The WAVE (Women At the Very Edge) Grant is an annual initiative aimed at supporting emerging BIPOC female and gender-nonconforming filmmakers who are ready to tell their unique and powerful stories. Each year, five filmmakers are awarded a $5,000 seed grant to help produce their first short narrative film. Along with financial support, recipients also receive a year-long mentorship from Wavelength’s award-winning team, providing guidance through all stages of production, including development, post-production, and festival strategies.

In addition to the grant, all applicants are given the opportunity to participate in a free five-part workshop series hosted by Seed&Spark. These workshops cover essential filmmaking topics such as crowdfunding, pitching, budgeting, and distribution. For the top 20 finalists, the program offers a one-on-one consultation with a Seed&Spark crowdfunding expert, further helping them refine their projects.

The grant is open to U.S.-based filmmakers who identify as women or gender-nonconforming members of the BIPOC community. To be eligible, applicants must be directing their first scripted narrative short film of approximately 10 minutes in length. Projects that are already in production or post-production, student films, documentaries, feature films, and series are not eligible. Applicants must also own the copyright and maintain editorial and budgetary control over their projects. The short film’s production cannot begin before February 2025, and the project must be completed by the end of 2025.

As part of the application process, filmmakers are required to submit a treatment of the film, a budget and schedule (even if preliminary), a resume or CV, and a 1-3 minute video pitch introducing themselves and their project. While a script is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged if available. The deadline for applications is November 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT.

Finalists will be interviewed in January 2025, and all applicants will be notified of their application status by January 31, 2025. The WAVE Grant program begins in February 2025, and recipients will have the chance to showcase their completed short films at a special screening during the Yellow Springs Film Festival.