Overview The Non-Fiction Core Application Project is a collaborative effort by a group of documentary funders, with the goal of alleviating some of the burden of proposal writing through the standardization of application requirements. The application aims to provide you with the opportunity to share your story, its significance, your filmmaking style, the team involved, your financial plan, the production schedule, how you plan to distribute the film, and a visual representation of your work.Ê WeÕve put together a resource with advice for each section of the application to help you write a proposal that is specific, thoughtful, and reflective of your project. Having reviewed thousands of grant applications, sat on many panels for multiple organizations, and been involved in awarding millions of dollars in grants, we want all filmmakers to have access to this information and the advice weÕve developed over the years.Ê Although some organizations may add their own unique questions, having thorough responses to these prompts ready and waiting will help you apply for funding throughout the year! General Tips The process of grant writing can be daunting and feel academic in nature. You can mitigate this by leaning into your strengths as a storyteller. Approach your grant applications like you are telling three stories: 1) The story of you: what made you want to create this film and why are you strongly positioned to make it? 2) The story of the film: what has the journey of making the film been like? What are your current challenges and how do you plan to resolve them? 3) The story within your film: what happens in the film, including elements like a traditional Òbeginning, middle, and endÓ structure and character arcs? Focus on the story elements instead of listing facts. This will help readers to connect with your project. Your written responses, visual materials, and budget should complement each other, with each piece adding to a cohesive whole. Some reviewers will read materials first and then watch the sample while others watch first and then read. Your application should be equally clear and compelling regardless of which order your materials are reviewed.Ê One of the most impactful ways to make your grant application stand out is to keep your writing specific and rooted in your singular perspective. Ideally, the vast majority of your application should include sentences that only you could write about your project. The frequent use of vague or clichŽ phrases not only causes them to lose their meaning and power but also limits opportunities for you to share fresh ideas expressed in creative, compelling ways that make your application pop. Some of the most common examples weÕve seen include phrases like ÒNow more than everÉÓ and ÒDavid vs. Goliath story.Ó Review your materials or ask for help from peers to identify which sentences are vague or clichŽ and could beÑand likely areÑin other filmmakersÕ applications.Ê Be sure to conduct thorough research on each funder you are applying to, assess if you are a strong fit, and tailor your application to that funderÕs focus areas and interests, whether the funderÕs interests are related to project stage, subject matter, artistic approach, and/or other areas. You do not need to write entirely new applications for each, but find a few sentences throughout that can be tailored to that particular funder. But please (please!) double-check that you donÕt include the wrong organizationÕs name in your application. ItÕs likely not a dealbreaker but it does pull attention from your application. Most funders support a very low percentage of applicants - often just 1 or 2%. If it really feels like a stretch, save your time, energy, and submission fees for another opportunity thatÕs a better fit. Submission fees can add up quickly! Consider how else you might use some of those funds. If you opt out of submitting to 5 long-shot grants, could you put that money towards hiring a designer to help polish a strong deck?Ê Create a clear and simple resource for tracking your grant applications to ensure you are leaving yourself enough time to work on those applications and do not miss deadlines. Airtable is our go-to database because it can arrange and sort information in dynamic, useful ways throughout the lifecycle of your project. Many features are intuitive but the internet is full of videos, forums, and templates that can walk you through how to set up your Airtable Workspace to meet your needs. Avoid hyperbole. When writing grant applications or pitches, refrain from using language like Òthis is the first film toÉÓ or Òthis is the only film exploringÉÓ Reviewers may start to question your accuracy and knowledge of the landscape or disagree with your assessment. This can create an unnecessary distraction. Get comfortable using a thesaurus to avoid repeating words throughout your application. Our go-to resource for this is OneLook!