Currently 29 active paid grants, fellowships and residencies open to applicants in the US, across AI, arts, film, research, tech and cross-disciplinary practice. Hand-curated and updated weekly. Every entry is funded, no exposure-only calls. Browse the list below, or use the interactive desk for filtering and shortlisting.
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Production grant for emerging women, non-binary, and/or LGBTQ+ filmmakers in the US working on a film or video about art or artists. The project does not have to be a documentary: fiction, hybrid, and experimental work is welcome. No min/max length, but preference goes to projects feasible in scope. Applicants must be 18+, reside in the US or attend college/university here, serve as director on the project (collaboration is fine), and have prior filmmaking experience without yet having extensive accomplishments (multiple completed feature films in a principal role, major distribution deals, multiple major festival awards, or significant critical/commercial success would disqualify). Awardee receives the $2,000 plus three creative consultations with Pentimenti staff (grantee retains full creative control), one feedback session with the grant jury, and a spotlight feature across Pentimenti's website, newsletter, and social channels. Pentimenti is the arts nonprofit and film production company behind 'Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists' (2014) and 'Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea.' Questions: Harrison Sherrod, Executive Director, harrison@pentimentiproductions.org.
Open call for individuals and organisations across Knight's 26 communities to submit creative ideas for projects that spark change and leave lasting local impact. Project ideas must focus on at least one of Knight's investment areas: strengthening local news and information, creating pathways for economic opportunity, or cultivating connection through arts, culture and shared places. Applications close 30 April 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
Fully funded in-person fellowship pairing fellows with senior mentors to do machine-learning research and engineering on core technical AI safety topics: AI alignment, AI control, model evaluations, scalable oversight. Mentors are drawn from partner organisations (full list on the Astra site). Includes weekly mentor and research-manager meetings, talent mobilisation/career support, startup incubation services, and access to a world-leading AI safety convening space (300+ weekly visits). Visa support: J-1; F-1/CPT (full-time only) or OPT, with DSO approval. Looking for: strong Python proficiency, agency and proactivity, basic ML and AI safety knowledge, ability to learn and iterate quickly. Application: resume + at least two references (Constellation network preferred) + optional CV/website/written samples. Stages: initial screening, coding test + reference check, work tests, interview. Deadline 3 May 2026, 23:59 Anywhere on Earth. Contact astra@constellation.org. Over 80% of the first cohort moved into full-time AI safety roles at OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Redwood Research, METR, CAISI and the UK AI Security Institute.
Fully funded in-person fellowship to develop and pursue research projects that reduce catastrophic risks from AI, on the strategy and governance side rather than the technical/empirical side. Mentor organisations include Forethought, AI Policy Network and Coefficient Giving, plus independent mentors starting new orgs or scoping novel directions. A small number of fellows pursue independent strategy research (high bar) on topics such as macrostrategy for AI safety, prevention of concentration of power, exploration of better-futures scenarios, and implementing AI strategy in government or frontier AI companies. Includes weekly mentor and research-manager meetings, career support, startup incubation services, and access to the Constellation convening space (300+ weekly visits). Visa support: J-1; F-1/CPT (full-time only) or OPT, with DSO approval. Strongest applicants have deep familiarity with catastrophic AI risks, can communicate clearly, reason about complex issues and work autonomously. Preferred: macrostrategy/grantmaking/cause-prioritisation experience, ability to set and pursue research agendas, complementary career experience (policy, empirical AI), deep understanding of frontier AI companies / governments / investors. Application: resume + at least two references + highly recommended written samples (blog posts, papers). Stages: initial screening, mentor-specific work tests + reference check, interview. Deadline 3 May 2026, 23:59 Anywhere on Earth. Contact astra@constellation.org. Past Strategy fellows include co-founders of the AI Futures Project (authors of AI 2027) and people briefing senior international stakeholders on AI verification.
Fellowship for people with a solid technical or research background looking to shift their attention to AI safety and alignment. Not intended for beginners or casual explorers. Open to all nationalities. Scheduled to run 14 September 2026 to 5 February 2027.
Competitive lab for emerging documentary producers, with mentorship, industry access and a fellowship cohort. Selected fellows are also eligible for bundled fellowships across Film Independent's Artist Development programs: Cayton-Goldrich Family Foundation Fellowship ($10K, two Jewish filmmakers), MPAC Hollywood Bureau Fellowship ($10K, two American-Muslim filmmakers), Sony Music Vision Fellowship ($10K, two filmmakers with a significant music component). Non-member deadline 4 May 2026; Film Independent member extension to 18 May 2026.
