About Film Independent
Our mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling in all its forms, and to foster a culture of inclusion. We support a global community of artists and audiences who embody diversity, innovation, curiosity and uniqueness of vision.
Focus Areas
Independent filmFilmmaker training and labsGrants and fellowshipsFilm screenings and programmingAwards and recognitionFiscal sponsorshipEducation and youth programsInternational programs and residencies
Who They Fund
emerging filmmakersindependent film producerstelevision/episodic creatorsearly-career artists from underrepresented backgrounds
About Film Independent
Film Independent’s grantmaking is anchored by project-based support for independent film, with repeated backing for science-themed storytelling and artist-development programs. Recent awards show a mix of cash grants, fellowships, and in-kind support that move filmmakers from development into production, distribution, and recognition. The largest grants in the recent list reached $50,000, including Disney’s Imaginar Grant to 3pas Studios and to Flaming Creatures Productions LLC and Gia Rigoli Films LLC, indicating that the foundation can support projects at a substantial scale when they fit program priorities. The foundation also uses recurring program labels to back filmmakers over time. Its recent awards include the Sloan Producing Grant to 4 Brothers Pictures and the Sloan Producing Lab Grant to Malpelo LLC, alongside Spirit Awards fellowships and awards such as the Spirit Awards Truer Than Fiction Award for Pawikan Films LLC. That pattern suggests a funder that combines project financing with recognition-based support for emerging and independent creators. Across the current grant list, support is confined to U.S. recipients, and the organization’s program structure points to a strong emphasis on creative independence, inclusion, and professional advancement within visual storytelling.
What Film Independent Funds
Science and technology storytelling is a clear thread in Film Independent’s portfolio. The foundation gave $50,000 to Per Capita Productions for a Sloan Distribution Grant, $30,000 to 4 Brothers Pictures for a Sloan Producing Grant, and $20,000 to Plate Spinner Productions LLC for a Fast Track - Sloan Grant. It also supported Periodic Media LLC with a Sloan Episodic Lab Grant, showing that Sloan-related support reaches film, episodic work, and distribution. Artist development is another major lane. Through Spirit Awards fellowships and awards, the foundation backed Pawikan Films LLC with the Spirit Awards Truer Than Fiction Award, Rosetory Inc with the Spirit Awards Producers Award, and Desire Paths LLC with the Spirit Awards Someone to Watch Award. It also awarded African Cowboy LLC and Azuspeak Productions through the Amplifier Fellowship, linking funding to filmmaker advancement. The climate-focused programs extend this pattern, with a commissioning grant and a development grant for fiction features tied to climate storytelling.
How Film Independent Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$627K
Total Assets
$8.3M
Total Revenue
$21.1M
Total Expenses
$20.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $23K and $40K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$23K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$40K
Geographic Reach
National5 states funded
About 40% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JOSHUA WELSH
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