Ê When writing grants, frame your challenges as opportunities. Instead of trying to hide your projectÕs biggest challenges or unknowns, state your challenge clearly, lay out the steps you will take to find the answer, and describe how funding will allow you to follow that process, and surmount the challenge. Doing this demonstrates self-awareness, frames funding as a partnership, and clarifies the specific value a grant will provide. The process of reviewing written grant applications is imperfect. Because you are not in the room to clarify anything or answer questions, try to preempt what questions could arise from a panel. This can be a great thing to ask of a peer, especially anyone you know who may have sat on a review panel before. An example of leaving things open-ended is an application that says the grant funds will be used to resolve a legal issue. It could be as straightforward as securing a complex archival license, or it could be as serious as a key participant wanting to revoke their releases. Leave as little room for interpretation and uncertainty as possible. Strong grant applications avoid repetition and contradiction throughout! Logline: 2-3 sentence summary of the project that captures the most important elementsÐsetting, participants, key issues, and form. Loglines are hard to craft and will likely evolve over time. Just because this question is first does not mean you need to crack it first. If youÕre struggling, use a placeholder or leave it blank and come back to it after youÕve spent time honing your other responses.Ê Spend time reading the loglines of comparable films or films you love. Assess what you like about them and what doesnÕt resonate or may not serve you and your project. Your logline alone wonÕt make or break a strong application, but you will want to establish some core elements: - Who are the key protagonists - What is the Òconflict,Ó in a traditional or non-traditional sense - What are the stakes Think of your logline as the heart of your story, distilled into one or two compelling sentences that capture the essence and uniqueness of your film. Avoid getting bogged down in plot details and focus on the core concept that makes your story stand out. Your goal is to foster intrigue and make someone want to know more about your story Ð or better yet, watch it! Topic Summary (250-750 words): Explain the topic, theme, context, stakes, relevance, or questions that youÕre exploring in your project. While this section will inevitably feel more intellectual than others, donÕt lose sight of what makes your story moving and human! Identify the real heart of the issue(s) and share the most pertinent, compelling information. You do not need to oversell the importance of the issue (e.g., my film about microplastics deals with the issue of climate change, which impacts all 8 billion people in the world). Demonstrating a clear understanding of your subject matter, its nuances, and which groups are most directly impacted will instill trust in reviewers.Ê Be as specific as possible, and highlight aspects of the subject matter that are less commonly addressed in film. A funder will be less clear about the value of a film that is described as centering a very broad topic, as opposed to a specific sub-topic within a wider issue area that most viewers may not have any or substantial awareness of. If you are presenting data or research conclusions, be sure to reference your sources. If you have the space to do so towards the end of this section, you can plant seeds about how you will address the topics in the film through your community engagement and impact activities, if that is a priority for you. Film Summary (250-750 words): Give an overview introducing the main participants and plot points in the film. If your project is non-narrative or not character-driven, what is your concept, and how is it constructed? Please be clear about the elements of your story that remain unknown or unclear and highlight the questions that may steer its direction.Ê ItÕs easy to get in your head about writing grants but try to put that aside and tap into your creative storytelling skills to reflect the most compelling version of the film.Ê As much as you can, approach this and other sections as exercises that are necessary for seeking funding but also useful to your own filmmaking process. Once you are able to articulate your film in clear terms, this can help you in a range of ways, from shaping your edit to preparing you to verbally pitch the project.Ê While the bulk of your visual approach will be described later in the application, you can start to evoke the look, feel, and sound of your film in this section. Instead of simply describing a series of events or a characterÕs motivation, choose well-placed details that help a reader close their eyes and imagine the film unfolding. What does the location feel like? Is it humid? Lush? How does a character move? What do they wear? What is the in-person dynamic between your protagonist and other characters? If it can go in the topic summary, donÕt include it here. Always come back to the story. ItÕs okay if you donÕt know how things are going to play out but establish clear stakes so that grant reviewers understand potential conflicts and outcomes.