💰 Funding Deadlines:

• March 31: The Roy W. Dean Grant supports independent films that are unique and make a meaningful contribution to society. Open internationally to documentaries, narrative features, shorts, web series and multimedia projects with budgets under $500,000, the spring grant offers a $3,500 cash prize plus over $20,000 in donated production services and discounts, as well as a free consultation on their proposal. Apply here.
• March 31: Kickstarter’s annual Long Story Short open call invites filmmakers worldwide to submit their short films and launch their unique visions on the platform. Shorts will be featured in a curated collection promoted by Kickstarter all month long. Submit here.
• April 2: The 2027 Creative Capital Open Call seeks proposals from individual artists in the U.S. for the creation of new artistic works in the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Film, and Literature.⁠ The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted grants of up to $50,000, and the new State of the Art prize offers unrestricted artist grants of $10,000. Submit here.
• April 6: The Femme Frontera Fellowship supports nonfiction and narrative, women & gender-expansive filmmakers working in the borderlands all along the U.S./Mexico border. In this year-long program, filmmakers will receive $2,500 USD in grant funding, mentorship, participation in the Pitch Fest at the 2026 Femme Frontera Film Festival (June 11-14 in El Paso, TX), and a travel stipend to attend the fest. Learn more here.
• April 7: The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants program from NYFA provides grants up to $20,000 for environmental art initiatives led by women, transgender, and non-binary artists in the U.S. Projects that explore interdependence, relationships, and systems through Indigenous and ancestral practices are encouraged to apply. Submit here.
• April 13: The Berkeley Film Foundation’s Documentary Grant Program provides grants in the production, post-production, and distribution stages for documentary projects, ranging from $5,000—$25,000. The grant is particularly interested in socially conscious films that shine a light on untold stories or individuals fighting the status quo. Learn more here.
• April 15: LaboCine’s Science New Wave Fund supports film projects of all forms and scales that explore science’s place in culture through bold, interdisciplinary storytelling. The fund is presented by The Brandt Jackson Foundation in partnership with its sister production company, Things In Motion. Submit here.
• April 16: The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation, in partnership with Points North Institute, is proud to launch the Ellis-Beauregard Award, an annual initiative supporting visionary nonfiction filmmakers. One recipient will receive a $50,000 award for a documentary project in post-production, as well as a creative editing retreat in Maine during the Camden International Film Festival. Apply here.
• April 20: The Catapult Development Fund provides early-stage support to documentary filmmakers, offering fifteen grants of up to $25,000 to filmmakers in development with a documentary feature or short. Their flagship program is geared toward independent filmmakers who have a strong story to tell, have secured access, and are ready to unlock critical production funding. Apply here.
• April 20: The Listening Pitch 2026 is a £10,000 grant from Audible and Aesthetica for documentary filmmakers whose work explores the transformative power of sound, with this year’s theme of “Radical Listening” focusing on stories that notice, connect, and truly hear amidst the noise of contemporary life. Learn more here.
• April 26: The Center for Asian American Media’s Building Bridges Documentary Fund supports documentary shorts, features, and series exploring the U.S. Muslim experience, with support for filmmakers across career stages. Funding up to $25,000 is available for research and development, with up to $100,000 available for production and post-production. Submit here.
• May 3: Pakistan Film Society and Mad For Films are teaming up to launch their Vertical Film Fund, open for creators, filmmakers, directors, writers, and anyone passionate about storytelling through film. Selected filmmakers will receive a production grant of 100,000 PKR for their vertical film, as well as SONY equipment support and industry mentorship. Apply here.
• May 3: Are you making a documentary about U.S. history? The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film is now open for submissions! The Prize for Film will honor and award $200,000 to one winner, a secondary prize of $50,000 to one runner-up, and $25,000 to each of four finalists. Learn more here.
• May 12: The Hopper Prize awards grants of $4,500 to artists working in any medium — including film, video, and photography — who demonstrate a serious commitment to their practice. Submit here.
• May 27: The Grantham Foundation has launched its 2027 Call for Projects, offering grants of 5,000-10,000 CAD across three tracks: Visual Arts Creation, Visual Arts Research, and Creation and Research in Architecture. Each award is accompanied by a one-month residency at the Foundation. Learn more and apply 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:

