There are people out there who want to help you get your project out of your head and onto the screen – you just have to know how to find them!
1. Find A Grant That Is The Right Fit For You
Not all grants are created equal, and many are looking to support a very specific type of filmmaker or project. Read their materials, check out the company or nonprofit website, really try to understand who they are and why they are offering the grant.
2. It’s A Numbers Game
Even if you do find a grant that is the perfect fit for you, that does not mean you should apply to only one and leave it at that.
The reality is you are competing against hundreds of other filmmakers, and even if you think you are absolutely 100% perfect for a particular grant, you have to play the odds.
3. Know Your Audience
Before you dive head-first into a grant application, take some time to learn about the group behind the grant.
Check out their website, read some of their materials, get to know them a little bit.
Maybe they are a company looking to reach a new filmmaking audience, maybe they are a nonprofit hoping to spread a certain message, maybe they are a production company seeking talented new creators.
4. Follow Directions
No two grant applications are the same. Generally speaking, when you apply for a grant you provide four basic pieces of information:
- who (who you are, your history and experience),
- what (the project itself),
- how (the budgets, the schedules, the logistics of how you plan to pull this off), and
- why (why is this project important, why should anyone care, why are you the one who needs to tell this story).
5. Prepare Ahead Of Time
Many people far underestimate how extensive a grant application can be.
It’s not usually something you can throw together in a day, it requires serious thought and planning.
The grant judges will want to know exactly how you plan to tackle each aspect of the project from pre-production through distribution.