Ê If you do know how things are going to play out, then compellingly frame them but avoid adding an artificial cliffhanger or keeping the review panelists in the dark. Artistic Approach (250-750 words): Describe your artistic vision for your project. What are the formal elements of the project, including any artistic devices, visual and audio elements? Does this project fit within or reference any specific filmmaking or narrative traditions? Be protective of this section and donÕt include anything that can easily fit into another section such as your Filmmaker Statement. Focus on the cinematic experience. What will the audience see, hear, and feel? When introducing artistic devices - particularly ones that you arenÕt yet able to incorporate into your work sample such as animation, recreations, or voiceover - be sure to explain why you made that choice and what you hope to evoke. Reviewers will want to feel confident that you donÕt simply like the idea of using a specific device, especially when itÕs something ÒtrendyÓ based on recently successful films. They want to trust that this aspect of your approach is essential to realizing the story you want to tell.Ê If you are using a range of artistic devices, do your best to convey how they will be integrated to create an organic, cohesive whole, and how you might avoid a feeling of disjointedness or disorientation when moving between them. If you have a nascent idea that youÕre unsure about, it may be best to leave it out of the application until itÕs more fully formed.Ê If there is something you know you want to evoke in the audience but arenÕt yet sure how youÕll achieve it, you can write that your artistic practice will involve exploring how to achieve that piece of your vision and explain why identifying the right approach is important for the film. This is an opportunity to invite reviewers into your artistic process. Describe how you will explore this aspect of the film, for example, the specific kinds of visual or audio experimentation you plan to undertake, and how you will follow those paths to realize your artistic ambition. Aim for the space between staying too high-level (e.g. only naming that you are combining observational filmmaking and archival footage without delving deeper) and very technical (e.g. getting hyper-specific about your equipment). Questions to answer might be: do you favor a hand-held camera, close-ups, wide shots? Are you telling a story through shots that you hold for a significant amount of time? Are you relying on music or diegetic sound? What is the quality of that soundscape? If the film is non-linear, why is it structured that way, and how, more specifically, is that structure shaped? Be careful when using other films as comparisons.Ê - The reader wants to understand your unique vision. Often, dozens of applications will reference the same popular independent films to the point that the comparisons begin to lose meaning to the review panel. Comparisons can also be confusing. If you write that your project is ÒX FilmÓ meets ÒY Film,Ó the reviewer might become distracted by the question: what would that even look like? If you include comparisons, be specific about which element of a film or filmmakerÕs style informs how you want to make your film and why. Include more niche films that demonstrate a deep understanding of your own creative vision and what you are working to achieve.Ê - One area in which comparisons can be useful is in evoking one aspect of your film that is difficult to explain in writing. For example, if you are utilizing a specific animation style, you might say that you were inspired by how a film you love brings a characterÕs dreams to life in a way that observational storytelling couldnÕt accomplish.Ê Filmmaker Statement (125-250 words per statement) to be completed by Director(s) and/or Producer(s): Explain who you are as a filmmaker, and if applicable, how this project is expanding or evolving your creative practice. What does success look like for you as an artist? What are the creative, professional, or holistic barriers and challenges you are facing? This is a great section to add 1 or 2 sentences about why this specific program youÕre applying to is an ideal fit for you and the project. The most compelling responses answer the question ÒWhy are you the person to tell this story?Ó without writing ÒI am the best person to tell this story becauseÉÓÊ ItÕs good to be vulnerable about what made you want to tell this story and why AND you do not owe anyone personal or emotional information that you donÕt want to share. You can still avoid being vague (e.g. I care about this issue because of something that happened to my family) and speak with meaning and specificity (e.g. Growing up, I knew many families impacted by X but it wasnÕt until adulthood that I learned that my hometown had the second highest rate of Y in the state).Ê Funders tend to be drawn to projects that represent a meaningful or catalytic moment in a filmmakerÕs career. Try to describe how your artistic trajectory to date brought you to the place of wanting to make this film, and how undertaking this project will deepen your filmmaking practice or take it in a new, meaningful direction.