2024 COURAGE to WRITE GRANTS
The de Groot Foundation
APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
INFO: The de Groot Foundation will award thirty COURAGE to WRITE unrestricted grants to writers in 2024.
Ten COURAGE to WRITE grants of $7000 each and twenty Writer of Note grants of $1500 each. These grants are meant to encourage and support writers as they further or complete a specific project. The Writer of Note grantees are chosen from the pool of finalists for the COURAGE to WRITE grants.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for COURAGE to WRITE grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committee.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
Your biosketch
a. A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
b. Limited to no more than 100 words
c. Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
a. An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
b. How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
c. How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
d. Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
e. Please address the letter to: Dear COURAGE to WRITE Reviewers
f. Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
a. Please submit an unpublished writing sample, which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
b. Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
c. The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
d. Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: You may submit up to 12 pages of a sample using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
Format:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Application Timeline:
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by the end of April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by the end of May 2024.
Review and Selection:
You’ll be sent a message when your application has been received.
Stage 1 Review: All eligible applications are read by teams of reviewers. Depending on the discretion of the reviewers, between 40 to 60 finalist applications are chosen.
Stage 2 Review: Finalist applications are evaluated by the final Selection Committee. This committee chooses the ten COURAGE to WRITE grantees. From the remaining applications, this committee will then pick the 20 Writer of Note grantees.
The Selection Committees are writers and writing professionals who appreciate the challenges of emerging writers. Selection Committee decisions are final. Correspondence will only be entered into with finalists and grantees.
Grantees will be asked to complete a Grant Acceptance Agreement and, if appropriate, a U.S. W-9 tax form. One year after receipt of funding, grantees agree to complete and return a one-to-three-page final report so that we can learn about your project and the grant’s impact on your work.
degrootfoundation.org/courage-to-write-grants/
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2024 LANDO Grant
The de Groot Foundation
APPLICATION PERIOD: January 7 - February 5, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $22.00
The de Groot Foundation is thrilled to collaborate with Barry Lando, award winning investigative journalist and former 60 Minutes producer, to provide the LANDO grants for immigration, migration, and/or refugee writing.
GUIDELINES: Applicants for LANDO grants may be writing in any genre. We welcome projects of fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, YA, children’s books, plays, and screenplays.
WHO SHOULD APPLY: Writers over 18 years of age who are actively engaged in a writing project and for whom a monetary boost could help them further or complete a project.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications:
are open to individual writers over 18 years of age regardless of race, ethnicity, gender orientation, education, economic situation, geographic origin or location.
must be submitted in English.
are not open to family, members of the board or employees of the The de Groot Foundation, Lando family members, reviewers, or the selection committees.
Applicants must be individuals. Companies or organizations are not eligible.
If you’ve already received a writing grant from The de Groot Foundation, please wait a year before applying again.
HOW TO APPLY:
We want all applications to be considered. Please read this section carefully before preparing or submitting your application. We receive grant applications through the Submittable platform. If you have an account already, click the button at the bottom of this page and login to apply. If you do not have an account, you will need to create a free account in order to apply. You can create an account here: https://manager.submittable.com/signup
Application
There are three parts to your application: 1) a biosketch, 2) the letter of application, 3) your writing sample
1. Your biosketch
A brief statement about you, what matters in your work, what you’ve written, what you want to write, and something about you as a person
Limited to no more than 100 words
Your biosketch will be inserted into a form on the application so have this ready to cut and paste.
2. The letter of application (2-4 pages) which must include:
An introduction to the writing project for which you are seeking support (1-3 paragraphs)
How this project is important (1-2 paragraphs)
How a grant at this time would be helpful to you and how you would use the funds (2-3 paragraphs)
Anything else you would like us to know about you as a writer (1 paragraph)
Please address the letter to: Dear LANDO Reviewers
Please double space your letter of application and use Times New Roman 12-point font.
The paragraph suggestions above are recommendations. Should you wish to add a paragraph in a section and have one fewer in another that is fine as long as the needed information is well conveyed.
3. Writing sample
Please submit a writing sample which relates to the project for which you are requesting funds. Do not submit a previously published writing sample.
