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SFFILM Cedar Road Iyagi Grant

 
Applications for the 2025 SFFILM Cedar Road Iyagi Grant are now open!

Overview

SFFILM Cedar Road’s Iyagi Grant is dedicated to discovering and nurturing stories that capture the depth, nuance, and complexity of Asian and Asian American characters and experiences. In Korean, iyagi means “story”—a word that embodies the heart of this grant’s mission: to champion storytelling as a powerful bridge connecting people across cultures and perspectives.

The Cedar Road Iyagi Grant, supported by the film finance and production company Cedar Road (known for projects such as Dìdi, The Last Year of Darkness, and The Accidental Getaway Driver), is dedicated to fostering bold and original stories that amplify Asian and Asian American perspectives. This grant focuses on developing narratives that go beyond stereotypes—prioritizing compelling themes, unexpected genres, and fresh artistic visions. By supporting these diverse voices, Cedar Road’s Iyagi Grant helps to enrich the cinematic landscape, ensuring that stories from these communities are not only told but also authentically represented.

Awards are made to 1-2 projects one a year in the fall, for all stages of production. In addition to a cash grant between $10,000-$30,000, recipients receive access to the FilmHouse (located in SOMA in San Francisco) and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic development programs.

Timeline

  • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
  • Regular Deadline Fri, May 16, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
  • Final Deadline Fri, May 30, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
  • Finalists Notified in September 2025
  • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

  • Filmmakers must be at least 18 years old.
  • Applicant may not be an SFFILM or Cedar Road employee or member of any SFFILM or Cedar Road boards.
  • Applicants must be actively engaged in one of the following phases: screenwriting, development, pre-production, production or post-production and should apply for the phase of production they expect to be in six months after the final submission deadline.
  • Primary applicants must be in a key creative role for the film: screenwriter, director or producer.
  • Film must capture the depth, nuance, and complexity of Asian and Asian American characters and experiences.
  • Film must be a feature-length fiction film. Short films or documentaries are not accepted. Project may not be work for hire.
  • Project budgets shall be $3,000,000 or under including all phases of production.
  • Projects may reapply and must include what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

HOW TO APPLY

To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).

Please select ‘SFFILM Narrative Grants 2025’ from the dropdown menu and complete the core questions. If eligible, you are welcome to submit to more than one of our Narrative grants by answering supplemental questions for each opportunity you’d like to be considered for.

If you are a member of SFFILM, your application fee is waived. If you are not a member of SFFILM, there is an application fee that must be paid in order for your submission to be considered. To pay the application fee, enter your credit card information at the end of the application after you hit “submit.” Email grants@sffilm.org if you have any technical questions.

Application Elements

  • Logline. In a couple of sentences, please describe the crux of your film. (95 words or less)
  • Filmmaker Bio (400 words or less)
  • Project synopsis (400 words or less)
  • Describe how your film, through plot, character, theme, or setting, explores urgent social issues of our time. (300 words or less)
  • What made you want to tell this story and why is now the right time for you to tell it? (300 words or less)
  • Please describe your artistic vision and stylistic approach. How will your film look and feel? (300 words or less)
  • List the names and roles and briefly describe the qualifications of the other key (up to 5) individuals involved in the project.
  • These individuals could include producers, directors of photography, editors, actors or other key crew. State the date they became attached to the project. (300 words or less)

Work Sample Materials

  • Current script sample: Ten consecutive pages of the script you are applying with. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages.
  • Script sample explanation: This should introduce the script pages from the project for which you are applying and provide context as well as any other pertinent information that would be helpful for the review panel to consider, such as which draft of the film this is and why you selected this passage.
  • Budget Top Sheet (required for all stages of production. Optional but strongly encouraged for screenwriting stage applicants).
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A lookbook or pitch deck for the project.
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A previous work visual sample 5-10 minutes in length.

Finalist Materials

Approximately 10 applicants will be chosen as finalists. The following materials will be required for further consideration before the winners are selected. Finalists will have approximately two weeks to submit these items:

Screenwriting

  • A one-page writer/director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  • A minimum of 25 pages of the script you are applying for. The 25 pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages.
  • A script explanation that gives context in terms of where we are in the script as well as orientates us as to where we are in the story (500 words max)
  • Proof of rights to story (if applicable)
  • Optional: A minimum of ten pages of a previous script. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages. If you don’t have a previous screenplay, you can submit a visual sample, with an online link in an attached document alongside an explanation of the visual sample.

