
Get Funded
You’ve found a story and you’re committed to telling it—no matter what. Let’s do it together.
Open Call
Open Call provides documentary funding and co-production support so you can complete your nonfiction work in progress, then air it on public television.
- Reopens Spring 2021
Featured Open Call Projects
Diversity Development Fund
DDF gives producers of color up to $25,000 in research and development funding so you can develop your documentary for air on public television. Pre-production nonfiction projects only.
- Reopens Summer 2021
Featured Diversity Development Fund Projects
Short-Form Open Call
Short-Form Open Call offers development and co-production funding to help you complete your short nonfiction film or series for distribution on public media's web-based platforms.
- Reopens Summer 2021
Featured Short-Form Open Call Projects
Series and Special Projects
We commission a limited number of innovative and timely projects for public media, providing development and production funding. Submissions for Series and Special Project funding are by invitation-only. This collection also encompasses documentary films funded through limited special open calls held over the years.
Featured Series and Special Projects
ITVS in the Field
We’d love to meet you! Join the ITVS team at an event. We want to hear about your latest projects.
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Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
February 19-28, 2021
Missoula, MTJannette Bivona
Keri Archer Brown
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South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW)
March 16-20, 2021
Austin, TXMichael Kinomoto
Pamela Torno

Get Funded
We join forces with visionaries like you from across America to bring risk-taking independent film to the public.
Filmmaker Resources
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FAQ: Filmmaker's Guide To Applying For US Coronavirus Federal Relief
Looking for basic information about accessing coronavirus federal benefits created by Congress? Begin here.
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COVID 19 CARES Act Resources for Workers and Families Memo - from Cornerstone
Summary of the CARES Act Resources for Workers and Families.
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COVID-19 Small Business Lending Programs 2.0 March 27 - from Cornerstone
Summary of the two small business loan programs created as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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FAQ: Paycheck Protection Program Loans
Guidance to address borrower and lender questions concerning the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
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FORM: Paycheck Protection Program - Borrower Application
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FORM: Paycheck Protection Program - Lender Application Form - Paycheck Protection Program Loan Guaranty
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FAQ: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan and Forgiveness
Information regarding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) shared by American Business Bank (ABB) and Armanino, LLP exhibits the bank’s interpretation of the PPP loan regulations, application, forgiveness and process.
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California Unemployment Benefits Tip Sheet
This document covers applying for W2 Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) in California.
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Illinois Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tip Sheet
This document covers applying for W2 Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) in the state of Illinois.
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NYS Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits Tip Sheet
This document covers applying for W2 Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) in the state of New York.
From our blog
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Three Quick Questions with 2021 Sundance Filmmakers
February 5, 2021We asked ITVS-supported Sundance filmmakers—Debbie Lum, director of Try Harder!, and Ailey director Jamila Wignot and producer Lauren DeFilippo—3 quick and light questions about how they're doing while they ramped up to premiere their films.
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Independent Lens Brings "Stories for Justice" to PBS
February 4, 2021Documentary storytelling pipeline will support increased understanding of the inequities in the justice system and inspire local civic dialogue about reform
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The Attack on Our Democracy
January 8, 2021As an organization that exists to strengthen our democracy, ITVS condemns the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol and all that it exemplifies.
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