FundingGrants
Film grants for Texas filmmakers
Money you don’t pay back: Texas arts and humanities programs, city arts funds, foundations, and national funds open to Texans.
66 sources · Checked Oct 18, 2026
Grant deadlines coming up
All deadlines| Deadline | Program | Open to |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2026 | 2027 Arts Grant Program ↗︎City of Corpus Christi, Arts & Cultural Commission · matching grants up to $15,000 | Texas |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Puffin Foundation grants, 2027 cycle (film/video) ↗︎The Puffin Foundation | National |
| Nov 23, 2026 | Space Taking Artist Residency 2027 ↗︎Fresh Arts (Houston) · $3,600 project stipend plus six weeks of gallery space and mentorship | Texas |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Carole Dorothy Joyce Grant for Student Filmmakers ↗︎From the Heart Productions · $3,000 cash plus $10,000+ in services and discounts | National |
| Dec 3, 2026 | 2027 Episodic Alfred P. Sloan Grant ↗︎Sundance Institute Episodic Program · $17,000 plus creative support | National |
| Dec 14, 2026 | Documentary Story Lab 2027 ↗︎Film Independent | National |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Arts Respond Project grant (projects Apr 1–Aug 31, 2027) ↗︎Texas Commission on the Arts | Texas |
| Jan 18, 2027 | AT&T Untold Stories ↗︎Tribeca Festival with AT&T · $1.2 million production prize for one film; four finalists get $15,000 development grants | National |
Grants
66 sources| Program | Where | Amount | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFS Grant for Feature Films ↗︎Austin Film Society · Texas residents (75%+ of the year) directing a feature of 40+ minutes; no TV or web series. | Statewide | Up to $20,000 cash, plus in-kind awards | Annual, spring; 2026 round closed May 20, 2026; reopens spring 2027 |
| AFS Grant for Short Films ↗︎Austin Film Society · Texas residents (75%+ of the year) directing a film under 40 minutes. | Statewide | Up to $10,000 cash, plus in-kind awards | Annual, summer; 2026 round closed, decisions by mid-December; reopens summer 2027 |
| AFS Travel Grant ↗︎Austin Film Society · Texas-based directors accepted to a festival on AFS's list; Texas festivals excluded. | Statewide | $500 (North America) or $1,000 (elsewhere); max two grants and $1,500 per film | Rolling, year-round; apply before you travel |
| Artadia Award (Houston) ↗︎Artadia · Visual artists living and working in the Houston area (Artadia has described this as Harris County). | Houston | Unrestricted award (2026 amount not posted) | 2026 Houston cycle open Oct 1–Nov 1, 2026 |
| Artist Grants ↗︎City of San Antonio, Department of Arts & Culture · Professional artists living in San Antonio city limits, alone or as a collective; media arts including film is eligible. | San Antonio | $7,500 or $15,000 | Annual; next open call January 2027 |
| Artist Incubator Program (AIP) ↗︎City of El Paso, Museums and Cultural Affairs Department · Emerging and professional artists living in El Paso city limits; new work shown publicly within the year. | El Paso | Five awards of $4,000 | Annual; FY27 window May 15–June 15, 2026, closed |
| Arts Grant Program 2027 ↗︎City of Corpus Christi, Arts & Cultural Commission · 501(c) nonprofits only. | Corpus Christi | Matching, up to $15,000 (max 50% of eligible expenses) | Open now; deadline Nov 13, 2026, 5 p.m. |
| Arts Respond Project grants ↗︎Texas Commission on the Arts · Texas nonprofits and government bodies only; the project must address a TCA priority area. | Statewide | From $1,000 up to 50% of project budget (1:1 match) | Jan 15, 2027 (projects Apr 1–Aug 31, 2027); Jul 15, 2027 (FY28) |
| ArtsActivate 2027 ↗︎City of Dallas, Office of Arts & Culture · Individual artists who live in Dallas or keep a paid studio there, collectives and nonprofits; the project needs an in-person public event in Dallas. | Dallas | Individuals: up to $8,000 per project, up to two projects a year | Round 3: Feb 9–Mar 1, 2027 (Rounds 1 and 2 closed) |
| City's Initiative (CI) ↗︎Houston Arts Alliance for the City of Houston · Houston-resident individuals, organizations and fiscally sponsored projects with a public event in city limits. | Houston | Up to $10,000 | Three rounds a year; 2026 Round 3 closed Sep 26, 2026; 2027 rounds not posted |
| Culture of Value ↗︎City of Dallas, Office of Arts & Culture · Dallas-resident individual artists and nonprofits; a one-day, one-time public event in any discipline. | Dallas | Up to $2,500 | 2026 round closed June 15, 2026; 2027 round not posted |