Ê While you delve into the complicated question of who you are as an artist, donÕt forget to incorporate answers to the other questions in this prompt, including what success looks like and what challenges you are facing. Connection, POV, and Accountability Sections Overview We are grateful that these questions have been brought to the foreground of grant applications and we also recognize that it can be difficult to distinguish between the different sections. Before you start answering these questions individually, map out the points you want to make and which section they belong in to avoid creating repetition in your writing. Each question is an opportunity to share something new about your perspective and approach. The recently updated version of the Core Application includes more direction about where to find relevant information associated with that particular question: - Accountability and Community Care: DAWGÕs Framework for Values Ethics and Accountability in Nonfiction FilmmakingÊ - Safety and Security: Safe + Secure Handbook developed by Doc Society - Accessibility: FWD-Doc Toolkit and FWD-Doc Engagement Pack The responses to these questions are intended to illuminate your practice and approach; they arenÕt meant to be ÒgotchaÓ questions, and you donÕt want to come from a place of defensiveness. If you donÕt have a solid answer to one of the questions, consider why thatÕs the case and what you might do to address that.Ê Have ongoing conversations and set clear expectations with your team members. If thereÕs anything in your application that you would not want a collaborator to see, reflect on how that dynamic will impact your film and your team. Connection and Point of View (125-250 words): What is your connection to the story (i.e., to the participants, themes, community, location, archives, etc.)? How do your interests, motivations, and/or worldview shape your approach to this story? What lens, perspective, insights, or bias do you bring to the story? If you do have a significant personal connection to the story, and are comfortable sharing it, you can describe it in this section or the filmmaker statement. You might explore, in particular, evoking that experience with specific imagery or stories, for example, a moment of revelation or a memory of a family member. If there is a substantial gap between your lived experience and the experiences of the individuals at the center of the film, or between your perspective and biases and the perspective and biases of those in the film, donÕt shy away from addressing them. Instead, articulate how you will navigate these differences in all their complexity throughout the lifecycle of the film. Accountability and Community Care (125-250 words): Describe your ethical considerations and practices of accountability in your filmmaking process. This can include a description of your guiding values, processes of establishing and maintaining ongoing consent, providing transparency about your filmmaking processes, collecting feedback etc. For example: How do you reflect on and address the potential consequences of your storytelling choices on participants, audiences, your crew, and/or other stakeholders? What activities or strategies do you use to implement your values as they relate to care for yourself and others? There are no singular right answers to these questions. Reflect on your topic and what elements are most important. An investigative exposŽ, a personal film, and an archival documentary will each have different frameworks and considerations.Ê If the film might create an intense experience for audiences, consider how you might provide space for their processing, reflection, and access to support resources. When referring to DAWGÕs Framework for Values Ethics and Accountability in Nonfiction Filmmaking, identify which practices youÕve already implemented and which you plan to and why.Ê Ensure you are not only considering the development and production stages. Be particularly mindful of how the release of the film will affect the filmÕs participants.Ê How will you communicate about and prepare participants for a festival premiere or wider release? Will you give them access to the film ahead of time? Will there be avenues to discuss any concerns they have? What environment will you create for them for their viewing and festival experience? Many documentaries have a profound mental and emotional impact on the filmmaking team and crew, and some result in secondary trauma. In considering how to mitigate that impact on your team, you can connect with or refer to resources from organizations that include Film in Mind and Documentality.Ê Safety and Security (50-100 words): If relevant, please reflect on any known safety and security concerns throughout the lifecycle of your project Ñ from development through distribution. How will you mitigate risks (digital, physical, legal, etc.) to your participants and crew? Even if your participants have expressed that they understand the risks they are taking, ensure that you are consulting with relevant experts throughout your project and plan for checkpoints to affirm participantsÕ continued understanding of and acceptance of those risks. Think about this question carefully, but if there are not strong safety and security questions for your film, you can state that in a few words. If you need to seek consultation related to the safety and security of your crew and participants such as legal guidance, make sure those costs are properly reflected in your budget.Ê The UCLA Documentary Film Legal Clinic can be a great resource for pro bono consultation.