Competitive lab for emerging fiction producers, with mentorship, industry access and fellowship pathways. Selected fellows are eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Producing Grant (science/technology fiction features) and the same bundled $10K fellowships available across Artist Development programs (Cayton-Goldrich, MPAC Hollywood Bureau, Sony Music Vision). Non-member deadline 4 May 2026; Film Independent member extension to 18 May 2026.
$50,000 fellowship supporting an established practicing artist to create a significant new work engaging bleeding-edge digital research and technology, with sustained teamwork from a dedicated technical PhD or faculty collaborator at Cornell Tech. Fellow receives a one-year Visiting Fellow appointment (individual, not studio-contractual), $20,000 artist stipend, $20,000 project materials budget, $10,000 to support the collaborator, on-campus studio space, and badged campus access. 'Established' means a sustained professional practice with institutional recognition (major exhibitions, significant grants/fellowships, published critical coverage, distinct developed practice). Three-stage selection: written project proposal (2 to 4 pages) reviewed by Backslash Team and potential collaborators, then an interview with the candidate collaborator and a Backslash Team member to confirm technical fit, then a single Fellow is selected. Research areas open for collaboration include computational/digital fabrication and accessibility, public interaction with autonomous systems and robotics/HRI, computer vision and graphics (controllable generation, 2D/3D), AI algorithmic fairness and statistics, urban planning + AI fairness, and AI interpretability and human-AI interfaces (with named labs and faculty listed on the call). Fellow responsibilities: collaborate deeply with the assigned collaborator, show the resulting work (Cornell Tech and via the artist's own channels), contribute culturally to campus via a public-facing event and an intimate mentorship/dialogue session, and document the work. Backslash explicitly favours nonlinear, unconventional and exceptional approaches to emerging tech.
Four-week paid summer residency for technologists working at the intersection of computing infrastructure, economics and the physical world. Fellows work alongside the Pace investment team and leave with original, publishable research artifacts (one sharp public piece on the systems shaping the next decade). Open to students, researchers, founders and independent thinkers who want real room to go deep on infrastructure and economics questions. Hosted at Pace HQ in NYC.
Fully-funded nine-week research program for undergraduate, graduate and PhD students working on AI safety and alignment. Focus areas with AI Objectives Institute: AI political economy, gradual disempowerment, multi-agent institutional design. Programme covers interpretability, multi-agent safety, formal verification, civilisational resilience and more. Weekly 1-on-1 mentorship, 24/7 access to Harvard Yard offices. Particularly encouraged for students and researchers at Harvard, MIT and the wider Boston area, but open more broadly.
Two-track residency program for artists experimenting with emerging technologies (telepresence, VR/AR, AI, robotics, creative coding, live web, game design, etc.) in search of new artistic forms. One application form; pick one track. LA TRACK: 3 residents get 1 to 2 weeks at the LA studio (5.1 Kalio audio surround, modular configuration, flexible exhibition space). LA proposals favoured: immersive audio environments, installations, experimental spatial design, tech-infused textiles/sculpture, sensory/physical exploration. Themes of particular interest: ecological responsibility, tech ethics, integration of old and new tech, localised networks, human connection, sustainability. Applicants must be based in LA. NY TRACK: 3 residents (one per international partner) get 1 week at the NYC studio + 1 week at the international partner with a thematic focus: Space + Algorithms at DOCKdigital (Berlin); Hybridization of Spaces & Telematic Installation at Société des arts technologiques (Montréal); Data, Narrative, and Performance at La MaMa Umbria (Spoleto). Applicants must be based in NY. Both tracks: $2,000 stipend, public offering during residency (work-in-progress showing, talk, workshop, etc.), marketing and documentation support, access to the residency cohort and network of past residents. Application closes 20 May 2026, 11:59 PM PT.
