What we are looking for
- Filmmakers with a connection to the story
- Timeliness of the story and contemporary relevance
- Uniqueness and creativity of the cinematic approach
- Clarity and specificity of how the grant will be used
Guidelines
- The Catapult Research Grant is open to US-based filmmakers only. The filmmaker must be based in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territories.
- The film must be in early research or development. We do not accept films in production or post-production.
- Catapult accepts applicants who can arrange to have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.
- Catapult may contact the applicant with questions about the proposal.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Catapult does not fund student films.
- The project can be either a long-form/feature-length documentary or a short documentary; we do not accept series or fiction projects of any kind.
- Animation is okay. Documentary/narrative hybrids will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Research funds should be used for developing new nonfiction film ideas. Appropriate uses include: research, writing, travel, crew, identifying and gaining access to protagonists, and any preliminary production costs associated with shaping the artistic vision or capturing early footage.
- Catapult only makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations. In most cases, this will mean getting a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor for the project. * A filmmaker may submit an application without a fiscal sponsor in place. Please see the FAQ section for more details.
To request accommodations for completing the application, please contact info@catapultfilmfund.org or call 415-738-8553