Funding Opportunities
Please note that funding programs are in a constant state of flux. Much of this information is already out of date but the links should take you to the latest information about each fund.
Astral Media: The Harold Greenberg Fund
Astral Media
Astral Media: The Harold Greenberg Fund is a national, non-profit organization that supports the development, production and promotion of Canadian projects which exhibit both superior screenwriting and the potential to generate critical acclaim and success with audiences through a theatrical release and on pay TV and on-demand platforms.
http://www.astralmedia.com/en/theharoldgreenbergfund/financing/default.idigit
Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund
Bell
The Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund advances the Canadian broadcasting system by encouraging and funding the creation of excellent Canadian digital media, promoting partnerships and sustainable businesses in the broadcast and new media sectors, engaging in research and sharing knowledge and enhancing the national and international profiles of industry stakeholders.
Deadlines: Feb, May, October 1st.
http://www.ipf.ca/Bell/English/BellFund.html
Bravo! FACT (Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent)
CTV
Bravo! FACT’s objectives are to: stimulate public interest in Canadian excellence in the arts, encourage the creation of new ways of presenting the arts on television, increase public recognition of Canadian artists and their works, and to provide professional opportunities for film and video-makers.
http://www.bravofact.com/about/index.asp
Canada Feature Film Fund – Development, Production and Marketing Programs
Telefilm Canada
The spirit and intent of the Canada Feature Film Fund’s development, production and marketing programs (the Main programs) is to encourage the making and marketing of Canadian feature films that have high box office potential, while supporting a range of genres, budgets, companies and regions.
http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/03/311.asp?fond_id=1
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Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit
Canadian Heritage
Under the CPTC program, CAVCO performs two distinct functions: 1) Canadian content certification, and 2) estimation of the eligible expenses of production. In order for a production to qualify as Canadian content for tax credit purposes through CAVCO, the production must meet specific criteria for key creative personnel and production costs, which are outlined in our guidelines.
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/bcpac-cavco/pgm/cipc-cptc/cipc-cptc-eng.cfm
Canadian Television Fund (Soon to be Canadian Media Fund)
Telefilm Canada
The CTF allocates funds to eligible Canadian programming through a five stream model. Each stream has a unique focus, evaluation criteria and funding mechanisms which are laid out in its own set of Guidelines. 1) Broadcaster Performance Envelope (BPE) stream the BPE is the flagship stream of the CTF. The majority of production funding is delivered through this stream.
2) Aboriginal-language Projects stream this special initiative specifically supports independent Aboriginal producers. 3) French-language Projects Outside Quebec stream. This is a special initiative intended to support French-language projects outside of the province of Quebec.
4) Development Financing stream This special initiative supports the development of Canadian television programs through four sub-streams. 5) Versioning Assistance stream The goal of this special initiative is to increase the availability of CTF-financed television programs to Canadians in English, French and Aboriginal languages.
http://www.ctf-fct.ca/ctf_home_en.html or http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/03/311.asp?fond_id=2
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COGECO Program Development Fund
COGECO Inc
The COGECO Program Development Fund encourages the development and the production of new Canadian drama by Canadian writers to be produced by independent Canadian producers, in English or French, or (preferably) in both languages. 1. The Development Program :
Loans for the Pre-development of dramatic television programming including television series, MOW’s and miniseries; Loans for the Development of dramatic television programming including television series, MOW’s, miniseries and multiplatform content; Loans for the Development of Theatrical Feature Film (corporate loans for companies with a slate of theatrical feature films in development).
2. The Production Program : Equity investments for the production of MOWs, mini-series and pilots Equity investments for the production of dramatic series.
http://www.ipf.ca/Cogeco/English/HomePageCogeco.html
Corus Made With Pay Fund
Corus Entertainment
The Corus Made with Pay Fund is funded by Movie Central and provides critical funding to Canadian creative teams to assist in the development of scripts based on books, plays, short stories and original concepts and documentaries. The Fund supports projects at various stages – optioning underlying properties, bible/treatment, first draft, second draft and polish script development for production.
http://www.corusent.com/home/CorusentFiles/files/IndustryTalentDev/MadeWithPayFundGuidlines.pdf
Development Information Program’s (DIP) Mass Media Initiative (MMI)
Canadian International Development Agency
Development Information Program’s (DIP) Mass Media Initiative (MMI) financially supports television, radio, print, exhibitions, and new media projects that are aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of international development and cooperation issues among Canadian audiences, through the innovative use of mass media.
Festivals Performance Program / Skills and Screens Program
Telefilm Canada
The objectives of the two programs reflect Telefilm’s core objectives: to increase audiences for Canadian content, to develop the capacity of Canada’s film, television and interactive media industries, and to offer added-value to Canadians by operating as an effective and efficient administrator. The Festivals Performance Program offers envelopes to feature film festivals with attendance figures of 100 000 and above. The Skills and Screens Program is aimed at festivals and at professional development activities.