Ê Accessibility (50-100 words): If applicable, how do you intend to make your film and/or production accessible to D/deaf, blind/low vision, disabled, and neurodiverse crew, participants, and audiences? Filmmakers tend to write similar descriptions of their accessibility plans. Be thoughtful about how your efforts to make your film accessible are specific to your film and its key audiences, and how you might go beyond technicalities and utilize elements like captions or audio description in an artistic and creative way. In addition to FWD: Doc resources, the Film Event Accessibility Working Group (FEAW) can serve as a useful resource for envisioning how screenings of your film might be more accessible to disabled audience members.Ê Ensure that the accessibility features and plans you describe are aligned with the items in your budget. You can also supplement those items that are fixed in the budget by describing, in your written application materials, additional accessibility elements you plan to fundraise for. Audience Consideration (50-100 words): Describe the audiences you would like your film to reach and why. How do you plan to reach and engage them? A specific, thoughtful list of enthusiastic target audiences is more impactful than a sprawling, unrealistic one (e.g. Òour target audience is single moms working multiple jobsÓ instead of Òevery woman who has or might have a childÓ) When writing this section, ask yourself: who are the specific groups you want to reach and where do those groups get information or recommendations from? Are there collectives, associations, social media groups, or organizations that these groups may belong to?Ê What barriers might those groups face in accessing the film and how can you help mitigate this? For example, if one of your target audiences is single moms working multiple jobs, how can you make it possible for them to see the film at a community event knowing their schedules and childcare needs may make it difficult to attend?Ê Demonstrating you understand your film on this level and that you know where to reach your most dedicated audiences gives funders confidence in you as the leader of your project. You can state that your aim is to reach a broad audience, but being considerate and clear about the geography, identity, experiences, and/or interests of the people who you are most invested in reaching will be compelling to reviewers. When talking about distribution, keep in mind that everyone in this field knows how challenging things are right now. What funders want to see from your distribution plan is pragmatism and an understanding of the specific film you have on your hands and how you might get the film into the hands of the people who most want or need to see it. Most filmmakers describe the same path to distribution: a premiere at a top-tier festival, a robust festival tour, streaming on a major platform, and an expansive community engagement campaign. Instead, be specific. Think about whatÕs most important to you, and which audiences are most likely to respond to your project. Cite opportunities like regional or subject-specific festivals, platforms that include films like yours, educational distribution opportunities, and specific communities and partners you plan to reach. This will help convince funders that you are tapped into the realities of the marketplace and thinking about creative alternatives to more traditional distribution routes. Intended Impact (50-100 words): Describe your vision for the influence the film will have. If relevant, what are the impact goals and strategies for your project? This section gives funders further insight into how you approach your work, including your creativity, resourcefulness, and practicality. They also understand that like films, impact plans naturally evolve over time. YouÕre putting on paper your plans based on what you know now, but this isnÕt a binding commitment to an impact campaign youÕll implement years in the future. DonÕt oversell the importance of the topic or the potential impact of the film. Funders do not expect that your film, on its own, will solve a complex societal or structural problem. A realistic plan that can be implemented is more compelling than a sprawling, grandiose plan that would take tremendous resources to achieve. Identify impact goals that are within an aspirational but reasonable middle ground, and be sure you are accounting for the time it will take to implement them. For example, be mindful about stating you will reach students in 100 schools across the country. Could you instead refrain from including a specific number and focus on schools in a particular region? Similarly to the audience consideration section, be specific and tap into what you really hope the film will achieve. Some filmmakers can be overly broad in this category, relying on hopes that the film will Òspark dialogueÓ or Ògenerate conversation.