Your unpublished writing sample should be five pages.
The writing sample, like the letter of application, should be double spaced and in Times New Roman 12-point font.
Exceptions:
i. Poetry: Use your original poetry formatting. You do not need to double space the poems. There can be more than one poem on a page.
ii. Screenplay or a play: Please submit a one to two page synopsis of the screenplay or play and up to 12 pages of a sample script using the standard formatting for plays or screenplays.
iii. Graphic novel: You may include up to 10 pages of prose and graphics for the writing sample. Please submit by PDF.
IMPORTANT: The letter of application and the five pages of your current writing project must be uploaded as a SINGLE DOCUMENT. Please make sure you have merged them as a SINGLE DOCUMENT before you submit.
Submit your application through the Submittable platform, which you will be directed to below. Make sure your document is ready and exactly as you want it to be before uploading. Once you have submitted an application, you are unable to change it.
FORMAT:
Use Times New Roman 12-point font and double space your application document.
Numbering pages is optional.
Grant recipients will receive an automatic notification from Submittable once your application is received.
Finalists will be notified by early April 2024.
Grant awardees will be notified by early May 2024.
degrootfoundation.org/2024-lando-grant-guidelines/
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WIF WRITER FELLOWSHIP
Women in Film
DEADLINE: January 8, 2024
INFO: Created in honor of our 50th year, the WIF Fellowships reflect our commitment to advancing the careers of women, nonbinary, and trans people across all areas of the industry.
This year-long program assigns each Fellow an intimate cohort of those on the same career path. Each cohort is teamed up with Mentors who will help guide them through group mentoring sessions, and with Guest Speakers who will present workshops and panels aimed to demystify the more nuanced areas of the industry. Connections are made to cohorts of other disciplines through intentional networking opportunities throughout the year.
With an eye on career advancement, each Fellow will also receive individualized career strategy sessions throughout their year in the program to identify immediate steps that can be taken to help the Fellow achieve their goals or brainstorm the best professional paths forward.
All those accepted to the Episodic Lab will become WIF Fellows with additional Writer Fellows accepted through both the Episodic Lab and Fellowship applicant pools (applicants only need to apply through one of the applications — please see the FAQs below for more information). Though our Financing Intensive is currently on hiatus, we will include many aspects of that program within our Producer Fellowship.
It is our belief that a true culture shift includes support and community for every entertainment industry role. To that end, if you don’t see your role represented in the list of application options, we still encourage you to apply.
FELLOWSHIP SPECIFICS: Each Fellow will meet within their cohort for a year of master classes, networking, and community building. Fellows will also receive 1:1 career strategy sessions and mentoring from a professional with extensive experience in their field, either in groups or individually (depending on Mentor availability). Fellows are expected to have at least six sessions with their mentor(s) within a 12-month period. Dates and locations will be determined solely by mentors, and may continue to be virtual for the time being.
REQUIREMENTS:
You must be local to Los Angeles in order to participate.
You must have a clear career focus that you can articulate in your application.
We anticipate the WIF Fellowship as having both virtual and in-person elements, some of which may be mandatory. In order to attend in-person events, fellows must be able to provide proof of current vaccination, subject to CDC guidelines relating to boosters, and willing to test for COVID-19 prior to events.
FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Episodic Lab – all selected participants will also be Writer Fellows
Writer Fellowship – we will provide fellowship opportunities to a small group of applicants that are not accepted into the Episodic Lab and/or apply directly to the Fellowship. Please see the FAQs below for more information.
womeninfilm.org/updates/fellowship-specifics/
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2024 Sundance Native Lab
Indigenous Screen Office / Sundance Institute
DEADLINE: January 8, 2024
INFO: The Indigenous Screen Office and the Sundance Institute are excited to once again invite Indigenous storytellers to apply to be part of the 2024 Sundance Institute’s Native Lab.
The Native Lab provides direct support to emerging filmmakers and episodic creators from the U.S.-based Native American, Native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native, and Canada-based Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) communities.
WHO CAN APPLY
Filmmakers and episodic creators
DESCRIPTION
The lab focuses on the specific development of storytellers from Native and Indigenous backgrounds, encompassing feature film and episodic work.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
This opportunity is available to one (1) Indigenous storyteller based in Canada.
