Looking for Documentary Funding?

You already know the story you need to tell. The harder part is finding the money to tell it.

Documentary funding is fragmented. Grants are buried in foundation websites. Eligibility requirements shift year to year. Application windows open and close with no notice. And even when you find an opportunity, it's rarely clear how to position your film to stand out.

Most documentary filmmakers don't fail because their story isn't good enough. They fail to get funded because they're navigating a million things that aren't related to their ability to tell their story.

New Hollywood seeks to change that with curated funding sources, direct guidance, and a network built specifically for independent documentary creators.

Find resources for your film

What You Get When You Apply

Qualified filmmakers get access to:

Curated Documentary Funding Sources

Vetted opportunities matched to your project's subject matter, stage, and budget range.

Positioning Guidance

Direct feedback on how to present your film to interested grantmakers, financiers, and the public at large, to maximize your budget.

Development, production, and post-production opportunities included. USE WHAT I SAID IN THE LAST ONE.

Funding At Every Stage

Sponsorship Access

Documentary Grants by Subject

Social impact, cultural, investigative, personal narrative: we match by theme, not just format. The right grants for your specific story.

Ongoing Access

As new opportunities open, qualified sponsees are notified directly. No more checking dead lists or missing application windows.

We Support All Projects Made by Creators Who Value The Health and Happiness of Their Workers

Your documentary doesn't have to be changing the world to be worthy of support. What matters is how you're making your film. These are projects currently supported within the New Hollywood network:

Character-Driven · Psychological · KPOP Culture

Local News

A short video doc aiming to pull together what's been missing in menstrual cycle education.

Live and In Person is a sapphic psychological thriller. This experimental film combines live stage performances with "Art House" narrative filmmaking.

Festival-Credentialed · Narrative Drama

Social Themes · Psychological Focus

Series from Mortonvilde Productions, one of our partner companies, covering the happenings of Madison, New Jersey.

Sasaeng

The PBAC

Live and In Person

Challenges Documentary Filmmakers Face

These common pitfalls can ruin great documentaries before they even reach production.

No access to the right networks.

The most relevant funding for documentaries isn't always public-facing. Foundation grants, fiscal sponsorship programs, and private funding channels are often relationship-driven. Without a network, you're applying blind.

Applications that don't match what funders actually want.

Most filmmakers write grant applications the way they'd pitch to an audience, full of emotion and narrative arc. Most funders evaluate projects on impact potential, execution track record, and budget realism. These are different languages. Not knowing the difference costs you the grant.

Weak positioning.

Funders receive hundreds of applications. If your documentary isn't framed around a clear subject, a defined audience, and a compelling reason why now, it won't move forward, regardless of how strong the footage is.

1

2

3

Three Steps to Documentary Funding

The Process

Tell us about your documentary: subject, stage, format, and what funding you're looking for. The interest form is short and focused.

01

Apply

Every submission is reviewed by a real person. We assess concept clarity, development stage, and funding fit. No automated filters.

02

We Review

Sponsored projects get direct access to curated funding opportunities, positioning guidance, and a clear path to applications built to convert.

03

Access + Next Steps