Development

  • A one-page director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • Full Script Explanation: Provide any relevant context for your script submission. Please note that some members of the review committee may be unable to read the full script. Make sure to include page numbers for an excerpt of at least 25 pages you’d like the committee to read if they’re unable to read the script in its entirety.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Optional but encouraged: Previous Work Sample. A ten-minute sample of a previous work of the writer/director (short or feature). We will only accept online links.

Pre-production

  • A one-page director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • Full Script Explanation: Provide any relevant context for your script submission. Please note that some members of the review committee may be unable to read the full script. Make sure to include page numbers for an excerpt of at least 25 pages you’d like the committee to read if they’re unable to read the script in its entirety.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Shooting Schedule Details

Production

  • A one-page director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • Full Script Explanation: Provide any relevant context for your script submission. Please note that some members of the review committee may be unable to read the full script. Make sure to include page numbers for an excerpt of at least 25 pages you’d like the committee to read if they’re unable to read the script in its entirety.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Shooting Schedule Details
  • Optional but encouraged: Previous Work Sample. A ten-minute sample of a previous work of the writer/director (short or feature). We will only accept online links.

Post-production

  • A one-page writer/director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two- to three-page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of the story.Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Work sample one: A ten-minute sample of the work in progress. We also invite you to submit a full copy of the film but we can’t guarantee we will watch more than ten minutes. Should you choose to submit the entire project please include a timestamp of the 10 minutes you would like the committee to watch if they are unable to view the full cut. k.
  • Optional but encouraged work sample two: A ten-minute sample of a previous work of the writer/director (short or feature). We only accept online links.

FAQs

Do I need to live in the Bay Area to be eligible for the SFFILM Cedar Road Iyagi Grant?
The SFFILM Cedar Road Iyagi Grant is open to applicants who live anywhere in the U.S. or internationally. The stories can be set anywhere in the world.

What stages does the SFFILM Cedar Road Iyagi Grant support?
This grant supports films in the screenwriting stage, development, pre-production, production, and post-production.

What is the difference between the regular deadline and the final deadline? Will my project be more competitive if I submit earlier?
The regular deadline fee is $30 and the final deadline fee is $50. We encourage filmmakers to submit as early as possible but it does not make the application more competitive.

How much funding can I request?
Applicants can request up to $30,000.

Is there a budget cap?
Yes, the film’s budget must be below $3 million.

What are acceptable uses of the funds?
For the screenwriting stage, the funds are awarded to the writer or writer/director and can be used for cost of living expenses and childcare while the filmmaker works on the project. Filmmakers have also used the funds for research trips, consultants, and table reads. For the development stage, the funds are awarded to the producer and should be spent on parts of the development process such as casting agents, location scouts, and/or lookbooks. up to 40% of the awarded funds can be used to create a proof-of-concept, mood reel, or a closely related short film if the producer feels that this is the best use of those funds to unlock additional support for the film. For Pre-Production and Production, the funds can be used to support expenses related to preparation and on-set filming. For post-production, you should clarify which elements of post-production you would like to put the grant towards.

Is there a limit to the number of times I can apply?
No, there is no limit. Projects may reapply and state what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

Is there an additional stipend for travel and accommodations to the Bay Area?
No. Filmmakers are welcome to apply the grant toward cost of travel but no additional stipends are provided.

I would like to submit my project to more than one SFFILM narrative grant. Are there additional fees?
You are welcome to submit your application for consideration for more than one narrative grant opportunities. Please be sure to review the eligibility for each grant and answer the supplemental questions each grant requires. There is only one submission fee per application.

For more information about our grants and fellowships, please contact grants@sffilm.org.

SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund

 
The Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund is now open!

Overview

The SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of their mission to champion films that explore scientific or technological themes. SFFILM will award two to four $10,000-$20,000 grants to filmmakers in the early stages of writing screenplays inspired by discoveries from the Stories of Science Sourcebook.

The Stories of Science Sourcebook is composed of significant scientific and technological Discoveries made in recent years as a source of inspiration to filmmakers interested in telling fictionalized stories that explore the discovery’s underlying themes or characters, and dramatize the impact of these breakthroughs on members of the broader public.