| Elevate ↗︎City of Austin, Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME) · Austin-area individual artists, groups and arts nonprofits with budgets up to $500,000 and 2+ years of work in Austin. | Austin | Individuals: $15,000 (expenses under $30,000) or $30,000 (expenses $30,000–$500,000) | Annual; FY27 window July 7–Aug 18, 2026, closed |
| Festival Grant (FG) ↗︎Houston Arts Alliance for the City of Houston · Individuals, organizations and fiscally sponsored projects running an arts festival in Houston. | Houston | Up to $10,000 | Annual; June 15–July 24, 2026, closed |
| Film Festival Funding Program ↗︎City of San Antonio (FilmSA) · Nonprofits that produce film festivals. | San Antonio | Up to 20% of festival budget, max $15,000 | Next window opens in 2027 for a three-year cycle |
| GDAC Artist Micro-Grants ↗︎Greater Denton Arts Council (funded by the City of Denton) · Denton County artists who are GDAC members; any discipline. | Denton County | Up to $500 | Annual; 2026 cycle closed |
| Harrison McClure Endowed Film Fund ↗︎Austin Film Society · Full-time incoming juniors or seniors at a four-year Texas college making a short for course credit. | Statewide | $2,500 | Spring; reopens spring 2027 |
| Humanities Texas Major Grants (media) ↗︎Humanities Texas · Nonprofit organizations only, with a humanities scholar central to the project; 1:1 cost share. | Statewide | Up to $20,000 | PAUSED: fall 2026 cycle canceled; normally Mar 15 and Sep 15 |
| Humanities Texas Rural Grants ↗︎Humanities Texas · Organizations based in small counties; media productions are an eligible format. No cost share. | Rural Texas counties (60,000 people or fewer) | Up to $2,500 | Rolling; apply 6+ weeks before the project starts |
| Let Creativity Happen (LCH) ↗︎Houston Arts Alliance for the City of Houston · Houston-resident individuals, organizations and fiscally sponsored projects with a public event in city limits. | Houston | Up to $2,500 | Three rounds a year; 2026 rounds closed; 2027 rounds not posted |
| M-AAA Artistic Innovations ↗︎Mid-America Arts Alliance · Individual artists and nonprofit arts groups in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas making new, original or experimental work with a public presentation. Film is one of the funded disciplines. | Statewide | Up to $15,000; no cost share for individual artists (nonprofits must match) | Yearly; the latest window closed Sep 24, 2026 for spending Jan 1–June 30, 2027 |
| New Texas Voices Award ↗︎Austin Film Society · First feature, narrative or documentary, in early to mid-production, from an underseen perspective. | Statewide | $15,000 plus consultation | With the AFS feature grant (spring) |
| Nexus ↗︎City of Austin, Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME) · Austin-area individual artists and groups with budgets of $150,000 or less and 1+ year of work in Austin; 501(c) nonprofits excluded. | Austin | $5,000 or $10,000 | Twice a year; FY27 round closed Oct 13, 2026; next round not posted |
| North Texas Pioneer Film Award ↗︎Austin Film Society · North Texas residents with a feature of 40+ minutes; first or second features favored. Other AFS Grant rules apply. | North Texas (north of Waco, east of Abilene) | $30,000 total, in grants of $10,000–$20,000 | With the AFS feature grant (spring) |
| Summerlee Foundation Texas History Program ↗︎Summerlee Foundation · 501(c)(3) public charities and government units with Texas history projects; it has funded media. Individuals can't apply directly. | Statewide | Not published | Two cycles a year: interview, then letter of intent, then application. February 2027 cycle LOIs due Nov 23–Dec 18, 2026; September 2027 cycle interviews May 17–June 25, 2027 |
| Support for Artists & Creative Individuals (SACI) ↗︎Houston Arts Alliance for the City of Houston · Individuals 18+ living in Houston city limits; the project needs a public presentation in the city. | Houston | Up to $15,000 | Annual; 2027 cycle ran June 15–July 24, 2026, closed |
| Texas Lights ↗︎Austin Film Society · By invitation only: established and mid-career Texas directors and producers of independent features. | Statewide | $50,000+ | No open call |
