Applications Closed January 30
Incubator Fund
Get early-stage program development funding and join an incubator to help you grow your skills within a community of documentarians.
What the Incubator Fund Supports
Development support for nonfiction features and web series, plus a three- to six-month incubator to advance your program materials.
What You Get With ITVS Funding
- Up to $10k in funding for an early-stage nonfiction feature or web series
- Potential for additional funding up to $30k
- Three- to six-month incubator alongside other storytellers
- Editorial feedback and guidance from ITVS
- You maintain full editorial, creative, and financial control
- You maintain your copyright
The Application
Key elements of the application include a two- to four-page treatment; a hyperlink to a previously completed work that was publicly exhibited or distributed; a development budget; and an optional 1-3 minute sample with footage from the current project. Please review the application in its entirety to get the full scope of materials required.
The Review Process
After you submit your application, you’ll receive notification of your status within 12-14 weeks.
- Eligibility Review: We review all projects against the eligibility criteria and confirm that applications are fully complete. If your project is unable to be considered for funding, we’ll notify you that it’s ineligible.
- Reader Review: Each eligible application is assigned at least two reviewers, one of whom is an ITVS staff member.
- Notification of Advancement: A small group of top applicants is chosen to advance as finalists. You’ll receive an email letting you know if you’ve been selected.
- Feasibility Review: Advancing submissions will be asked to submit a full development budget and answer additional production questions.
- Panel Review: A panel reviews all treatments, screens work-in-progress samples, discusses the merit of each project, and recommends a slate.
- Selection and Invitation for Development Funding: Selected applicants receive notification inviting them to enter the contracting process.
Development and Fellowship Participation
Short Web Series Projects
We provide early-stage support up to $10,000 to develop your series concept. Selected projects will be considered for additional funding up to $15,000 to complete a pilot episode up to 20 minutes in length. Those selected will submit their pilots for series co-production consideration at the end of the program.
Feature Documentary Projects
We provide up to $10,000 in funding to advance story development on digital-first standalone feature documentaries. From these projects, certain projects may receive a second round of funding up to $30,000 to further develop their pre-production materials.
The ITVS Incubator Fund doesn’t just support the development of your project—it’s a three- to six-month incubator designed to advance your program materials while growing skills within a community of documentary makers.
During the program, we provide you with editorial feedback that will help you develop a proposal, work sample and/or pilot, and a project plan—all materials that will prepare you for consideration of a second round of development funding and future co-production funding. You will also join a small cohort of storytellers who will meet regularly and virtually for workshops, skills sharing, and mentorship.
You own copyright and maintain full editorial, creative, and financial control of your project.
Funded projects will be expected to: acknowledge the development support from ITVS in all film and publicity materials; cooperate with ITVS publicity protocols; provide timely information to ITVS about project activities, including notification of and request for approval of any major changes to the project; and submit contract deliverables.