The Vision Maker Media is seeking public media film and television programs that are intended and appropriate for Public Media Television Broadcasting, including Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) digital and streaming platforms, that represent the cultures, experiences, and perspectives of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.
Donor Name: Vision Maker Media
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 01/01/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Proposed film and television programs should be appealing to a broad audience, intended for public media broadcast and its digital and streaming platforms, and have effective outreach/community engagement activities to reach audiences beyond a Public Television broadcast. Included in Vision Maker Media´s Production License Agreement (contract) for a funded film or television program, is the assignment of exclusive broadcast rights for four years and one-year off-air recording rights for educators. 
Categories 

Research and Development | $5,000 – $25,000 

Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to fully develop a documentary, animation, or episodic program, which includes storylines, engaging characters, production talent, timeline, budget, a tangible community outreach plan for a broad audience reach, and a script for fictional episodic programs. Eligible activities include: 

Research
clearance of life story rights or other rights necessary to initiate production
development of a script or treatment, including the hiring of writers
preliminary filming, if necessary prior to the commencement of principle photography
submission of a Vision Maker Media production application and budget to the following year’s Vision Maker Media Public Media Fund open call.

Production | Up to $150,000.00 

Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to film, record, and produce programs to complete

principle photography (including all production activities, hiring of crew, talent and clearance of rights for public media use);
development of a website for the program
post-production (including editing and completion). For episodic programming a minimum of (4) episodes are expected to be produced under this funding. Programs must have a final broadcast run time of 26:46, 56:46, or 86:46. 

Post-Production | Up to $30,000.00 

Requests for funding under this category should be a proposal to bring programs to their completion where principal photography has already been achieved. Eligible activities include: 

post-production (including editing and completion);
clearance of rights required for public media use
development of a website for the program. 

Funded programs in this category must deliver a master cut broadcast film or television program that meets the PBS Technical Operating Specifications and Production Guidelines as outlined in the PBS Red Book

Eligibility Criteria 

Independent and Public Television producers, film and digital makers. Applicants must hold artistic, budgetary and editorial control and own the copyright of the proposed program. 
Applicant’s submitted work must be cleared for broadcast, digital and streaming rights for a minimum of 4 years. 
Applicant must be able to provide a marketing plan that shows an effective community outreach plan. The plan should be engagement through distribution ideas, social media and the creation of a website.
Applicants must be 21 years of age and a U.S. citizen. 
Applicants must be able to show significant Native American involvement on their program.
Eligible programs should meet Vision Maker Media’s mission to empower and engage Native people to share their stories.

Ineligibility

Commercial Programs. 
Industrial or promotional films and videos. 
Student productions of any sort, such as thesis films. 
Programs for which four-year exclusive Public Television broadcast rights are not available. 
Programs intended solely for theatrical release.
Filmmakers or production entities that are foreign-based, owned or controlled. 
Programs funded in part by a government entity or group featured in the content of the program.

For more information, visit VMM.