Funding

ITVS funds, distributes, and promotes new programs primarily for public television. We work with independent producers to create and present programs that take creative risks, advance issues and represent points of view not usually seen on public or commercial television. ITVS is committed to programming that addresses the needs of underserved and underrepresented audiences. We look for programs that bring new audiences to public television and that expand civic participation by bringing diverse voices into the public sphere.

Funding Initiatives

You may apply to only one ITVS funding initiative per round. Read the funding descriptions carefully to make sure that you have chosen the initiative that your film is eligible for.

• Open Call

  Closed

  Open Call is now Closed. The deadline was January 30th, 2015 at 4:00pm PST.

  Open Call provides completion funds for single nonfiction public television programs on any subject, and from any viewpoint. Projects must have begun production as evidenced by a work-in-progress video. Open Call funding is only available to independent producers who are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. and its external territories.

  Please read all Open Call application requirements carefully as the process has recently changed.

• Digital Open Call

  Closed

  Digital Open Call is currently Closed. The deadline is July 1, 2015 at 5:00pm PST.

  The Digital Open Call provides $10,000 - $50,000 in R&D funding to develop and pilot digital series concepts on any subject, and from any viewpoint, for public media’s digital platforms. Projects must be in development, and cannot have begun principal production. The Digital Open Call funding is only available to independent producers who are citizens or legal residents of the U.S. and its external territories.

  The application guidelines and online application will be posted on May 1, 2015. Until then, for more information, please see the press release.

• Diversity Development Fund

  Closed

  DDF is now closed. The deadline was October 24, 2014 at 4:00pm PST.
  

  The Diversity Development Fund provides up to $15,000 in research and development funding to producers of color to develop single documentary programs for public television. Producers must be U.S. citizens or legal residents.

• LINCS

  We are not accepting new applications for funding consideration through LINCS as we evaluate our initiative strategy.

  If you are looking for completion funding and have a station partnership, you can now apply through our Open Call application process. Eligibility and guidelines can be found here. You will still need to provide a copy of a Letter of Agreement if you are applying with a station.

• Series and Special Projects

  Update on ITVS Series and Special Project funding.

  As of March 20, 2014, ITVS no longer accepts unsolicited materials, including proposal submissions or project inquiries for Series and Special Projects (SSP) funding.

• International Initiative

  Update on ITVS funding for International producers.

  As of December 2013, ITVS no longer accepts unsolicited materials, including proposal submissions or project inquiries. We select international content purely on a commissioning basis.