This is a year-long fellowship starting with a two-week lab, during which Fellows will hone their storytelling and technical skills in a hands-on and supportive environment, including one-on-one feedback sessions with advisors and roundtables. After this there will be check-ins via Zoom once a month.
The two week lab will take place in early May (date TBC). The first week will be virtual and the second week will take place in person in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Travel, accommodation and food costs will be paid for.
The fellow will also receive a $10,000 USD grant as part of the lab.
SUBMISSION PROCESS + NOTIFICATION: An initial review for eligibility and missing documentation will be conducted by the ISO Program Manager. Final decisions will be made by the Indigenous Program staff at the Sundance Institute.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: You are required to submit a narrative feature or episodic pilot script.
PROGRAM CLOSURE: If applicants wish to access their application, they must contact funding@iso-bea.ca within 10 business days of the program’s closure. The ISO will provide a downloaded copy if requested. Otherwise, all in-progress applications will be deleted 10 business days after the program has been officially closed.
ACCESSIBILITY FUNDING:
The ISO provides up to $500.00 CAD in additional funding to cover accessibility costs incurred during the stages of applying for funding, completing a project, and writing your final report. Requests for support are encouraged at least two weeks prior to the application due date.
If you have barriers to access including but not limited to language, internet or physical barriers, please contact the ISO to discuss accommodations and support at funding@iso-bea.ca.
Support may include telephone or video application submission, language interpretation, or support worker assistance. Equipment purchases are not eligible for accessibility support.
GENERAL CRITERIA: All applicants to ISO programs must confirm they have read the General Funding Guidelines prior to submitting an application.
ELIGIBILITY REVIEW: An initial review for eligibility and missing documentation will be conducted by the ISO Program Manager. The ISO program manager will reach out if any of this information is needed and applicants will be given a short period (maximum 10 days) to submit anything outstanding.
Ineligible or incomplete applications can be withdrawn at any time in the process. Applicants will be notified by the ISO when the application is withdrawn.
MISREPRESENTATION:
If at any time, an Applicant, as required by the Criteria or as requested by the ISO, provides false information or omits or misrepresents material information in connection with an application, including with respect to Indigenous identity, such provision of false information, omission or misrepresentation will be considered an event of default and the ISO may exercise the following contractual rights:
termination of any contracts, including any remedies thereunder;
denial of eligibility for existing and future funding;
repayment of any funds already advanced; and
civil and potential criminal prosecution, in the case of fraud.
These measures may be imposed not only on the Applicant but also on related, associated and affiliated companies and individuals that are parties to the application. Any Applicant receiving approval for funding will be required to sign a legally enforceable agreement, which includes provisions concerning misrepresentations, defaults, and related matters.
FINAL REPORTING:
A final report will be required within three months following the completion of the fellowship. Applicants with overdue final reports will not be eligible for Indigenous Screen Office funding until the report is submitted and approved.
Final report will be provided.
RECOGNITION OF CONTRIBUTION:
Recipients must acknowledge ISO support with textual reference and/or logo in the credit sequence, or appropriate placement in the completed work (where applicable). ISO logos are available for download on the ISO website.
When sharing information about your participation in the proposed activity. Please also tag the ISO on any social media posts related to this funding:
Instagram – indigenousscreen
Twitter – screen_office
Facebook – ISO.BEA
Questions are encouraged at least two weeks prior to submission or the application closing date and may be directed at any time to funding@iso-bea.ca.
iso-bea.ca/industry-initiatives/programs/sundance-native-lab-2024/
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LALIFF 2024: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF)
DEADLINE / FEE: January 9, 2024 / $45.00 (Early Submission)
INFO: We invite all Latino artists to participate in LALIFF 2024 by submitting their work for consideration. The Festival will take place from May 29 to June 2.
Submissions are open in the following categories:
I - U.S. FEATURE FILMS
Any fiction film, documentary or animation in any genre made by Latino filmmakers in the United States with a total running time of more than 50 minutes are eligible for feature submission. World premiere must have occurred no earlier than January 1, 2023, and we will NOT be accepting feature films that have had commercial, theatrical, television or internet distribution in the United States.