| The Idea Fund ↗︎DiverseWorks, Aurora Picture Show and Project Row Houses (Warhol Foundation re-grant) · Individual artists and collectives whose lead artist lives in the region; projects need a public component. No nonprofits or degree students. | Greater Houston (Harris and 8 nearby counties) | $2,500 or $5,000 | Annual; Round 19 announced Feb 11, 2026; Round 20 not announced |
| Tourism Grant and Spark Tourism Grant ↗︎City of San Marcos, Arts Commission · Individual artists, teams, creative businesses and nonprofits in the five counties; the project must benefit San Marcos and include a public presentation. | San Marcos (Hays, Travis, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal counties) | Tourism: up to 50% of project budget; Spark: up to $3,000 | Annual; 2027 window July 6–Aug 17, 2026, closed |
| Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Film Program ↗︎Alfred P. Sloan Foundation · Films with science or technology themes or characters, through Sloan's partners: six film schools, Sundance, TIFF, the Black List, SFFILM, Film Independent and the Athena Film Festival. | National | Screenwriting and production awards through partners; filmmakers usually apply to the partner, not to Sloan | Varies by partner |
| AT&T Untold Stories ↗︎Tribeca Festival with AT&T · Director's first or second scripted feature, connected to an underrepresented community, completable for $1.2M; director or lead producer based in the US or Puerto Rico. | National | $1.2 million to the winner; $15,000 to each of 4 finalists | Open now; closes Jan 18, 2027 |
| Athena List Development Grant ↗︎Athena Film Festival · Writer-directors whose feature scripts are Athena List winners or finalists; underrepresented filmmakers preferred. | National | $10,000 | Yearly with the Athena List |
| Black Public Media Rolling Call (AfroPoP) ↗︎Black Public Media · Completed shorts (scripted or nonfiction) or feature documentaries about the global Black experience that meet PBS technical and editorial standards. HBCU and film-program talent welcome. | National | Licensing for AfroPoP: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange or AfroPoP Digital Shorts | Year-round |
| CAAM Building Bridges Documentary Fund ↗︎Center for Asian American Media · Independent documentaries (features, shorts or series) about the Muslim experience in the US, by filmmakers at any career stage. | National | Research and development $10K–$25K; production $50K–$100K; post $50K–$100K | No call open now; future calls announced through CAAM's newsletter |
| Catapult Film Fund ↗︎US-based documentary filmmakers: Research Grant for directors with a feature doc already shown; Development Grant for docs of 28+ minutes. | National | Research $10,000; Development $5,000–$25,000 | Both closed; next dates not posted |
| Chicken & Egg Films Research & Development Grant ↗︎Chicken & Egg Films · Women and gender-expansive directors who have finished at least one feature doc. | National | Research $10,000; Development $20,000 | Next cycle tentatively opens December 2026 |
| Creative Capital Award ↗︎Creative Capital · Artists making new work in any discipline, film included, through a national open call. | National | Unrestricted project grants up to $50,000, plus professional development | The 2027 open call closed Apr 2, 2026; next cycle not yet announced |
| FCA Emergency Grants ↗︎Foundation for Contemporary Arts · Experimental visual and performing artists and poets with a sudden opportunity to show work or an unexpected expense tied to a presentation. | National | $500–$3,000 (average $2,200) | Monthly, rolling |
| Firelight Fund ↗︎Firelight Media · Black, Brown and Indigenous documentary filmmakers telling urgent social-justice stories: shorts at any stage, features in production, post or distribution. | National | Up to $50,000 per project | Inaugural call ran Aug 21–Sep 18, 2025; currently closed |
| First Peoples Fund Yéego Action Grant ↗︎First Peoples Fund · Individual Native artists and culture bearers (not students or current FPF grantees) facing a specific professional opportunity, emergency or sudden expense tied to their art practice. | National | $100–$2,500 | Monthly; applications open around the 12th of each month and are funded as money allows |
| Fund for Investigative Journalism grants ↗︎Fund for Investigative Journalism · Freelance and staff journalists and outlets doing investigative work, documentaries included. Full proposals need a commitment from a distributor or broadcaster; foreign stories need a strong US angle. | National | Regular grants up to $10,000; seed grants $1,000–$2,500; follow-up grants up to $2,500 | Winter deadline for regular and seed grants: Jan 29, 2027, 11:59 p.m. ET; spring and summer dates TBA |