• March 27: The LEF/CIFF Fellowship is an opportunity for five New England-based filmmaker teams to attend the Camden International Film Festival and connect with other filmmakers and industry leaders through a series of mentor-led project development workshops, networking events, and curated 1:1 meetings. Learn more here.
• March 27: The Telly Awards have extended their deadline for submissions! Accepted materials include social media content, series and shows created for online distribution/TV, branded content, film & shorts, and mixed reality. For a full list of eligibility guidelines and to apply, click here.
• April 3: Rough Cut Lab Africa returns for its 9th edition, running from the 30th May to the 28th June 2026, and this year focusing on East Africa. The Lab is a programme that supports independent African films in the rough cut stage. RCLAfrica pairs directors and editors with expert African and Pan-African story consultants from all fields of the filmmaking world. Apply here.
• April 5: UnionDocs’ 2026 Summer Documentary Labs offer emerging filmmakers intensive five-week (June 29—July 31) and three-week (Aug 10—Aug 28) programs to support early-stage documentaries. Participants will receive seminars, screenings, and industry mentorship, culminating in a project proposal and momentum for their films. Apply before March 15 to skip the application fee at the link here.
• April 13: The Toronto Film Festival Creator’s Lab is now accepting applications for its professional development programs for emerging and mid-career filmmakers. Programs open for application are the Director’s Lab, Writer’s Lab, and two Sloan Science & Technology programs. Participants will receive mentorship, industry immersion, and collaboration opportunities with global film professionals. Choose a track and submit here.
• April 19: The Embassy of Foreign Artists is inviting artists of all disciplines to apply for its Art & Science Residency Grant in Geneva, Switzerland. The three-month residency pairs artists with active research scientists to explore the theme of “imagination.” Residents will receive private accommodation, a monthly stipend of CHF 1,400, and workspace within partner labs. Apply here.
• April 19: The International Women’s Media Foundation has opened applications for its Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship, providing career development opportunities to women and nonbinary journalists from around the world. Across two semesters, the selected fellow will conduct research at MIT’s Center for International Studies and report for The Boston Globe. Learn more here.
• April 29: The 2027 (Egg)celerator Lab will support women and gender-nonconfirming documentary filmmakers with a project in development. In this year-long program, filmmakers receive a $40,000 production grant, mentorship, two creative retreats, industry meetings, funder connections, and peer support from their cohort. Apply here.
• April 29-30: Black Public Media’s annual pitchBLACK Forum and Awards are a celebration of excellence in Black media storytelling, bringing together funders, distributors, and industry leaders for an in-person and virtual event. The Forum takes place on April 29 and is free with registration; tickets for the Awards program on April 30 are on sale now. Register and get tickets 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.
• 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. 

🏆 Awards:

• April 5: The Women In Media Altitude Awards celebrate exemplary women and gender non-conforming cinematographers, gaffers, and camera operators. The Awards also recognize one Emerging Filmmaker recipient, and 10 Semi-Finalists. Apply here.
• May 8: The 2026 Jackson Wild Media Awards are now open for submissions, expanding this year to introduce new categories spotlighting climate and nature storytelling in new and emerging mediums. The awards recognize work across natural history film, environmental journalism, and beyond, with winners announced at a gala in Los Angeles this November. Submit here.

🎬 Festival Submission Deadlines:

