California Documentary Project (CDP) Production grants are designed to strengthen the humanities content and approach of documentary media productions and help propel projects toward completion.
Donor Name: California Humanities
State: California
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/01/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $50,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
CDP supports film, audio, and interactive documentary projects that use the humanities to provide social, cultural, and/or historical context and broadened perspective. The humanities grow out of an interest in the language, literature, thought, and history of humankind. They emphasize analysis, interpretation, and exchange of ideas. Humanities disciplines include, but are not limited to, history, philosophy, literature, folklore, ethnic studies, religious studies, ethics, jurisprudence, and qualitative approaches in the social sciences. These fields are differentiated from—though not exclusive of—the creative expression of the arts or the quantitative explanation of the sciences or social sciences.
California Humanities encourages applicants to make use of relevant humanities expertise in planning and implementing projects and to approach subject matter from a perspective informed by the humanities—e.g., make use of existing or new scholarship and research on the topic for context and perspective; ask informed, critical questions; and seek to foster insight, reflection and thoughtful analysis on the part of the audience. CDP grants require the active involvement of at least two humanities advisors (academic scholar, humanities professional, or culture bearer) to help frame and contextualize subject matter throughout the production process.
Funding Information
Eligible applicants may apply for CDP Production Grants up to $50,000, though awarded grant amounts may range between $20,000 and $50,000. California Humanities grant funds must be matched during the grant period by at least a 1:1 amount of cash or in-kind contributions from non-federal sources.
Grant Period
April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2027
Eligible Costs
Grant funds may be used to support eligible project-related activities and expenses during the grant period, including but not limited to:
- Salaries and professional fees for production staff and technical consultants
- Honoraria and stipends for Humanities Advisors
- Production and post-production expenses, including travel, equipment (rental, unless purchase cost is less), supplies, and administrative expenses directly related to the project (up to 25% of the total CDP grant request)
- Public program expenses and publicity
- Fiscal sponsor or indirect administrative fees (up to 10% of the total CDP grant request).
Project Requirements
All CDP Production Grant projects must:
- Currently be in the production stage and have a work-in-progress sample available for submission; if at an earlier stage, please see the CDP R&D Grant
- Document California subjects and issues of relevance to both statewide and national audiences
- Approach the subject matter from a perspective informed by the humanities
- Actively involve at least two Humanities Advisors (e.g., scholars, journalists, curators, culture bearers) in significant phases of the project
- Be conducted by mediamakers with a previously completed work sample to submit
- Seek to reach and engage a broad range of audiences, both statewide and nationally, through public and educational screenings and presentations, broadcast, distribution, and/or streaming.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations or municipal/public agencies (including public libraries, museums, schools, universities and colleges, and tribal governments). California Humanities does not make grants directly to individuals; however, individuals may apply through an eligible tax-exempt fiscal sponsor.
Eligible applicant organizations (including fiscal sponsors) and project directors must:
- Be in good standing with California Humanities (e.g., without unfulfilled reporting requirements), if a previous grant recipient.
- Not have an open grant or application under consideration or submit more than one application per California Humanities deadline, unless acting as a California Humanities-approved, multi-application fiscal sponsor or a college, university or arts council.
For more information, visit California Humanities.