| Humanitas College Screenwriting Awards ↗︎Humanitas · Undergraduate and graduate students at accredited US colleges, any major. | National | $20,000 each for one comedy and one drama winner | 2026 window Feb 18–Apr 6, 2026 ($35 fee); recurs yearly |
| IDA Field-Building Fund (Supported Artist Award) ↗︎International Documentary Association · Independent nonfiction makers with limited means, and low- or no-budget organizations; nomination-based. | National | Not published | Rolling nominations; the Supported Artist Award is given through partner regional festivals |
| IDA Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund ↗︎International Documentary Association · Independent feature documentaries on US issues such as the environment, justice or social problems, by a team with at least one completed nonfiction feature, budget $1M or less. Finalists must be IDA members. | National | Three $25,000 grants a year ($95,000 in total with consultation stipends) | IDA says it should reopen in late 2026 with a new theme, aimed at films near the end of production |
| Jewish Story Partners grants ↗︎Jewish Story Partners · US feature documentaries about any aspect of Jewish experience, in development through post, with a director and full producer attached (one US-based) and at least five minutes of footage. Filmmakers needn't be Jewish. | National | $5,000–$75,000 | One open call a year: opens late fall, closes in January; decisions by early summer |
| Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge ↗︎CAPE with Janet Yang Productions · Short scripts (15 minutes max, live action or animated) centered on Asian and Pacific Islander women or nonbinary protagonists. | National | Four $25,000 production grants plus mentorship | Year 6 open now until Oct 30, 2026; $35 fee per script |
| Loreen Arbus Disability Awareness Grant ↗︎New York Women in Film & Television · US-based women directors or producers with a film of any length or genre on physical or developmental disability, finished shooting and not yet distributed. | National | $6,500 completion grant | Recurring; currently closed with no next date posted |
| Mountainfilm Commitment Grants ↗︎Mountainfilm · Documentaries in post-production about adventure, activism, social justice, culture or the environment, from any country. Part of the pool is set aside for LGBTQ+ outdoor stories and for immigration stories or immigrant and first-generation filmmakers. | National | $3,000–$6,000 each | Yearly window July 1–16; 2026 grantees announced Sep 14, 2026 |
| NACF LIFT (Early Career Support for Native Artists) ↗︎Native Arts and Cultures Foundation · Emerging Native artists who are enrolled members or citizens of a US-based tribe, in disciplines including documentary, animated and fiction film; no prior single award of $15,000+. | National | $15,000 (at least $5,000 for the artist), plus mentorship and marketing help; 15 awards | 2026 awardees announced Aug 2026; applications closed until the next cycle |
| National Geographic Society grants ↗︎National Geographic Society · People 18+ answering a specific request for proposals; storytelling projects are eligible under some RFPs. | National | Set by each RFP | Rolling RFPs with their own deadlines; projects should start at least six months after the deadline |
| NYWIFT Nancy Malone Marketing & Promotion Grant ↗︎New York Women in Film & Television · An emerging woman director getting a finished film ready for festivals and distribution. | National | $5,000 | Deadlines vary; check the grant page |
| NYWIFT Ravenal Foundation Grant ↗︎New York Women in Film & Television · US-resident women over 40 who have directed or produced one dramatic feature (or more than one feature doc), now making a second narrative feature, mainly in English. | National | $5,000 to each of two filmmakers, plus a $2,500 honorable mention | Currently closed; recurs |
| Perspective Fund Documentary Film Support ↗︎Perspective Fund · Documentary projects, by letter of inquiry; no geographic limits. | National | Typically $25,000–$150,000 | Rolling, no deadlines |
| Princess Grace Awards (film) ↗︎Princess Grace Foundation-USA · Early-career film directors (not screenwriters or cinematographers), nominated by a university film program, a nonprofit media arts center or a past winner. | National | Unrestricted cash grant (amount varies) | 2026 cycle closed Feb 2, 2026; 2027 details posted in autumn 2026 |
