2026 Student Documentary Grant Program
Ends on
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). The submission deadline 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.