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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 January 6, 2020 9:00 AM PST
Recent 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.
- The deadline for this round was September 13, 2019 11:59 PM PDT
Recent Diversity Development Fund Projects
Digital Open Call
Digital Open Call offers research and development funding for you to pilot a story on public media digital platforms. Pre-production nonfiction projects only.
- Reopens Winter 2020
Recent Digital 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.
Recent 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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Sundance Film Festival
January 23 - February 2, 2020
Park City, UTJim Sommers
Lois Vossen
Noland Walker

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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ITVS Open Call Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about Open Call Production Funding? Find the most commonly asked questions and their answers here.
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ITVS Diversity Development Fund Frequently Asked Questions
Find the answers to the most commonly asked questions about ITVS Diversity Development Fund.
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ITVS Digital Open Call Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about Digital Open Call Production Funding? Find the most commonly asked questions and their answers here.
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From Concept to Contract: The Path of an ITVS Proposal
ITVS can give you the funding and support you need to tell your story. Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the process submitted proposals follow.
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The AIR/ITVS Scan of Independent Journalists
This benchmark analysis provides new insight into how independent radio, television, and online producers intersect with the rapidly evolving public media landscape.
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Sample Documentary Budget
From our blog
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New Powerful Slate of Open Call-Funded Films Announced
December 2, 2019As we look forward with great anticipation to the next Open Call round (in January 2020), ITVS is excited to announce the latest Open Call-funded films.These powerful projects will take viewers from a Syrian mother fiercely determined to protect her family amidst nightmarish conditions, to a nationwide support group for mothers coming to terms with…
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“Everything Fell into Place”: Jeff Chang and Bao Nguyen Gon’ Be Alright
November 20, 2019When everything dovetails together so nicely for a creative project, any other filmmaking team would love to know just how it happened. Serendipity? Lightning in a bottle? Blood, sweat, and tears?The collaborators behind the ITVS Digital Open Call-supported We Gon' Be Alright documentary web series, filmmaker Bao Nguyen and writer/producer Jeff…
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From Fashion to Food and Beyond: Billy Luther Brings Native Stories to the Forefront
November 1, 2019Filmmaker and producer Billy Luther's first feature documentary Miss Navajo, which follows a young woman competing in the Miss Navajo beauty pageant, aired nationally on Independent Lens after premiering in the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Since then, Luther has collaborated with Independent Lens on the alter-NATIVE series highlighting the…
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