• March 27: The Climate Film Festival (CFF) is New York City’s first city-wide film festival dedicated to climate in all its forms. From narrative and documentary features to experimental shorts and music videos, CFF harnesses the transformative power of motion pictures, showcasing new and established voices, classic climate films, and energizing human stories. Apply here.
• March 29: Docs by the Sea is an international documentary lab + forum for Asian creative doc projects, made by In-Docs. Selected filmmakers for the labs will travel to Bali, Indonesia to participate in-person. Learn more here.
• March 31: NewFilmmakers LA (NFMLA) screens monthly at South Park Center. Each month, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) presents red carpet screenings of documentary, short and feature films that have been selected from submissions from all over the world, followed by a Q&A with each film’s director. Filmmakers can submit monthly, but for consideration for the spring line-up, submit by March 31 here.
• April 1: Submissions are now open for the 15th annual BlackStar Film Festival! The Festival, taking place August 6-9 in Philadelphia and online globally, is a celebration of the visual and storytelling traditions of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people around the world. Learn more here.
• April 5: The Fish Water People Film Festival is seeking short film submissions that explore your interpretation of “flow state” and California’s waterways. Selected films will be featured in the festival’s program, gaining visibility among conservation leaders and environmental enthusiasts across the state. Submit here.
• April 10: Mizna’s 2026 Twin Cities Arab Film Festival is seeking submissions of narrative and documentary films from the SWANA region and beyond. The festival (running September 23—27) is especially interested in features and shorts exploring social realities of the SWANA region. All accepted submissions will be considered for audience and jury awards. Apply here.
• April 10: Early bird registration is now open for Sunny Side of the Doc 2026, an international documentary marketplace featuring three focused days of meetings, industry networking, strategic partnerships, and more in La Rochelle, France, from June 22-24. This year’s edition is designed to build sustainable change in the industry. Register before April 10 for early bird pricing — secure your spot here.
• April 10: Lunenburg Doc Fest's mission is to entertain, educate, and inspire by showcasing the documentary art form and creating a cultural connection between audiences and artists in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. LDF presents a diverse slate of international documentaries across style, subject, geographic origins, and points of view. Submit here.
• May 1: MAKEDOX aims to promote creative documentary film production in North Macedonia and support documentary storytelling in general. MAKEDOX focuses on creating a stimulating environment for the exchange of experience and knowledge of documentary creation. The Festival will be held from August 20-27 in Skopje, North Macedonia. Submit your film here.
• May 7: The Košice International Film Festival is a film festival aimed at film professionals, critics, distributors, arthouse audiences, and film school students. Each year, the festival screens and hosts in person several award-winning Slovak films, including short and feature length documentaries. Cash prizes are available for each of the festival’s accepted genres. Submit here.
• May 11: Points North is seeking submissions for the 22nd edition of the Camden International Film Festival, taking place in Midcoast Maine September 17-20. Submit to any of the four deadlines between now and May 11. VC members can use the code CIFF50VIDCON for 50% off their submission. Learn more here.
• May 31: Three Rivers Film Festival is accepting films of all genres, including documentary and shorts. Accepted films will be eligible for prizes of $1,000 each, and the Festival also includes a nationally recognized script competition, a growing filmmaker conference, and a well known short films program. Submit your film on FilmFreeway here.
• May 31: AFI FEST 2026 is accepting short films (40 minutes and under) including documentary and live action. The festival runs October 21-25 in Los Angeles and is Academy Award-qualifying in the Documentary Short Film category. Apply here.
• June 3: Bolton International Film Festival is the largest short film festival in the North West of England and sits amongst the leading short film festivals in the UK. The festival is a BAFTA & BIFA qualifying short film festival that, among other genres, accepts documentaries, experimental entries, and VR/AR experiences. June 3 is the final deadline, but you can learn more about early bird deadlines and submit your film here.
• June 8: The Chicago International Film Festival is accepting documentary and narrative entries for its 62nd year. Submitted films must have been completed after August 1, 2025. Apply by April 7 to meet the early bird deadline at FilmFreeway here.
• June 15: Running October 24-31, 2026, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival looks for the best in independent filmmaking. Documentary features and shorts are accepted. Apply here.
• June 18: DOC NYC’s 17th edition will run November 11-29, 2026 in New York City and online. The festival welcomes documentary features, shorts, and episodic works, with a strong preference for NYC premieres. Selected filmmakers gain festival passes and access to DOC NYC PRO industry events. Enter your film here.
• June 30: The Virginia Film Festival runs October 21-25, 2026 in Charlottesville, with free submissions for Virginia residents and students at Virginia schools. Submissions of both narrative and documentary films are accepted. Learn more here.
• July 1: DOKLeipzig 2026 is calling for documentary or animated films of any length that were produced between 2025 and 2026 and haven’t been publicly shown before October 1, 2025. Submit 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.