Ó ThatÕs an important aim, but what do you hope the film will spark dialogue about? To what end? Are you also hoping for decision-makers, such as politicians, to see the film, and in what context? What would be the desired effect of their viewing it? Are you hoping that audience members become aware of resources related to the subjects of your film? If so, how will you connect them to those resources? Resist the impulse to state that your film is the first to tackle this subject if that might not be the case. Research other films that explore your subject matter and consider referencing them and noting how your film builds on that collection of films with a unique and important addition informed by your specific approach. Fundraising Strategy: Describe the overall fundraising strategy and who from the team will lead these efforts for the film. This is another question that prompts similar responses from the majority of applicants. A brief but thoughtful and creative fundraising strategy can really stand out. Funders appreciate honesty about where you are in the fundraising process. The most important thing is to have a clear roadmap for how you will reach your fundraising goal. Being transparent and realistic about your project, its needs, and your capabilities will allow you to build trust with funders. While it can make sense to mention plans related to prominent funders (e.g. Sundance, IDA, Ford, Impact Partners), what are some less traditional fundraising strategies you might consider? Are there foundations that are not primarily focused on films but invested in the issues at the heart of your project that you might approach for funding? Is there a network of individual donors you might tap into? Might you build community partnerships as an avenue to both greater impact and issue-based funding? Grant Impact: Should you receive a grant, describe how any granted funds would be spent and how the funds would help you move forward with your project. Your response should reflect the size and nature of the grant. (e.g. If you are applying for a $10,000 grant, the response should not include, Òwrap production, finish post-production, license footage, make deferred payments, and hire a festival publicist).ÊÊ Grantors - especially if their grants are on the lower end - want to understand how their funding can have a substantial impact on your artistic process or the completion of the film. Be sure to outline how it will help, whether thatÕs shooting and editing a development trailer to unlock additional funding; archival research and licensing to assess what parts of the story have existing coverage and what you may need to supplement through further production; or hiring a composer early in the process to develop a sonic language that informs the edit.Ê If a grant comes with additional benefits, such as community-building opportunities, professional development services, mentorship, or other artist development support, be sure to speak to how those benefits will also be meaningful to your project and career. Project Stage and Timeline (50-100 words): In list form, outline the projected production timeline from the development of the project to the anticipated completion date. Please include major project activities, production schedules, and anticipated post-production and release dates. Make sure that you are regularly updating your project stage in your materials. This is an area where many applicants forget to make changes and submit materials that include an out-of-date stage or timeline. While all reviewers know timelines are fluid, it can create uncertainty if itÕs a production grant to be awarded in the fall, and your application states you plan to finish the film in the summer. Ensure that you are accounting for the decision-making timeline a grant-maker has, which is often many months. You should project being in the stage aligned with the grant when the grant decisions are made. For example, if you are applying for a research grant but you will be moving into production the following month, the opportunity is likely no longer a fit for your film. Funders understand that documentary filmmaking is typically not a linear process. For example, filmmakers are often continuing with production while beginning to edit the footage they have so far. If thatÕs the case, you are likely eligible for post-production grants even when you are still in production. Just be sure to clarify that the grant will support costs related to post-production. DirectorÕs Prior Work (50-100 words): We encourage applicants to include a link to a previous work (any length or genre) by the director. Emerging filmmakers with no previous directing experience may also apply without a previous directing sample or may provide a past work sample from another creative team member if attached (producer, cinematographer, editor, etc). Discuss the relevance of the work to the current project. If the current project is a departure from the previous work, how will this film differ? Select work that you are proud of, even if the style is less in keeping with the project you are applying with. If thatÕs the case, you can frame that work as a step in your evolution as an artist, and speak to the ways in which you are building on the filmmaking you have done to date as well as the creative, technical, and/or storytelling exploration that you are undertaking with this project. Current Sample/Rough Cut (50-100 words): What should reviewers be looking for in your sample? Explain what is present and absent in the sample, and