Catapult Film Fund 2025

Opportunity type: Fund

For: Filmmakers

Deadline: 08/09/2025

Rewards: Up to $25k + mentorship + more

Location Eligibility: Worldwide

About this opportunity

The Catapult Film Fund provides critical early-stage funding and mentorship for nonfiction filmmakers with distinctive, story-driven, and cinematic films. The Development Grant supports films in development or early production, aiming to help create a fundraising piece. Projects must be at least 28 minutes long and have secured access to story and characters. The Project Accelerator focuses on films exploring the intersection of technology and society. Catapult prioritizes artful, moving storytelling with contemporary relevance and originality.

Please note: If selected, grantees must have a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor to officially accept the award.

Rewards

• Grants between $5,000 and $25,000 USD
• Mentorship and editorial support
• Industry connections and strategic advice
• Two progress calls (mid-grant and final)
• Promotion via Catapult channels
  

Eligibility

• Applicants (Project Director) must be 18 years or older and cannot be enrolled in an academic institution.
• Documentaries must be in development or early production with an intended length of 28 minutes or longer.
• Grant funds must specifically be used to create a fundraising piece, which may include writing, shooting and editing once story and characters are in place.
• Applicants must own the copyright of their production and have artistic, budgetary, and editorial control over their project.
• Directors can only submit one application per cycle. Catapult does not support filmmakers who are actively contracted with another CFF-supported project and have not completed the final deliverables listed in the Guidelines sections.
• Previously submitted applications must demonstrate significant changes to the story, characters or project development. If the application has been declined multiple times, we highly recommend you to evaluate whether your project aligns with our guidelines.
• Applicants should have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (director, co-director, producer, co-producer) as demonstrated via key creative personnel filmography and/or visual samples. This may include, but is not limited to, credits and/or materials from the filmmaking team’s previously completed feature-length documentaries.
• Catapult does not make grants to individuals. If selected, applicants must be able to accept grants through a 501(c)(3) organization such as a fiscal sponsor. Projects may apply without a fiscal sponsor but must confirm the designated organization in order to receive funding.

Entry Fee

Free to enterHow to Apply

Apply using the link: Catapult Film Fund

All questions regarding this award should be sent to info@catapultfilmfund.org