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 by design. 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 system that was never built to be easy to navigate.

New Hollywood exists 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 — not a generic database.

Positioning Guidance

Write a short text about your service. Highlight key benefits for potential clients.

Development, production, and post-production opportunities included. You don't need a finished film to start building your funding strategy.

Funding At Every Stage

Membership 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 members are notified directly. No more checking dead lists or missing application windows.

We Support Story-Driven Projects With Strong Thematic Focus

These are projects currently in development or supported within the New Hollywood network:

Character-Driven · Psychological · KPOP Culture

Sasaeng

Developed by a filmmaker with a proven festival track record, Vision brings both story discipline and execution credibility — two things documentary funders weight heavily when evaluating applications.

With a grounded concept and strong thematic intent, A Meaningful Night represents the kind of purposeful storytelling that aligns with impact-focused funding streams and documentary grant criteria.

Festival-Credentialed · Narrative Drama

Social Themes · Psychological Focus

A film built around obsession and identity — the kind of thematic depth that resonates with cultural and arts funders. Demonstrates exactly the type of layered character work that makes a project stand out in competitive funding pools.

Sasaeng

Vision

A Meaningful Night

Our services

Provide a general summary of the services you provide, highlighting key features and benefits for potential clients.

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 — with 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.

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Three Steps to Documentary Funding

The Process

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

01

Apply

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

02

We Review

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

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Access + Next Steps