how it will differ as a finished film. Describe how it is representative of the intended story, style, subject, or other aspect of the project. We encourage applicants not to spend extra resources creating a sample for each individual fund. If your current sample is outside of the suggested length requirements, please provide reviewers with the time codes of the portion of the sample that best reflects your intended style and approach (e.g., 3:15-12:15). Development applicants are encouraged (but not required) to include visual material such as scene selects, teasers, pitch decks, or other edited footage (up to 15 minutes); Production applicants are encouraged to submit a sample between 10 to 20 minutes. The sample should demonstrate your access to characters, visual treatment, and the developing tone and style. We encourage applicants to submit a complete scene that provides the viewer insight into the teamÕs ability to communicate their intention. Post-production applications require a sample of between 10-20 minutes that demonstrates access to characters, story arc or concept, and visual treatment. If available, a rough cut may be submitted. However, please refer to each organization's maximum length requirements. Ensure that this sample aligns with your written materials, particularly your artistic approach. For example, if you describe your film as having a non-linear structure or magical realist sensibility and submit a sample containing more traditional observational or interview-based filmmaking, you will likely leave reviewers confused and less confident about your understanding of your material.Ê If your sample is not in clear alignment with aspects of your written materials, be sure to explain why that is currently the case and, if appropriate to the grant, how additional support will help you to capture that footage and incorporate it into your sample.Ê While itÕs helpful for reviewers to get a sense of the scope of your project through this sample, generally, you should lean away from the entirety or majority of your sample consisting of a heavily-edited trailer. Reviewers want to get a sense of your storytelling style when it comes to a scene, character, and environment, and your filmmaking approach on a scene-by-scene basis. Often, a strong approach is to submit a sample that includes a more edited introduction to your film and then 1-3 scenes (depending on the required length of the sample) introducing reviewers more fully to the filmÕs participants and to your artistic sensibility and storytelling style. A Final Note We hope these tips help you refine written materials that can be used in your grant applications and pitch decks, and consider how you think and speak about your project. Keep in mind that for each opportunity, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of applications submitted. Focus on the things you can control: your materials, networking, research and education, and ability to think outside the box for alternative funding methods. Take a deep breath. YouÕve got this! About Us Jenny Slattery is the Co-Founder of Early Bird Films and the Director of Institutional Giving at SPUR. Previously, she was the Development Director at BAVC Media, where she leads the Development Team to sustain and grow BAVCÕs community of funders. She also served as the Associate Director of Foundations and Artist Development at SFFILM, where she led foundation and government fundraising for the organization and collaborated with her Artist Development colleagues to launch and sustain new granting, fellowship, and residency programs. She has worked independently as a consulting producer and artist development, organizational effectiveness, and fundraising consultant, providing guidance and support to independent filmmakers and organizations that include The New Orleans Film Society, Working Films, SFFILM, ITVS, Group Nine Media, Kartemquin Films, OneGoal, I AM ALS, NatureBridge, and Peer Health Exchange. She has served as a juror at the Indie Grits, Hot Springs, and New Orleans film festivals and creative advisor and mentor for BAVC Media, Film Independent, and SFFILMÕs FilmHouse Residency Program. Lauren Kushner is the Co-Founder of Early Bird Films. Before launching Early Bird, Lauren was the Director of Artist Development at SFFILM where she oversaw the Artist Development program and strategy along with filmmaker programs including grants and a robust residency program. Prior to joining SFFILM, Lauren spent six years at Participant Media in the feature documentary and film marketing divisions. In a range of roles, she vetted project submissions, supported films and filmmakers internally, worked on festival and distribution strategies, and helped create and implement marketing, social media, and impact campaigns. Lauren has served as a Bay Area Video Coalition Mentor, Film Independent Advisor, and juror for the IDA's Enterprise Grant and Best Limited Series Award, and Washington West Film Festival. Lauren is also the Managing Director of an anti-stalking non-profit that uses storytelling and community engagement to advocate for victims of and raise awareness about this pervasive form of violence. Thank you to Nat Rees for managing and designing this resource.