Filmmakers may take creative latitude when proposing adaptations of these stories, however, their proposals must be grounded in both the material and a commitment to portraying the science or technology at the center of the stories in a manner that is realistic and grounded in scientific research.

Recipients of the Stories of Science Development Fund who draw their inspiration from the articles and discoveries collected in the Stories of Science Sourcebook will receive a $10,000-$20,000 cash grant and secure access to SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development programsduring which they will receive guidance and mentorship from scientists and film industry professionals to help them shape their storytelling vision.

Browse the Stories of Science Sourcebook Discoveries here.

Timeline

  • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
  • Regular Deadline Fri, May 16, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
  • Final Deadline Fri, May 30, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
  • Finalists Notified in September 2025
  • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

Applicant Criteria

  • Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
  • Applicant may not be an SFFILM or Sloan employee or a member of any SFFILM or Sloan boards.
  • Applicant must be the writer of the film.
  • Project must be inspired by a discovery in the Science in Cinema Sourcebook.
  • Project must be a feature length narrative/fiction film.
  • Project must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.
  • There must be realistic scientific or technological content at the center of the screenplay.
  • Project must be inspired by a discovery in the Science in Cinema Sourcebook.
  • Project must be a feature-length fiction film or episodic series. Documentaries or short films are not accepted.
  • Project must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.
  • There must be realistic scientific or technological content at the center of the screenplay.
  • Writers must have the intention of working with scientific advisors to ensure the accuracy of their stories.
  • Science-fiction and speculative stories are, in almost every case, ineligible. In some rare cases, a futuristic story might be eligible if it involves science or technology that is truly on the cusp of being introduced to society.

Grantee Responsibilities

Financial Stipulations

  • Funds must be used towards developing the screenplay and/or living expenses.
  • Filmmaker will sign an agreement with SFFILM.
  • Filmmaker understands there will be a press release announcing chosen fellows. Unless otherwise specified during the approval process, the submitted bio and logline will be used in the press release.
  • Filmmaker agrees to submit a progress report detailing how the funds were spent alongside a new writing sample.
  • Supported filmmakers shall provide acknowledgment to SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation are to be listed with other comparable funders with language that mirrors or is similar to: “Made with support from SFFILM and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.”

How to Apply

To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).

Please select ‘SFFILM Narrative Grants 2025’ from the dropdown menu and complete the core questions. If eligible, you are welcome to submit to more than one of our Narrative grants by answering supplemental questions for each opportunity you’d like to be considered for.

If you are a member of SFFILM, your application fee is waived. If you are not a member of SFFILM, there is an application fee that must be paid in order for your submission to be considered. To pay the application fee, enter your credit card information at the end of the application before submitting. Email support@sffilm.org if you have any technical questions.

Application Elements (subject to change):

  • Bio (400 words or less)
  • Logline. In a couple of sentences, please describe the crux of your film (95 words or less)
  • Project synopsis (400 words or less)
  • Brief description of the scientific or technological ideas you are exploring through this story (300 words or less)
  • In what ways could this story expand the public understanding of science or technology? (300 words or less)
  • What scientific or artistic guidance and research would you seek out to write this screenplay? (300 words or less)

Work Sample Materials (subject to change)

  • A one-page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle and end of the story, as well as your central characters.
  • A one-page writer’s statement. Please describe your vision for this project. What drew you to this material or story? What themes are most compelling to you? How do you imagine the characters, tone and visual style manifesting in the script?
  • A previous work sample, with explanation. Either a ten-page writing sample or a five-minute visual sample. For visual materials, the primary applicant must have been the screenwriter.

For more information about our grants and fellowships, please contact grants@sffilm.org.

 

Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship

 
Submissions for the 2025 Sloan Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship are now open!

Overview

The Science in Cinema Filmmaker Fellowship is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of their mission to champion films and projects that explore scientific or technological themes or characters.

Awards are made to two projects once a year, at the screenwriting phase of development. To strengthen the film’s portrayal of science or technology, each fellow will be connected to a science advisor with expertise in the subjects at the center of their screenplays, as well as leaders in the Bay Area’s science and technology communities. In addition to a cash grant of $35,000, recipients secure a residency at FilmHouse and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development programs.