| Puffin Foundation film/video grants ↗︎The Puffin Foundation · Artists, especially those shut out of mainstream funding because of identity or social views. Film/video covers film, TV, streaming, radio and podcasts; script development isn't funded. | National | Small project grants (amount not published) | Film/video is funded in odd years. 2027 cycle: request portal access Sep 14–Nov 20, 2026 (paper form postmarked by Nov 25); proposals due Dec 16, 2026, 5 p.m. ET |
| Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants ↗︎Robert Rauschenberg Foundation (administered by NYFA) · Generative artists working independently in visual arts, film, video, digital arts or choreography, in financial need after a recent, unexpected medical, dental or mental health emergency. | National | One-time grants up to $5,000 | Ongoing program |
| Rooftop Filmmakers Fund ↗︎Rooftop Films · Filmmakers whose work has screened in the Rooftop Films Summer Series in New York. | National | Over $45,000 a year in cash (about $30,000 of it for four features) plus equipment and services worth $200,000+ | Yearly, for alumni |
| Roy W. Dean Film Grant ↗︎From the Heart Productions · Shorts, documentaries, independent features and web series budgeted under $500,000. | National | — | Spring Mar 31, shorts Apr 29, summer Jun 30, fall Oct 31 |
| SFFILM Documentary Film Fund ↗︎SFFILM · Feature documentaries (60+ minutes) in post-production, from anywhere; not mainly interview-driven, not work for hire. | National | $10,000–$20,000; about 3–6 projects a year | Yearly; 2026 deadlines were June 9 and July 7, 2026 (closed) |
| SFFILM Rainin Grant (screenwriting, development, post) ↗︎SFFILM · Narrative features that address social justice issues. All three categories take applicants from anywhere; screenwriting and development grants require a four-week residency at SFFILM's FilmHouse in San Francisco, post-production grants don't. | National | Up to $25,000 per category | Yearly; 2026 deadlines were May 8 and May 22, 2026 (now closed). Fee $30–$50, free for SFFILM members |
| State of the Art Prize ↗︎Creative Capital · One artist living in each US state and territory, chosen from Creative Capital Award applicants; no separate application. | National | $10,000 unrestricted | Runs with the 2026 and 2027 Creative Capital cycles |
| Sundance Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grant and Fellowship (features) ↗︎Sundance Institute with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation · English-language fiction features with real science or technology content (not science fiction). | National | Grant amount varies by award | Through the Development Track, Mar 30–Apr 20, 2027 |
| Sundance Episodic Alfred P. Sloan Science Grant ↗︎Sundance Institute with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation · A writer or two-person team with an original half-hour or one-hour series that features a historical figure, event or area of science or technology in a positive light. | National | $17,000 plus craft support | Open now; closes Dec 3, 2026 |
| Sundance Institute | Amazon MGM Studios Producers Award ↗︎Sundance Institute with Amazon MGM Studios · One fiction and one nonfiction producer (or team) whose film premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. | National | $10,000 each | Yearly at the festival |
| Sundance Institute Documentary Fund ↗︎Sundance Institute · Independent feature documentaries of 52+ minutes; budgets under $1.2M prioritized; no fiscal sponsor needed. | National | Development $25,000–$40,000; production/post $50,000–$100,000 | Closed; next call announced early 2027 |
| Sundance Institute Sandbox Fund ↗︎Sundance Institute with Sandbox Films · Independent documentaries about science and scientific inquiry. | National | Grants (amount not published on the pages checked) | Sundance says the spring 2027 cycle will be announced in late 2026 |
| The Film Fund short film contest ↗︎The Film Fund · Anyone with a short film idea; submit a one-sentence pitch. | National | Up to $10,000 per winner; $25 entry (optional $6.99 feedback) | Current deadline Nov 17, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET; recurring contest periods |
Programs change: confirm on each one’s own page before you apply. Not legal or financial advice.