2015 CAAM Documentary Fund

2015 CAAM Documentary Fund

With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), CAAM provides production funding to independent producers for national public television.

Documentaries are eligible for production or post-production funding and must be intended for public television broadcast. Awards typically range between $15,000 and $50,000.

We are now accepting proposals twice a year. Please submit your Documentary Fund application either by November 14, 2014 or February 16, 2015 (Note: the second deadline has been changed from the original announcement from November). Please apply here.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Applicant must hold artistic, budgetary and editorial control and must own the copyright of the proposed project.
  • Applicants must be 18 years of age, be citizens or legal residents of the United States or its territories.
  • All projects must have a full-length rough or fine cut to be considered except projects that are submitted for production funding.
  • Applicants must have previous film or television experience as demonstrated by the sample tape. If this is your first media project, you must provide a video sample of the proposed work that demonstrates your ability to tell a story well through a visual medium.
  • CAAM requires a Fiscal Sponsor, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt entity. Your sponsor agrees to accept funds from CAAM on your behalf and is responsible for redistributing funds to the project accordingly.
  • Projects must be delivered according to PBS standard lengths (26:46, 56:46)
  • Only one proposal per applicant will be accepted.

Projects NOT eligible:

  • Projects not intended for public television audience.
  • Projects not at standard PBS broadcast length (e.g. 26:46, 56:46) with the exception of films applying for production funds.
  • Projects for which the domestic television broadcast rights are not available.
  • Projects in the script development stage.
  • Projects intended solely for theatrical release or commercial in nature.
  • Projects in which applicant is commissioned, employed or hired by a commercial or public television station.
  • Thesis projects or student films which are co- or solely-owned or copy-written, or otherwise editorially or fiscally controlled by the school.
  • Projects or production entities which are foreign-based, owned or controlled.
  • Industrial or promotional projects.

Our funding process will use the following guidelines in awarding funds:

  • Is the project a good match for American public television and its national audience?
  • Is the story idea compelling, engaging, original and well-conceived?
  • Is the visual/stylistic treatment effective and distinctive?
  • Can the project be completed within a realistic timeline based on the applicant’s production and fundraising plans, personnel and budget?
  • Will the project appeal not only to Asian American viewers, but also to a broader television audience?
  • Does the sample tape show the skills and/or potential of the applicant to complete the proposed project?
  • Has CAAM recently funded a similar topic, issue or treatment?