Currently 3 active paid game design grants, fellowships and residencies. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Almost every entry is funded; a few notable unpaid open calls and festival submissions are included as clearly flagged exceptions. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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Slamdance's DIG (Digital, Interactive and Gaming) showcase presents work at the edges of cinema and interactivity: interactive documentaries, VR/AR, experiential installations, and experimental games, a strong fit for interactive AI and data-driven work. Film categories run on similar deadline tiers. DIG deadlines: regular 10 August 2026 (USD 60), late 14 September 2026 (USD 70), extended 6 October 2026 (USD 90).
Screen Australia's Future Leaders Delegation sends up to eight early-to-mid career Australian gamemakers to BitSummit 2027 in Kyoto, Japan (21-23 May 2027), one of Asia's leading independent games festivals. SUPPORT: AUD 6,000 per delegate towards flights, accommodation, event tickets, ground transportation and meals; travel costs for a mandatory pre-departure workshop in Melbourne (mid-April 2027) are covered separately; delegates can exhibit their game as part of an Australia stand. ELIGIBILITY: Australian citizens or permanent residents (individuals) or incorporated Australian companies with an active ABN and GST registration; must have released and/or published at least one game on a public platform; must be actively developing a game ready for public presentation by May 2027; must be available for both the workshop and event dates; must not have previously participated in a Screen Australia Future Leaders Delegation. Assessment weighs project quality, career relevance, anticipated impact, and commitment to diversity and inclusion. HOW TO APPLY: via Screen Australia's funding portal. Decisions announced by 11 December 2026. DEADLINE: 5 November 2026 at 5pm AEST.
The Content Fund is the UK Games Fund's larger grant strand, awarding GBP 100,000 to 250,000 in non-repayable grants to develop commercial games-for-entertainment content with mass-market potential. ELIGIBILITY: applicant companies must be UK-registered SMEs with PAYE employees working in games development, owned by UK-based founder-directors as significant shareholders, not facing acute working capital problems, and founded with a rationale beyond securing this grant. The project must already have a prototype, and the IP must be owned by the applicant or appropriately licensed. Eligible costs cover staff and contractor expenses for hands-on development only; gambling content is excluded. FINANCES: grants are paid on a 70/30 split, with 30 percent withheld until the studio secures additional third-party (leverage) funding within the same financial year, so applicants should have a co-financing route in mind. HOW TO APPLY: expressions of interest are submitted via the Content Fund site and are open on a rolling basis, nominally until 31 March 2029, with early closure possible if demand is high. The UK Games Fund also runs the Prototype Fund (up to GBP 100,000, periodic rounds) and Starter Fund (up to GBP 20,000 for solo developers) for earlier-stage work.