Grants & Awards

Grant Priorities & Guidelines

Overview

Cinereach supports feature-length nonfiction and fiction films that are at the intersection of engaging storytelling, visual artistry, and vital subject matter.

Grant amounts can range from $5,000 – $50,000 per project and can be awarded to support any stage of production, including research and development, production and post-production. Within each cycle, between five and fifteen projects are selected to receive support.

Funding Priorities

Through cinematic artistry and storytelling, Cinereach-supported films:

• Favor story over message, character over agenda, and complexity over duality

• Explore emergent topics, themes or ideas

• Possess an independent spirit

• Depict underrepresented perspectives

• Resonate across international boundaries

• Spark dialogue

• Challenge preconception and bias

• Champion humanity and hope

Philosophy

In addition to making grants, Cinereach seeks to form lasting and meaningful relationships with the talented, dedicated, and creative people we support. We invite a continuing dialogue, maintain an open-door policy, and help to rally a community in which our grantee films and filmmakers can flourish.

Eligibility Restrictions

Cinereach is not currently accepting applications that seek funding for:

• Film outreach and distribution activities

• Multi-year grants

• Organizational Support

• Films under 70 minutes in length (please explore our Reach Film Fellowship if you are making a short film)

Cinereach does not grant to capital or endowment campaigns or provide individual scholarships for study or travel.

For answers to common eligibility questions, please visit our FAQ page.

Review Process

Cinereach’s Letter of Inquiry process allows us to review a large number of submissions through an open call. This enables us to determine whether projects are closely aligned with our granting priorities and guidelines before we ask applicants to gather and share more extensive and detailed project information.

Feedback

Unfortunately, due to the large volume of submissions we receive, Cinereach is unable to provide individualized feedback to filmmakers at the LOI stage of the application process. However, if a project is invited to submit a full proposal but does not receive a grant, the Cinereach Grants Manager will provide feedback based on the Grant Committee’s notes.

Grantee Expectations

If a project is selected to receive a grant, an award letter will be issued detailing specific expectations. In brief, the grantee will be required to submit interim and final reports explaining how the funds were used and progress made. The grantee also agrees to credit Cinereach’s support, as outlined in the grant agreement.

Charitable Status

In order to receive support from Cinereach, a prospective grantee must be tax-exempt under United States Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) or be fiscally sponsored by a certified US-based 501(c)(3) organization. Please visit the Resources page for more information about fiscal sponsorship for filmmakers.

Term of Funding

Most grants are awarded for a one-year period. Grant awards may be renewed or extended as determined by the Grant Committee.

Conflicts of Interest Statement

Cinereach does not make grants to projects in which a Cinereach Board or staff member, or a family member of a Cinereach Board or staff member, has a direct or indirect financial interest resulting from current or potential financial investment or support, salary income, or the providing of goods or services.

Discrimination Policy

Cinereach does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or national origin.