Timeline

    • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
    • Regular Deadline Fri, May 16, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
    • Final Deadline Fri, May 30, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
    • Finalists Notified in September 2025
    • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

  • Applicant must be at least 18 years old
  • Applicant may not be an SFFILM or Sloan employee or member of any SFFILM or Sloan boards.
  • Primary applicant must be in a key creative role for the film: screenwriter, director, or producer.
  • Film must be feature-length fiction film or episodic series. Documentaries or short films are not accepted. Project cannot be a work for hire.
  • Project must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.
  • There must be realistic scientific or technological content at the center of the screenplay.
  • Writers must have the intention of working with scientific advisors to ensure the accuracy of their stories.
  • Science-fiction and speculative stories are, in almost every case, ineligible. In some rare cases, a futuristic story might be eligible if it involves science or technology that is truly on the cusp of being introduced to society.
  • Projects may reapply and must include what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

How to Apply

To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).

Please select ‘SFFILM Narrative Grants 2025’ from the dropdown menu and complete the core questions. If eligible, you are welcome to submit to more than one of our Narrative grants by answering supplemental questions for each opportunity you’d like to be considered for.

If you are a member of SFFILM, your application fee is waived. If you are not a member of SFFILM, there is an application fee that must be paid in order for your submission to be considered. To pay the application fee, enter your credit card information at the end of the application after you hit “submit.” Email grants@sffilm.org if you have any technical questions.

Application Elements (subject to change):

  • Applicant Bio (400 words or less)
  • Logline. In a couple of sentences, please describe the crux of your film. (95 words or less)
  • Project synopsis (500 words or less)
  • To date, what support have you received for this project?
  • Provide a brief description of the scientific or technological ideas you are exploring through this story.
  • What scientific research, if any, have you conducted to date?
  • Each Fellowship includes the engagement of one science advisor. What would you want to gain from that advisor during this fellowship? Please be as specific as possible.
  • What made you want to tell this story and why is now the right time for you to tell it?
  • Describe your artistic vision and stylistic approach. How will your film look and feel and why do you want this particular style?
  • List the names, roles, and brief qualifications of the other key individuals involved in the project (up to 5 people). Indicate the date they became attached to the project. (optional)

Work Sample Materials

  • Current script sample: Ten consecutive pages of the script you are applying with. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages.
  • Script sample explanation: This should introduce the script pages from the project for which you are applying and provide context as well as any other pertinent information that would be helpful for the review panel to consider, such as which draft of the film this is and why you selected this passage.
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A lookbook or pitch deck for the project
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A previous work visual sample 5-10 minutes in length.

Finalist Materials

If selected as a finalist, the following materials will be required for further consideration before the winners are selected. Finalists will have approximately two weeks to submit these items:

  • A one-page writer or writer/director statement. This should provide insight into who you are, why you are the person to tell this story, and your process.
  • A 1-3 page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • Full Script Explanation: Provide any relevant context for your script submission. Please note that some members of the review committee may be unable to read the full script. Make sure to include page numbers for an excerpt of at least 25 pages you’d like the committee to read if they’re unable to read the script in its entirety.
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: Previous Visual Work Sample & Explanation
  • Optional: Any updates that you’d like to share since you submitted your application

Click here to download a PDF containing additional details about grantee requirements.

FAQs

Do I need to live in the Bay Area to be eligible for the SFFILM Sloan Fellowship?
No. SFFILM Sloan is open to filmmakers based anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.

What is the difference between the regular deadline and the final deadline? Will my project be more competitive if I submit earlier?
The regular deadline fee is $30 and the final deadline fee is $50. We encourage filmmakers to submit as early as possible but it does not make the application more competitive.

What is the difference between the Sloan Fellowship and the Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund?

  • The Sloan Fellowship supports narrative features and series centered around scientific and technological themes in the screenwriting stage. Two fellows are selected annually and awarded cash grants of $35,000, a FilmHouse residency, and a science advisor to support the scientific accuracy of the project.
  • The Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund awards a $10,000-$20,000 cash grant to 2-4 filmmakers in the earliest stages of writing screenplays inspired by articles and discoveries from the Stories of Science Sourcebook. The Development Fund runs every other year and will resume in 2025.

Are science fiction projects allowed to apply to the Sloan Fellowship or the Sloan Development Fund?
Science fiction projects are defined as projects that incorporate fictional elements that expand beyond today’s scientific capabilities and are not eligible for SFFILM’s Sloan opportunities.

