SMALL GRANTS IN THE ARTS

   Application Guidelines

   Film Grants

Application Form

   FILM GRANTS

The Fleishhacker Foundation makes grants to film projects in its Small Grants in the Arts program. Please obtain complete application guidelines for further detail on the type of grants made and application review criteria. The Foundation is more interested in supporting an artist’s vision than educational documentaries. The Foundation only funds the post production phase of the project (i.e. a full rough cut is complete and a sample of the current work is available). We are interested in artists at any point in their careers; we do not make grants to film students. Most grants are in the range of $1,000 - $5,000. Artists may only apply once for any given film project. Please note that the project budget should not include the cost of purchasing major equipment items.

The Foundation is interested in supporting local artists who are creating a body of work over time. Artists apply for a grant to support one of their current projects, using a fiscal sponsor organization. We prefer that a Bay Area arts organization serve as the fiscal sponsor. A letter from the fiscal sponsor stating the terms of their support and their agreement with the artist must be included with the grant application.

There are two review cycles per year. Deadlines for grant proposals are January 15 deadline for May decisions, and July 15 for October decisions. Be sure to request current application deadlines before applying, as the dates may change in future cycles.

When filling out the application form, include contact information for both the fiscal sponsor and for the filmmaker. The annual budget size question relates to the fiscal sponsor. However, artists who keep annual financial records for their production company should also attach the most recent financial statement. Filmmakers should answer only the questions that pertain to their project and ignore questions not relevant (those directed to organizational applicants). Applicants can selectively answer the questions and add their own brief narrative of 1 or 2 pages (maximum) if they wish.

The required attachments are: One copy of a full rough cut (first edited cut), a filmography, and a complete project budget from the filmmaker. From the fiscal sponsor we need an annual organizational budget, financial statements, board of directors list, and tax-exempt status letter. In the case of San Francisco Film Society and Bay Area Video Coalition sponsored projects, we only need the letter indicating they are supporting the project, not the organizational attachments. Please note that all our letters go to the fiscal sponsor, and they are responsible for informing filmmakers of the status of their grant proposal.

Our review committee will assess the project’s artistic clarity and craft from the rough cut work sample (of the film for which funding is sought), cued to a representative section. Please send with a return postage-paid mailer. Artists may also include a statement about the status of the work.

Fleishhacker Foundation, P.O. Box 29918, San Francisco CA 94129-0918
415/561-5350 www.fleishhackerfoundation.org