http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/03/311.asp?fond_id=5
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Grants to Film and Video Artists
Canada Council for the Arts
The Grants to Film and Video Artists program supports Canadian professional independent artists who use cinema and video as a mode of artistic expression, and provides them with opportunities for creative renewal and for production of independent film and video works. Deadline: 1 March or 1 October
http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/mediaarts/cn127221225398593750.htm
Grants to New Media and Audio Artists: Research/Creation Grants, Production Grants and Scriptwriting Grants
Canada Council for the Arts
The Grants to Film and Video Artists program supports Canadian professional independent artists who use cinema and video as a mode of artistic expression, and provides them with opportunities for creative renewal and for production of independent film and video works. Deadline: 1 October 1 March
http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/mediaarts/cn127221225398593750.htm
Independent Production Fund
Independent Production Fund
The Independent Production Fund provides equity investments to encourage the production of prime-time dramatic series and dramatic children’s series, produced by independent Canadian producers for private sector broadcasters, in English or French. The Fund provides financing in two separate areas:
A. series production B. professional development grants to television organizations and associations
http://www.ipf.ca/IPF/English/guidelines.html
Island Media Arts Co-op Production Fund
The Island Media Arts Co-op provides grants to IMAC Producer Members for independent media arts projects. Grants can currently include in-kind equipment. Producer members must submit a grant application. There are no deadlines. Grant applications are assessed by the Production Committee and granted as available.
Application Forms available at http://islandmedia.pe.ca/resources/funding-opportunies/
Journalism and Development Initiative
Canadian International Development Agency
Journalism and Development Initiative, a component of CIDA’s Development Information Program, aims to support activities proposed by Canadian journalists who are interested in enhancing their professional experience in the field of international development and cooperation.
http://w3.acdi-cida.gc.ca/CIDAWEB/acdicida.nsf/En/JUD-12184515-J5W
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National Production Program
Canadian Film & Television Production Association
The National Production Program is administered by the CFTPA National Mentorship Program and offers participants the opportunity to gain work experience in the film, television and interactive media production industry. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Career Focus Program, the National Production Program emphasizes administration, management and technical skills. Interns may participate in placements with either a technical or an administrative focus.
http://www.cftpa.ca/mentorship/programs_and_application_forms/
Official Languages Activities Program
Telefilm Canada
The objective of the Program is aligned to Telefilm Canada’s corporate objective of building capacity for the industry. More specifically, events and initiatives offered are aligned with the strategic priorities identified for the Industry Development Operations department and the targeted priorities specific to each linguistic market. Expected outcomes of the Program Telefilm Canada will provide strategic project financing to creators in official-language minority language communities for professional training development and product assistance (development and production). Industry professionals in official-language minority communities will benefit from high quality training initiatives produced by Telefilm Canada. In the longer term, it is expected that creators in official-language minority communities will have the skills and tools to better access Telefilm’s main funds: Canada Feature Film Fund and the Canada New Media Fund.
http://www.telefilm.gc.ca/alo/index.asp
Rogers Cable Network Fund
Rogers wireless
The goal of Rogers Cable Network Fund is to encourage the production of cable network programming from across the country. To achieve this, the Fund will invest up to 20% of the lesser of the total production budget or final cost of eligible projects to a maximum of $500,000 per project. The Fund supports the following programming genres: drama; documentaries; children’s programming; educational; instructional; performing arts and variety programming.
Rogers Documentary Fund
Rogers Wireless
Rogers established the Rogers Documentary Fund in 1996 to foster the growth of documentary film production in this country in both official languages. Its creation will help sustain Canada’s tradition of quality, independently produced documentary films and videos and ensure that these productions are seen by the widest possible audience. To secure documentary filmmakers the opportunity to make their art, the Fund will provide financing to original, high-quality, provocative and/or controversial documentaries which are licensed for prime time national broadcast. There will be up to three funding deadlines per year.
Rogers Telefund
Rogers Wireless
Rogers Telefund operates primarily as an interim or bridge lender, advancing funds against secured commitments to eligible, independent Canadian producers in order that production can be completed before all production financing payments are advanced. Secured commitments usually take the form of Canadian broadcast license agreements and funding agencies’ equity investment agreements and commitments from the Canadian Television Fund. The Telefund’s interim loans fulfill a critical need in the financing of independent Canadian productions by providing funds when they are most needed — at the production stage.
Rogers Wireless Mobile Content Fund
Rogers Wireless
Rogers Wireless has created the Rogers Wireless Mobile Content Fund to help develop the mobile content market. Creating original quality content for the mobile platform requires a different approach to production than traditional television and feature film production. Rogers has made a significant commitment to Canadian programming through the Rogers Group of Funds.
Shaw Rocket Fund
Shaw
The Shaw Rocket Fund is a permanent, independently governed, not-for-profit corporation that provides equity financing for the production of high quality Canadian children’s, youth and family programming for television. Shaw Rocket funding is intended to support projects that are primarily targeted to children. We fund fiction or non-fiction programs, including series, pilots, specials, documentaries, variety, animation, made-for-television movies and feature films.
http://www.rocketfund.ca/en/application_form.asp
Telefilm Producer Trainee Program
Canadian Film & Television Production Association
This program gives members of visible minority groups and people of aboriginal descent the opportunity to gain above-the-line production experience. The program emphasizes one-on-one mentoring in a production environment, creating enhanced professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-level professionals. Their on-the-job training creates employment prospects, gives participants production credits, solidifies their skills, and allows
them to compete for mid-level positions in the sector.
http://www.cftpa.ca/mentorship/programs_and_application_forms/telefilm_producer_trainee_program/