How much science does my film have to include to be eligible?
Eligible films for Sloan opportunities must portray scientific or technological themes at their center that directly drive the story arc and/or character development forward. Films with peripheral scientific characters or ideas will not be competitive.

What is the Stories of Science Sourcebook?
The Stories of Science Sourcebook compiles compelling reported articles and momentous recent discoveries in the scientific and technological fields for filmmakers applying to the SFFILM Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund only.

When will the Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund Reopen?
The Sloan Stories of Science Development Fund operates every two years and will reopen again in the Spring of 2025.

Are there other Sloan opportunities for filmmaking?
Yes! The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation offers many film grants through various organizations and universities across the country. You can find a complete offering through their Grants Database.

I would like to submit my project to more than one SFFILM narrative grant. Are there additional fees?
You are welcome to submit your application for consideration for multiple narrative grant opportunities. Please be sure to review the eligibility for each grant and answer the supplemental questions each grant requires. There is only one submission fee per application.
 

For more information about our grants and fellowships, visit our FAQ page.

SFFILM Documentary Film Fund

 
Applications for the 2025 SFFILM Documentary Film Fund are now open!

Overview

The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund (DFF) supports engaging documentaries in post-production which exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters, and an original, innovative visual approach. Since its launch in 2011, the SFFILM Documentary Film Fund has distributed more than $900,000 to advance new work by filmmakers nationwide.

DFF grants are awarded once each year to documentary feature projects and are open to filmmakers internationally. The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with grants of $10,000 – $15,000. As with all SFFILM grants, in addition to the cash awards, recipients will gain access to numerous benefits through the comprehensive and dynamic SFFILM Makers artist development program.

The SFFILM Documentary Film Fund has an excellent track record for advancing compelling films that go on to critical acclaim. Previous DFF winners include Sarvnik Kaur’s Against the Tide, winner of the Sundance 2023 Vérité Filmmaking Prize; Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborne’s Going Varsity in Mariachi, winner of the Sundance 2023 Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award; Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh’s multiple Sundance winner Writing With Fire and Jessica Kingdon’s Ascension both nominated for the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; Ljubo Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska’s Honeyland, which won a record number of juried awards at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for Academy Awards for both Best Documentary Feature and Best Foreign Language Film.

Timeline

  • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
  • Regular Deadline Mon, June 23, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
  • Final Deadline Mon, July 7, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
  • Finalists Notified in September 2025
  • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

  • Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
  • Applicant must be in a key creative role for the film: ideally, the producer or director.
  • SFFILM members will have all fees waived.
  • Filmmaker may not be SFFILM employee or board member.
  • Filmmaker may not be a full-time student.
  • Project cannot be a work for hire.
  • Project must be a feature length documentary (60 minutes or more).
  • Project must be within 3 months of beginning post-production from the final deadline.
  • Projects can be produced or based anywhere in the world.
  • Projects must be consistent with SFFILM’s mission and represent an imaginative contribution to the moving image art form.
  • Project reflects innovation in storytelling and visual style.
  • Projects that primarily use interviews as a storytelling device will not be considered.

HOW TO APPLY

  • To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).
  • Filmmaker clearly articulates the intended goals for the grant.
  • Filmmaker explains how the project takes a visually innovative approach.
  • Filmmaker demonstrates how the grant will impact short- and long-term professional and artistic goals.
  • It is recommended that the 10-minute sample be 1-2 scenes from the film and not a trailer.
  • Only one application per project will be accepted.
  • Please note that while we encourage filmmakers to apply for to the SFFILM Festival and other SFFILM Makers grant, fellowship, and residency programs, winning a Documentary Film Fund grant does not guarantee acceptance into any of the above programs.
  • Films that have previously submitted to this fund may reapply if significant progress has been made since the last submission.
  • Filmmakers will be notified of their application status via email by the end of November. Funds for grantees will be available shortly thereafter.
  • Email grants@sffilm.org if you have any questions.

