Catapult Film Fund Grants

We are not accepting applications at this time. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for upcoming deadlines.

We provide early support to documentary films through our flagship programs Catapult Development Grant and Catapult Research Grant. This year, we are also launching our new Project Accelerator initiative to support stories at the intersection of technology and society. Before applying, please carefully review our Guidelines and Eligibility and Procedures and Checklist for each opportunity.

2025 Key Dates

• The Catapult Research Grant is now closed. Decisions were announced in early spring. The 2025 program will run from March through September 2025.

• The Catapult Development Grant is now closed. Selected projects will be invited to advance to Step 2 and submit a full application. Decisions will be announced in late winter.

• The Catapult & True/False Rough Cut Retreat is now closed. Decisions were announced in summer 2025.

How To Apply: Applicants must have a Submittable account to access the application. This process is free and requires a username, password, and contact information. Communications regarding your submission will be sent to your registered email.

Applicants needing application assistance to accommodate a disability may request support at any stage in the process. To request reasonable assistance and for more information, contact info@catapultfilmfund.org or leave a message at 415-738-8553.

The application procedure includes:

• Application: Once you’ve confirmed your Submittable credentials, click the Apply button (below) to begin the application. You can save and return to it as often as needed until you are ready to submit.

• Submission: Catapult accepts applications until 5 p.m. PST on the grant deadline. We highly recommend early submission to avoid technical difficulties. Please inform us immediately about platform-related issues and reach out to Submittable for further assistance. We cannot offer extensions due to staff capacity and in fairness to other applicants.

• Review: Each application is reviewed through a rigorous process, including several rounds of independent review that inform final decisions by Catapult staff. During this process, we may contact finalists with additional project questions.

• Notification: Award notifications typically take between four to five months, based on the volume of submissions. Applicants will be notified directly via your registered email once a decision has been made. Please note that we are a small team and have limited capacity to provide feedback to individual projects.