Power Up

POWER UP develops, finances, produces & distributes award winning films AND conducts unique advanced educational programs through hands-on filmmaking mentorships, classes, workshops and seminars. Additionally, POWER UP offers career, script, television and film counseling; Awards notable contributors to the arts, entertainment and our community.  POWER UP continues to unify and validate women and the GLBTQ community worldwide by “challenging perception through film.”

Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice

Astraea supports activist artists, writers, poets, cultural change-agents, and arts organizations who are unafraid to speak out for justice. In the past their U.S. General Fund and Global Arts Fund supported film, video and other arts, but they are temporarily in hiatus as of this writing (July 2013). Check this link to get the latest information on the status of these and other Astraea grants.

National Black Programming Consortium

NBPC has a legacy of proudly supporting producers and digital media storytellers who represent the global Black experience. It’s a our goal to provide funding and distribution within our affiliated public media networks including representation on our dedicated online/web series channel BlackPublicMedia.org.

Our executive producers review and consider films for distribution on a rolling basis. We give priority to films that are current and relevant depicting black life and experience in a unique and often overlooked context, largely ignored by popular culture and films.
More information available from their website.

Center for Asian American Media

Distributes funds with the goal of increasing visibility of Asian American programs on public television and impacting the way in which Asian Americans are perceived and understood. The CAAM Documentary Completion Fund awards average $20,000 to $30,000, and there are Fellowships and possibly other available fundingCheck their website for more information.

Vision Maker Media (formerly Native American Public Telecommunications)

Vision Maker Media supports program ideas that bring new perspectives on Native American cultures to public television audiences, increasing the quality and quantity of Native American television programming on a national and international scale. (Read more about Vision Maker Media’s goals here.) Vision Maker Media provides funding for projects in all stages of development: up to $20,000 for research and development and “New Media” and up to $100,000 for production and/or post-production.

Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC)

One of the PIC goals is to support the development of national public broadcast programming that enhances public recognition of and appreciation for Pacific Islander history, culture, and society. (Read more here.) Projects selected must present the Pacific Islander experience in an authentic and educational manner, as well as meet PBS’ high standards of journalistic balance, storytelling, and technical quality. Supports programs in all stages of development.

Latino Public Broadcasting

Latino Public Broadcasting supports the development, production, acquisition and distribution of non-commercial educational and cultural television that is representative of Latino people, or addresses issues of particular interest to Latino Americans. Programs should bring new audiences to public television and have a recognizable impact on a broad range of viewers, presenting a range of subjects, viewpoints and forms from a variety of Latino producers across the country that complement and challenge existing public television offerings. Funding is available for projects at all stages of completion: up to $20,000 for research and development and “New Media” and up to $100,000 for production and/or post-production.

National Foundation for Jewish Culture

The Fund is designed to support the creation of original documentary films and videos that promote thoughtful consideration of Jewish history, culture, identity, and contemporary issues among diverse public audiences. Filmmakers can receive between $15,000 and $35,000 to finish a documentary on some aspect of Jewish history, culture, and identity. Documentaries must be in post-production.

The Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation

Grants for film projects that are gay-positive and based on history. Grants may be used toward any aspect of a production. The size of grants varies but usually does not exceed $3,000; the amount of each is decided on an individual basis.