The LearningTimes Emerging Educational Filmmaker Grant provides US-based emerging filmmakers pre-production stages of filming with up to $10,000 to create projects with an education theme.

There are two grant cycles throughout each year (Spring/Fall).

• Winners are notified within 4-6 weeks of deadline.
• Completed online applications and supporting materials received by the corresponding deadline will be forwarded to the relevant selection committee for initial review. All grant cycles receive equal consideration.
• If applications are received after the deadline, they will be considered in the next cycle.

To be eligible to apply, you must be 18 years of age or older, currently based in the United States, and not currently enrolled in an academic program. (See more info in our Frequently Asked Questions below)

The application consists of several short answer questions, financial documentation including a comprehensive line-item budget, CV/resume, and 1-3 work samples. We also highly encourage a reference letter from a mentor, community leader, or employer in support of your specific film project. The next round of applications will open in 2025.

TO APPLY: click the green REGISTER icon in the top right corner of your screen, 

to create a SurveyMonkey application account. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What do we mean by “education theme?”
The LearningTimes Emerging Educational Filmmaker Grant supports projects across genre and type - short films, animation, features, documentaries, and more - which seek to connect people to educational ideas and movements that have lasting positive impact.
Some examples of projects with an “education theme”:
- An animated short explaining an educational topic
- A documentary about a public school board hearing
- A comedy short or feature about teachers (think: Abbott Elementary)
- A short film about an underrepresented historical figure
- A children’s program focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts,
mathematics)

LearningTimes prioritizes outside-the-box innovators whose work is focused on growing community and sharing knowledge. We are especially looking for projects that connect to a specific learning community - whether that be a school district, a classroom, a museum, a union movement, immigration scenario, community center or program or more - with a plan to engage with that community through the making of and/or finished product.

We encourage you to look at our past winners on our website to get a sense of projects that have excited us.

How do you define an “emerging” filmmaker? Am I eligible?
LearningTimes agrees with the Jerome Foundation that “there is no exact and singular definition of an emerging creative artist...[we] seek to support those artists who show significant potential, yet are under-recognized.”
To help applications narrow these parameters, we distinguish an emerging filmmaker as
someone who:
- Regardless of age or education, identifies as being in the early stages of of their career -
has been making films for 10 years or less
- Is actively and demonstrably working toward a career in the filmmaking field - has
directed at least two films
- Has not yet had a film accepted to Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, TIFF, Cannes, or
Venice Film Festival
- Does not yet have commercial representation
- Has not yet received any of the following awards: Academy Award, Independent Spirit
Awards, Directors Guild of America, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Palme D’Or
- We are especially interested in supporting filmmakers frequently underrepresented and
historically excluded in the film industry: Black, Indigenous, POC,
women, LGBTQIA+ or two-spirit people; dis/abled, d/eaf, and people with other
disabilities.

Who can apply from our team?
The LearningTimes Foundation accepts applications from core members of the project, defined as: the director, producer, or screenwriter (as applicable). If your project falls outside these categories, you can contact our team at genevieve@learningtimes.com .

How much funding do you anticipate giving away?
LearningTimes has up to $50,000 to offer filmmakers in 2025. Our goal as a foundation is to
support the largest number of filmmakers possible. To that end, the majority of successful
applications will receive an average of $5,000, and up to $10,000.

Why did The LearningTimes Foundation create this grant?

The LearningTimes Foundation wants to support new voices in the filmmaking industry, and increase the amount and variety of content created around a theme of education. Part of the foundation’s mission is to bring people together through engaging educational events and activities. The LearningTimesFoundation also recognizes the deep financial inequities in the filmmaking business, and seeks to contribute to making the filmmaking industry more equitable and financially accessible for emerging filmmakers.

Long story short? We want to help new filmmakers tell educational stories in fearless, innovative ways. 

Can I apply more than once with the same project?

Yes, though we encourage you to update the application and show strong evidence of commitment to the project. We highly recommend applying with a new project, unless the original has undergone significant changes.