Finalist Materials

10-25 applicants will be chosen as finalists. The following materials will be required for further consideration before the winners are selected. Finalists will have two – three weeks to submit these items:

  • A work sample that is up to 10 minutes long. You may share either an excerpt (or excerpts) OR a full cut of your film with specific time codes for the 10 minutes you feel most strongly represent your artistic vision, characters, and story. The external review committee will only see this work sample and not the original one you submitted. We highly recommend that your work sample be a scene or scenes versus a trailer or teaser. The review committee will not be able to watch more than 10 minutes.
  • An updated, detailed budget (should include line items, not just top sheet)
  • Any updates to the film or stage that you would like to share with the review committee (1-2 paragraphs max, please)

 

FAQs

Do I need to live in the Bay Area to be eligible for the SFFILM Doc Film Fund grant?
No. The SFFILM Doc Film Fund is open to filmmakers based anywhere in the U.S. or internationally.

What stage does this fund support?
The SFFILM Doc Film Fund supports feature-length documentaries in post-production. While we know the documentary production process is often nonlinear with various stages happening at the same time, a project must be within about 3 months of beginning post-production from the final deadline (ie: production should be done by October 2025).

What should my visual sample include?
We recommend sending 1-2 scenes so that the review committee can get a sense of the story and characters and if it can sustain a feature length film, your access to the central subjects, and the artistic voice and direction of the film. We recommend sending the scene(s) you feel most strongly portray these elements in lieu of a trailer. We understand the scenes will be in progress and do not expect them to be picture locked, color corrected, or finalized in any way.

If you send materials over 10 minutes, we cannot guarantee that the review committee will be able to watch more than the first five minutes of the materials you send. If you do not want the first five minutes to be watched, please include the timecode of the five minutes you would like the committee to watch.

What types of films does this fund support?
The SFFILM Doc Film Fund supports a range of films from around the world. Films do not have to have a strong social issue and most often do not have that at the center of the film. The fund supports documentaries that exhibit compelling stories, intriguing characters and an innovative visual approach. Recent examples of this include Going Varsity in Mariachi, Against the Tide, Ascension, Honeyland, and Hale County This Morning.

How many projects are granted each year?
The Documentary Film Fund grants its support to approximately 3-4 projects each year with grants of $10,000 – $20,000.

When are applicants notified?
All applicants will be notified of their status through the SFFILM grant platform by late-November.

For more information about our grants and fellowships, please contact grants@sffilm.org.

SFFILM Rainin Grant

 
Submissions for the 2025 SFFILM Rainin Grant are now open!

Overview

The SFFILM Rainin Grant program is the largest granting body for independent narrative feature films in the US. Grants support films that address social justice issues—the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges—in a positive and meaningful way through plot, character, theme, or setting and benefit the Bay Area filmmaking community in a professional and economic capacity.

Awards are made to 15-20 projects once a year in the fall, for screenwriting, development, or post-production. In addition to a cash grant of up to $25,000, recipients receive access to the FilmHouse (located in SOMA in San Francisco) and benefit from SFFILM’s comprehensive and dynamic artist development programs.

Since 2009, the SFFILM Rainin Filmmaking Grants program has funded more than 100 film projects, including Sean Wang’s Dìdi (弟弟), Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama, Fernando Frias’s I’m No Longer Here, Channing Godfrey Peoples’ Miss Juneteenth, Joe Talbot’s The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You, Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Monsters and Men, Jeremiah Zagar’s We the Animals, Chloé Zhao’s Songs My Brothers Taught Me, Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station, and Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild. Supported films have premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, South by Southwest, the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival and many more. Learn more about the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.

Current SFFILM Rainin Grants are as follows:

  • Screenwriting Grant: These grants are open to filmmakers anywhere in the US, as well as internationally, and are up to $25,000. The funds allow filmmakers to devote dedicated time to furthering their work, and the grant includes a FilmHouse residency in the Bay Area to further develop the screenplay, and have access to both peer and established mentorship engagement.
  • Development Grant: These grants are up to $25,000 for producers of narrative features tackling social justice issues who demonstrate a need to engage with the Bay Area to develop and package their films. The grant includes a FilmHouse residency with peer and established mentorship engagement. Successful projects will be at a stage to pursue financing, casting, location scouting, and/or other key activities to package the film before production. Major screenwriting work should be complete by this stage.
  • Post-production Grant: These grants are up to $25,000 for filmmaking teams of a narrative feature. Projects should have significant creative work remaining in the editorial process or have a specific need related to sound or color in post-production. There is no Bay Area residency commitment required for this stage.