Submission Deadlines & Fees:
Early Submission Deadline: January 9, 2024 | Fee: $45.00
Regular Submission Deadline: February 6, 2024 | Fee: $55.00
Late Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024 | Fee: $65.00
II - U.S. & INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILMS
Any fiction film, documentary or animation in any genre made by Latino filmmakers (in the U.S, Latin America and the diaspora) with a total running time of less than 50 minutes. World premiere must have occurred no earlier than January 1, 2023, and we will NOT be accepting short films that have had commercial, theatrical, television or internet distribution in the United States.
Submission Deadlines & Fees:
Early Submission Deadline: January 9, 2024 | Fee: $35.00
Regular Submission Deadline: February 6, 2024 | Fee: $45.00
Late Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024 | Fee: $55.00
III - U.S. & INTERNATIONAL EPISODICS
Scripted or non-scripted series in any genre made by Latino writers/filmmakers. Applicants may submit single or multiple episodes of the same project, provided that the total running time does not exceed 90 minutes, including credits.
Multiple episodes should be submitted as one continuous video file. Individual episodes may not exceed 60 minutes in length. Open submissions in this category are not eligible for the Festival if the submitted content has been made available to the general public via any platform (broadcast television, Blu-ray, DVD, streaming, VOD, etc.) in the United States. If the submitted content is a continuation of an existing series, only new episodes are eligible for open submission to the Festival.
Submission Deadlines & Fees:
Early Submission Deadline: January 9, 2024 | Fee: $35.00
Regular Submission Deadline: February 6, 2024 | Fee: $45.00
Late Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024 | Fee: $55.00
IV - U.S. MUSIC VIDEOS
Open to independent artists who are located in the U.S., and who are submitting music videos that have not been released to the public, on any platform, to get launched at our 2024 edition as part of LALIFF Music.
Submission Deadlines & Fees:
Early Submission Deadline: January 9, 2024 | Fee: $35.00
Regular Submission Deadline: February 6, 2024 | Fee: $45.00
Late Submission Deadline: February 29, 2024 | Fee: $55.00
laliff.org/festival/2024/submissions/
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2024 Documentary Story Lab
Film Independent
DEADLINES:
Regular Deadline: January 15, 2024
Extended Member Deadline: January 29, 2024
INFO: The 2024 Documentary Story Lab is a full-time, one week program that will take place in April of 2024. The program is designed to provide individualized story and career development for documentary directors with a project in post-production.
Applicants must submit a work sample which should include a minimum of a polished trailer and scene selects, all the way up to a rough cut.
Filmmakers that have yet to complete the majority of principal photography and those that do not yet have any footage assembled are not eligible to apply.
Please complete and submit the following electronic application form. You will be able to save your application and add documents or information until the application deadline. Once you click "submit," the application will be considered final and no additional information will be accepted. If you do not click "submit," the application will not be considered. At the end of the submission form, you will be asked for your payment information.
Please be advised: the application may time out if you keep it open for a long time. It is recommended that you keep a backup of your answers in a separate document. Save early and often. You can verify that your application has saved by logging out and logging back in.
All applicants will be notified 3-4 weeks before the program start date. If you don't receive a notification, please check your spam folder.
filmindependent1.submittable.com/submit/275591/film-independent-documentary-story-lab-2024
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ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM
The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation
DEADLINE: January 18, 2024
APPLICATION FEE: $30
INFO: The Foundation offers three months of rent-free and utility-paid housing to people who specialize in the creative arts. Our eleven artist casitas, or guest houses, are fully furnished and provide residents with a peaceful setting in which to pursue their creative endeavors.
The Foundation accepts applications from painters, poets, sculptors, writers, playwrights, screenwriters, composers, photographers, and filmmakers of national and international origin.
Applications are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of professionals who specialize in the artistic discipline of the applicant. Numerous jurors serve on committees for each: visual arts, music composers, writers, poets, playwrights, and filmmakers. Jurors, who know nothing about the artist's demographics, score in five categories based purely on the merit of the applicant's creative work samples.
