibitions, and is open to all mediums and artistic practices. Apply here.

🎬 Festival Submission Deadlines:

• July 9: IDFA, the world's largest documentary film festival, is accepting entries for its 39th edition in Amsterdam, November 12–22, 2026. The festival is open to documentary films of all lengths internationally. If your film has ever been pitched at the IDFA Forum, the entry fee is waived. You can find more information on deadlines and pricing here.
• July 15: The 35th annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (October 9-17, 2026) is the longest-running nonfiction film festival in North America. HSDFF accepts documentary features, short documentaries, and episodic series, and is an Oscar-qualifying festival for Documentary Short Subject. Learn more here.
• July 31: American Documentary’s POV is the longest-running independent documentary showcase on American television, presenting films that capture the full spectrum of the human experience from around the world. They accept films of all lengths. Apply here.
• August 14: The 24th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is now accepting submissions for BSDFF 2027, taking place in Missoula, Montana from February 12–21, 2027. Documentary films of all lengths, genres, and subject matters from filmmakers worldwide are welcome. Apply by June 12 to meet the early bird deadline here. 
• Rolling: Back Pocket Presents is seeking documentary and short film submissions for the 2026 San Francisco Story Fest. This year, the fest is looking for works that explore the theme of “villains” and encourage work that is set in or references the Bay Area. Apply with this form.