Timeline

  • Grant opens Tue, March 4, 2025
  • Regular Deadline Fri, May 16, 2025 (Application Fee $30)
  • Final Deadline Fri, May 30, 2025 (Application Fee $50)
  • Finalists Notified in September 2025
  • Recipients Announced in October 2025

Who Can Apply

  • Filmmakers must be at least 18 years old.
  • Filmmakers may not be an SFFILM or Kenneth Rainin Foundation employee or member of any SFFILM or Kenneth Rainin Foundation Boards.
  • Applicants must be actively engaged in one of the following phases: screenwriting, development, or post-production and should apply for the phase of production they expect to be in six months after the final submission deadline.
  • Primary applicants must be in a key creative role for the film: screenwriter, director, or producer.
  • Film must feature plot, character, theme and/or setting that explores social justice issues, such as human and civil rights, anti discrimination, disability issues, gender issues, sexual identity and/or other social issues of our time. Project must have strong and recognizable social value, contributing, for example, to a greater public appreciation of a disenfranchised group, identifying an area where social change is needed or bringing to light a difficult or inspirational story, condition or issue.
  • Film must be a feature-length fiction film. Short films or documentaries are not accepted.
  • Project may not be work for hire.
  • Project budgets shall be $3,000,000 or under including all phases of production.
  • Projects may reapply and must include what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

How to Apply

To begin the application process, navigate to the “Apply Now” page to review the required items for submission. If you have not yet created an account for the SFFILM Grant Platform, please do so (please note: this is separate from your SFFILM member account).

Please select ‘SFFILM Narrative Grants 2025’ from the dropdown menu and complete the core questions. If eligible, you are welcome to submit to more than one of our Narrative grants by answering supplemental questions for each opportunity you’d like to be considered for.

If you are a member of SFFILM, your application fee is waived. If you are not a member of SFFILM, there is an application fee that must be paid in order for your submission to be considered. To pay the application fee, enter your credit card information at the end of the application after you hit “submit.” Email grants@sffilm.org if you have any technical questions.

Application elements (subject to change):

  • Logline. Please provide a brief summary of the film. (95 words or less)
  • Filmmaker Bio (400 words or less)
  • Project synopsis. (400 words or less)
  • Describe how your film, through plot, character, theme, or setting, explores urgent social issues of our time. (300 words or less)
  • What made you want to tell this story and why is now the right time for you to tell it? (300 words or less)
  • How does the film contribute to or uplift the Bay Area filmmaking community professionally or economically? For Screenwriting or Development Phase (300 words or less)
  • Please describe your artistic vision and stylistic approach. How will your film look and feel? (300 words or less)
  • List the names and roles and briefly describe the qualifications of the other key (up to 5) individuals involved in the project. These individuals could include producers, directors of photography, editors, actors or other key cast and crew. State the date they became attached to the project. (300 words or less)

Work Sample Materials:

  • Current script sample: Ten consecutive pages of the script you are applying with. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages. Please include a page introducing the script pages that provides any necessary context.
  • Script sample explanation: This should introduce the script pages from the project for which you are applying and provide context as well as any other pertinent information that would be helpful for the review panel to consider, such as which draft of the film this is and why you selected this passage.
  • Budget Top Sheet (required for development and post-production applicants. Optional but strongly encouraged for screenwriting stage applicants)
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A lookbook or pitch deck for the project.
  • Optional but strongly encouraged: A previous work visual sample 5-10 minutes in length.

Finalist Materials

Approximately 25 applicants will be chosen as finalists. The following materials will be required for further consideration before the winners are selected. Finalists will have approximately two weeks to submit these items:

Screenwriting

  • A one-page writer/director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  • A minimum of 25 pages of the script you are applying for. The 25 pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best 25 pages.
  • A script explanation that gives context in terms of where we are in the script as well as orientates us as to where we are in the story (500 words max)
  • Proof of rights to story (if applicable)
  • Optional: A minimum of ten pages of a previous script. The ten pages do not need to be the first ten pages. Please select what you believe to be the best ten pages. If you don’t have a previous screenplay, you can submit a visual sample, with an online link in an attached document alongside an explanation of the visual sample.

Development/Packaging

  • A one-page director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two to three page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • Full Script Explanation: Provide any relevant context for your script submission. Please note that some members of the review committee may be unable to read the full script. Make sure to include page numbers for an excerpt of at least 25 pages you’d like the committee to read if they’re unable to read the script in its entirety.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Optional but encouraged: Previous Work Sample. A ten-minute sample of a previous work of the writer/director (short or feature). We will only accept online links.

