Foundation Funding for Independent

Filmmakers

The Foundation Center

Our Mission:To strengthen the social sector by advancing knowledge about philanthropy in the U.S. and around the world.

The Foundation Center

• Collect, organize, and communicate information on U.S. philanthropy

• Conduct and facilitate research on trends in the field

• Provide education and training in the grantseeking process

• Ensure public access to information and services through various vehicles

• Foundations• Nonprofit organizations• Corporations• Individual donors

Sources of Grants–Private

Sources of Grants–Private

• Foundation Grants to Individuals Online lists over 9,000 grantmakers that give directly to individuals

• Only 1 in every 11 grantmakers gives directly to individuals

Foundation –$ Individual

Direct Support

To be considered charitable, grants to individuals must fall under one of the following categories:

1. Scholarship or fellowship for study at an educational institution

2. Designed to achieve a specific objective or improve one’s skills in an artistic, scientific, or teaching capacity

3. Prize or award given for the achievement of exempt charitable purposes

Direct Support, cont’d

To be considered charitable, grants to individuals must fall under one of the following categories:

1. Scholarship or fellowship for study at an educational institution

2. Designed to achieve a specific objective or improve one’s skills in an artistic, scientific, or teaching capacity

3. Prize or award given for the achievement of exempt charitable purposes

Direct Support, cont’d

Film projects

• Re-granting organizations

Foundation –$ Nonprofit Individuals

Ex. Arts Councils, Creative Capital

• Fiscal sponsorship

Indirect Support

• For artists / projects• 501(c)(3) organizations act as fiscal

sponsors/agents• Fees / contracts• Ownership?

• Research potential funders using

Foundation Directory Online

Fiscal Sponsorship

Resources:• Fiscal Sponsorship | GrantSpace.org

http://grantspace.org/Skills/Fiscal-Sponsorship

• Guide to Fiscal Sponsorshiphttp://grantspace.org/Classroom/Online-Classes/Guide-to-Fiscal-Sponsorship

Fiscal Sponsorship, cont’d

Researching Funders

Look for grantmakers that:• Fund the arts, artists, or artists’ projects• Fund individual artists through fiscal

sponsorship• Fund in particular subject areas but not

overtly in the arts

Researching Funders, cont’d

Look for grantmakers that:• Fund artists in your medium or genre• Have stated interest or demonstrated history

in funding in your geographic location• Give grant amounts similar to what you need• Provide the type of support you are

looking for

Foundation Center Resources

Free Training:

http://grantspace.org/Classroom •Grantseeking Basics for Individuals in the Arts•Getting Start with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online•Guide to Funding Research

Foundation Center Resources, cont’d

• GrantSpace.org:– Knowledge base articles– Sample documents– Ask Us: www.grantspace.org/Ask-Us

• Cooperating Collections– Find one near you: www.grantspace.org/Find-Us

Contact Information

Stephen ShermanReference Librarian

Foundation Center-Atlanta

http://foundationcenter.org/atlanta

Phone: (404) 880-0094 x16

Email: scs@foundationcenter.org

Questions?