Southern Documentary FundFilmmaking Grants
Each year, SDF is proud to award grants to filmmakers telling stories they are connected to, that fully represent the complexity and nuance of the American South.
Documentary makers working in or about the American South · The call for production grant proposals is now closed. Please follow us or come back to the page to learn more about next year's grant cycle.
From southerndocumentaryfund.org/programs/filmmaking-grants-2 ↗About this program
The Southern Documentary Fund’s Production Grant provides direct financial support to documentary makers working in or about the American South. Each award offers funding for projects currently in production, helping filmmakers move their work forward while receiving additional guidance through SDF’s Mentorship Program. Designed to uplift Southern voices and lower barriers to storytelling, the grant supports a wide range of creators whose films reflect the people, places, and issues shaping the region.
Nonfiction documentaries (shorts, features, docuseries, and experimental) are funded. Projects must be in production. Proposals for research, development, post-production, distribution or engagement/impact funding are not eligible to apply for this grant.
We seek to bring visibility to Southern makers and communities who are oftentimes overlooked. We will award up to seven makers with grants of $15,000 each to assist them in production.
Questions
Do applicants have to reside in the South to qualify for the grant?
We are looking for Southern Makers who reside or have deep roots in one of the following twelve Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. If you have any questions about your projects eligibility, please contact sdfgrants@southerndocumentaryfund.org .
If I’m enrolled in school, can I apply?
Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project. If your project has special circumstances regarding eligibility, please feel free to reach out to our Program Manager: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org
Can two people working on the same project apply separately?
No, you can not apply separately, we will accept one application per project, per grant cycle.
Do you have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply?
You do not have to be a non-profit or have an LLC to apply.
Can the funds be used to pay myself for the work I’ll be doing?
Yes, please be sure to include this in your proposed budget.
Details
- Who
- Documentary makers working in or about the American South
- When
- The call for production grant proposals is now closed. Please follow us or come back to the page to learn more about next year's grant cycle.
- Ages
- 18 and older
Run by
Fiscal Sponsorship$45 application fee; 6% administrative cost share on contributed monies plus payment processing fees for online donations; $65 annual Membership fee per projectSDF is currently sponsoring over 100 inspiring and important documentaries, collaborating closely on getting these projects funded, made, and seen.Maker After DarkThe Maker After Dark Series invites documentary makers into an intimate, late-night conversation with industry leaders, creating space to share real experiences, practical advice, and honest insights about the craft and career of filmmaking.
MentorshipThe SDF Mentorship Program is designed to pair filmmakers and industry experts with emerging and new filmmakers.