Post-production

  • A one-page writer/director’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A one-page producer’s statement. This should provide insight into who you are and your process.
  • A two- to three-page treatment. This should give us a clear sense of the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
  • Full Script: Please submit the latest draft of the script you are applying for.
  • A full budget that includes actual funds raised to date, in-kind donations with associated market value and any outstanding or pending funds.
  • Work sample one: A ten-minute sample of the work in progress. We also invite you to submit a full copy of the film but we can’t guarantee we will watch more than ten minutes. Should you choose to submit the entire project please include a timestamp of the 10 minutes you would like the committee to watch if they are unable to view the full cut.
  • Optional but encouraged work sample two:
  • A ten-minute sample of a previous work of the writer/director (short or feature). We only accept online links.

Click here to download a PDF containing additional details about grantee requirements.

FAQs

Do I need to live in the Bay Area to be eligible for the Rainin Grant?
The SFFILM Rainin grant is open to applicants who live anywhere in the U.S. or internationally. The stories can be set anywhere in the world.

What stages does the Rainin grant support?
Rainin supports films in the screenwriting stage, development/packaging, and post-production.

What is the difference between the regular deadline and the final deadline? Will my project be more competitive if I submit earlier?
The regular deadline fee is $30 and the final deadline fee is $50. We encourage filmmakers to submit as early as possible but it does not make the application more competitive.

How much funding can I request?
Applicants can request up to $25,000.

Is there a budget cap?
Yes, the film’s budget must be below $3 million.

What are acceptable uses of the funds?
For the screenwriting stage, the funds are awarded to the writer or writer/director and can be used for cost of living expenses and childcare while the filmmaker works on the project. Filmmakers have also used the funds for research trips, consultants, and table reads. For the development stage, the funds are awarded to the producer and should be spent on parts of the development process such as casting agents, location scouts, and/or lookbooks. up to 40% of the awarded funds can be used to create a proof-of-concept, mood reel, or a closely related short film if the producer feels that this is the best use of those funds to unlock additional support for the film. For post-production, you should clarify which elements of post-production you would like to put the grant towards.

Is there a limit to the number of times I can apply?
No, there is no limit. Projects may reapply and state what significant progress has been made since the last submission.

The application asks how my project uplifts the Bay Area filmmaking community. I do not live there and my film is not set there. What are the expectations?
Projects and filmmakers do not have to be rooted in the Bay Area in order to apply. However, we ask applicants to consider how they can best both learn from and give back to the Bay Area filmmaking community to reach their goals. This can be done by shooting in the Bay Area, participating and hosting talks and events at Filmhouse during the residency, or connecting with local communities or resources within the Bay Area, among other contributions.

What is the residency? Is it mandatory?
All filmmakers applying for the screenwriting and development/packaging stage must complete a residency period of four weeks. The 4 weeks do not need to be contiguous. The residency does not include living arrangements, but is an open workspace at SFFILM’s FilmHouse office. The residency includes peer-to-peer engagement with SFFILM’s year-round residents and feedback sessions, one-on-one meetings with expert advisors working in various sectors of the film industry, space to work from including a quiet screenwriting room and editing suite, year-round programming including talks, workshops, table reads, and work-in-progress screenings, and support from SFFILM’s Artist Development team. We strongly encourage filmmakers to fulfill the residency requirement during the annual San Francisco International Film Festival in April in order to take advantage of the industry and programming. Is there an additional stipend for travel and accommodations to the Bay Area?

Is there an additional stipend for travel and accommodations to the Bay Area?
No. Filmmakers are welcome to apply the grant toward cost of travel but no additional stipends are provided.

I don’t live in the Bay Area and am not shooting there. Can I still apply for the development/packaging grant?
Yes, all stages of production are welcome to apply even if you do not reside in the Bay Area.

I would like to submit my project to more than one SFFILM narrative grant. Are there additional fees?
You are welcome to submit your application for consideration for multiple narrative grant opportunities. Please be sure to review the eligibility for each grant and answer the supplemental questions each grant requires. There is only one submission fee per application.
 
For more information about our grants and fellowships, please contact grants@sffilm.org.