Artists in residence have no imposed expectations, quotas, or requirements during their stay on the HWF campus. The HWF’s residency program provides artists with the time and space to create, which in turn enriches the artistic community and culture locally and abroad.
RESIDENCY SESSIONS:
#1: Jan - Apr, 2025
#2: Jun - Aug, 2025
#3: Sep - Dec, 2025
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2024 Brendan Gill Prize
The Municipal Art Society of New York
DEADLINE: January 19, 2024
INFO: The Brendan Gill Prize is given each year to the creator of a specific work; a book, essay, musical composition, play, painting, sculpture, film, or choreographic piece, that best captures the spirit and energy of New York City.
All eligible nominations must have been completed and produced between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, and must be based-in and pertaining to New York City. The prize is not awarded for a body of work or lifetime achievement.
The prize was established in 1987 in honor of Brendan Gill by friend and fellow MAS board member Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis along with board members Helen Tucker and Margot Wellington.
mas.org/news/nominate-brendan-gill-prize-2024/
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2024 Emerging Voices Directors Lab
New Orleans Film Society
DEADLINE: January 19, 2024 at 11:59pm CST
INFO: Applications for the 2024 Emerging Voices Directors Lab are now open.
Six Louisiana-based early-career directors are invited annually to hone their artistic voice and deepen their community ties through industry mentorship and peer support in a 4-day intensive lab. At the completion of the lab, participating filmmakers will receive a $2,000 unrestricted grant to support their project as well as the opportunity to convene at the New Orleans Film Festival and one additional regional festival.
The Emerging Voices Directors Lab, an initiative of the New Orleans Film Society, was created in 2014 to promote the unique perspectives and cultures of Louisiana filmmakers of color to the rest of the country, and the world.
CRITERIA:
Applications will be reviewed by an independent panel and will be scored according to the following criteria:
ORIGINALITY & VISION - Does the project have a unique vision and perspective? Does the visual component of the application support the description and artistic approach of the project? Is it clear why this project needs to be made now?
CONNECTION TO THE STORY - What is the film team’s relationship to the story and communities represented in the film? How are they working with the community to ensure the story is crafted with care and respect?
CONNECTION TO THE REGION - What is the filmmaker’s relationship to the region? How long have they lived in the region? Do they live here full-time? How connected are they to their Southern community? Is their body of work focused on Southern stories? How much of the project will be filmed in the South?
ABILITY TO EXECUTE THE PROJECT - Does the applicant’s past body of work demonstrate an ability to execute the current project? Does the project have committed collaborators? Is there a clear plan for current and future phases of the project?
WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE COHORT - Do they demonstrate a need and willingness to learn? Will they contribute to and support other members of the cohort? How engaged will they be in the lab?
ABILITY TO LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITY - Is the project developed enough to take advantage of the lab and award? Is the applicant in an ideal place in their career to receive mentorship from an industry advisor? Is there a clear explanation of how the lab will move the project forward?
neworleansfilmsociety.org/emerging-voices/
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AT&T Untold Stories
AT&T / Tribeca Festival
DEADLINE: February 6, 2024
INFO: Untold Stories is a multi-year, multi-tier alliance between AT&T and Tribeca Festival that awards $1 million dollars, mentorship, and comprehensive support to systemically underrepresented filmmakers to produce their films.
This unique partnership has already made a major impact on inclusivity in film. Following the first four nationally-distributed films, Nigerian Prince, Lucky Grandma, Marvelous and the Black Hole, and Land of Gold, Smoking Tigers is currently screening on the festival circuit. Untold Stories’ next feature Color Book will premiere in 2024.
At the 2024 Tribeca Festival, 5 new talented and diverse filmmaking teams will pitch their original feature scripted film projects to an esteemed Greenlight Committee of industry professionals to decide who will be the next $1 million dollar prize recipient.
The winning film will be guaranteed a premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival, subject to timely delivery of the film, and dedicated distribution support. The additional 4 teams will receive a $15,000 grant for development support.
Participating films receive extensive exposure for their stories through dedicated content and press opportunities. Films in Untold Stories have the potential to connect with industry and audiences alike, which has allowed over 40% of all participating films to be completed.