The 2026 Student Grant Program is now open! Please review the guidelines and apply today. The deadline to submit is Monday, April 13 at 11:59p.
OVERVIEW
The Berkeley Film Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of documentary filmmakers by offering dedicated grants to students enrolled in accredited universities.
These grants are open to both undergraduate, graduate and continuing education students who are actively working on documentary film projects. While applicants must reside in the East Bay, the school you are enrolled in can be located anywhere.
Grants of up to $5,000 are available and may be applied toward production, post-production, and distribution costs. The Foundation accepts submissions for both short-form and feature-length documentaries.
Student grant applications are accepted each spring and require a separate application form from those built for professional filmmakers, though all applicants must adhere to the same deadlines. This initiative reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging talent and promoting compelling, socially relevant documentary work.
As a proud partner of the UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism, the Foundation continues to strengthen its ties to the academic and filmmaking communities.
2026 STUDENT GRANT GUIDELINES
The Berkeley Film Foundation (BFF) is pleased to announce the 2026 grant program, opening Monday March 16, 2026. Once you have read through the grant guidelines and find you are a qualified candidate, we invite you to submit an application using our Submittable portal on our website (www.berkeleyfilmfoundation.org). Thesubmissiondeadline for students is April 13, 2026 at 11:59pm PST.
We are pleased to sponsor a funding opportunity for student filmmakers currently enrolled in a full-time film program. Individual grants of up to $5,000 can underwrite production, post- production or distribution expenses. In addition to the online application, the applicant must submit a clip or trailer (up to 10-minute clip), of the work for which the grant is sought. Prior work is not required to submit with the application.
Note: If you are unable to submit a written application, please contact Isabella Miller at isabella@berkeleyfilmfoundation.org or at 510-705-1481 to discuss accommodations and alternate methods to apply.
PLEASE READ:
Narrative/fiction short film projects (animation or live action) will not be accepted in this cycle. Instead, a separate Narrative Grant cycle will open in July 2026 for fiction-only short projects. Please check back in May 2026 for guidelines specific to this program.
Student Grant Description
Berkeley Film Foundation provides student grants in the production, post-production and distribution stages of the film project. We do not fund projects in the pre-production or development phase. Applicants may submit one project for consideration per funding cycle.
The Berkeley Film Foundation is interested in films that have a social consciousness and shine a light on untold stories of oppression or historical mistreatment, stories celebrating underrepresented communities, films about environmental degradation or climate change, educational films about little-known science, health, local history or profile films of an individual who is challenging norms or fighting the status quo. We value films of varying styles and types, from verité to direct cinema.
We judge films based on originality and creativity. Does the film tell a new story or contain a unique angle on an old premise? Is the filmmaker telling the story with imagination and using new techniques?
The subject of the film is also taken into consideration. Does this story need to be told? Is this a film that will gain a wide audience both within and outside of serious film viewers? Does the filmmaking team display a level of professionalism that will enable the film to be completed?
We also consider the issue of authorship: Why is this person telling this story? Is this the right person to be telling this story? These are some examples of things that the team could address in the application.
Student Grant Eligibility
Berkeley Film Foundation will award grants in the production, post-production and distribution stages. Applicants may submit one project for consideration per funding cycle, with a maximum request of $5,000.
Eligibility:
Applicant must be over the age of 18.
Student must live in the cities of Berkeley, Emeryville, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond or Oakland. You may not use a P.O. Box address.
Must be currently enrolled in a full-time film studies program in the following counties: Alameda, Contra Costa or San Francisco.
Be the primary creator of work submitted.
BFF will not consider a new film proposal from a former grant recipient until the prior funded film is completed.
Eligible Genre:
Short Documentary (40 minutes or less)
Long Documentary (over 40 minutes)
NOT Eligible:
Short Form Animation (30 minutes or less)
Short Form Narratives (30 minutes or less)
Broadcast news journalism
Television spots
Advertising Commercials
Industrial or Corporate Media
We Do Not Fund:
We do not cover costs retroactively.
Media projects other than film or video.
Organizational projects for internal or promotional use.
General operating expenses of companies or organizations.
APPLYING FOR A BERKELEY FILM FOUNDATION GRANT
The application must be submitted via Submittable using the link on the ‘Apply’ page on our website, www.berkeleyfilmfoundation.org/apply that will be live on Monday March 16, 2026. The deadline to apply for a student grant is: April 13, 2026 at 11:59pm PST. Applicants will be required to include the following items:
Current resume: Please include a current resume for the director and producer in the application that describe the professional activities and achievements. Other key personnel on the project may be listed on the resume as well, if you choose.
Project Budget: Please include your project budget for consideration when completing the application. Please ensure this document is concise and easy to read. If applying for a distribution grant, please provide a detailed distribution budget and the total production cost. Please make sure the document is formatted correctly, and blank cells do not bleed onto additional pages.
Film Sample: You must provide a maximum of 10-minutes of edited footage as your film sample. You clip should be included as a Vimeo link to your project, or you may upload the file directly to the portal. If a password is needed, please use: BFF (all caps).
**Things to keep in mind:
If you are in the later stages of production, i.e. deep post-production or distribution, we highly suggest providing a clip that is between 3-10 minutes in length. This allows the review panel to see the variety of subjects, locations, emotions and themes that you will include in your final project.
When describing your film sample in the application, tell us how it is representative of the intended story, style, subject, or other aspect of the project. If your current sample is outside of the suggested length requirements, please provide reviewers with the time codes of the portion of the sample that best reflects your intended style and approach (e.g., 3:15-12:15). Reviewers will not watch outside of these parameters.
The sample should demonstrate your access to characters, visual treatment, and the developing tone and style. We encourage applicants to submit a contains a complete scene that provides the viewer insight into the team’s ability to communicate their intention.
Student Application Review Process
Student grants are approved by the Berkeley Film Foundation Board of Directors acting upon the recommendations of the Grant Review Panel. The Grant Review Panel is comprised of eight industry professionals distinguished in their respective artistic fields.
The review process takes seven to eight weeks before finalists are determined. Applicants notified of award decisions no later than end of July 2026.