The largest granting body for independent narrative feature films in the US. Supports films that address social-justice issues (distribution of wealth, opportunities and privileges) in a positive and meaningful way through plot, character, theme or setting, and that benefit the Bay Area filmmaking community professionally or economically. Three tracks, all up to $25,000: Screenwriting (open to filmmakers anywhere in the US or internationally; FilmHouse residency included), Development (for producers of narrative features needing to engage with the Bay Area to develop and package the film; FilmHouse residency included), and Post-production (no Bay Area residency required). Eligibility: 18+, key creative role (screenwriter, director or producer), feature-length fiction film only (no shorts or documentaries), project budget $3M or under. Not work-for-hire. Stories may be set anywhere; applicants do not need to live in the Bay Area. Regular deadline 8 May 2026 (application fee $30); final deadline 22 May 2026 (application fee $50). Application fee waived for SFFILM members. Apply via the SFFILM Grant Platform; multiple narrative-grant submissions allowed for one fee per application. Past grantees include Sean Wang's Dìdi, Savanah Leaf's Earth Mama, Joe Talbot's The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Boots Riley's Sorry to Bother You, Chloé Zhao's Songs My Brothers Taught Me, Ryan Coogler's Fruitvale Station and Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Open call for digital and new-media artists to submit existing works for consideration on transit-center screens (video, film, animation, augmented reality, net art, game engines, generative art). Multi-channel installation experience encouraged. Finalists develop site-specific proposals with a $1,000 honorarium; selected artists oversee production and installation with project management from MTA Arts & Design. Sites have no audio. Valid U.S. Taxpayer ID required. Submit up to 5 works (.mov/.mp4) and 10 stills (.jpg/.png) plus bio, CV and artist statement. Deadline 23:59 EST Thursday 28 May 2026.
Residency welcoming local, national and international artists at all career stages and disciplines (visual arts, writing, music, dance, interdisciplinary). Approximately 50 artists selected annually. Applications open 1 April 2026.
Top-tier track of the 2026 AWS Imagine Grant for US nonprofits with strong data practices, in the planning phase of incorporating frontier AI (generative AI, agentic AI, autonomous systems) as a core workload. Up to $200K cash + $100K AWS credits, plus hands-on project implementation support from the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center, training, and ongoing access. Two-round selection: Round One (open call) closes 5 June 2026; Round Two opens 10 August (invitation-only) and closes 14 September 2026; results mid-November; public announcement 1 December 2026. Eligibility: registered 501(c) nonprofits headquartered in the US. Educational institutions are explicitly excluded. NOTE: this is a nonprofit-only programme and is not open to individual artists, researchers, or for-profit studios.
Award track for US nonprofits running highly innovative cloud projects that leverage advanced services such as AI/ML, HPC, or IoT. Up to $150K cash + $100K AWS credits, plus AWS technical specialist guidance and training access. Round One closes 5 June 2026; Round Two by invitation, with full proposals 10 August to 14 September 2026. Eligibility: registered 501(c) nonprofits in the US. Educational institutions are excluded. NOTE: this is a nonprofit-only programme and is not open to individual artists, researchers, or for-profit studios.
Project market for filmmakers with feature projects in active development, with industry meetings, financing pathways and bundled grants. Selected projects are eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fast Track Grant (science/technology fiction features) and the Climate Entertainment Development Grant ($25K, climate-focused fiction features). Same $10K fellowship pool (Cayton-Goldrich, MPAC Hollywood Bureau, Sony Music Vision) applies. Non-member deadline 8 June 2026; Film Independent member extension to 22 June 2026.
Supports development, production and distribution of radio programmes, podcasts and documentary films that engage general audiences with humanities ideas. Proposals must build on sound humanities scholarship, present multiple perspectives, involve external humanities scholars at all phases, involve appropriate media professionals, use accessible formats, and show potential to attract a large public audience. Development awards (up to $75,000) cover scholar meetings, preliminary interviews, treatments and scripts, work-in-progress trailers, outreach planning and archival research.
SSRC's flagship public-interest tech fellowship for individuals working on a more just, equitable and representative technological future. Open to researchers, practitioners, organisers, artists and technologists; no degree requirement; must reside in the US during the fellowship year. Includes mentoring and an in-person workshop. Strong fit for critical data, algorithmic justice, platform governance and digital rights work.
Residency for working artists in choreography, film, literature, musical composition, painting, performance, photography, printmaking, sculpture, video and visual arts. Applications open 1 June. Application fee $35 (waivers available). Two cycles per year (winter deadline ~20 December for May to March residencies; summer deadline ~1 July for November to June residencies).
Signature fellowship program offering career opportunities to filmmakers from communities typically underrepresented in film and entertainment. Selected fellows are eligible for a stack of bundled fellowships: Amazon MGM Studios ($10K), Climate Entertainment Commissioning Grant ($25K to write a new climate-focused fiction feature), LAIKA Animation Track (production grant + stipend across 2 years for 5 stop-motion fellows), Panavision Fellowship ($60K camera package for an outstanding cinematographer), Sony Pictures Entertainment ($10K), and University of Arizona TFTV Fellowship ($10K for a TFTV alum). Applications open 18 May 2026; non-member deadline 13 July 2026; Film Independent member extension to 27 July 2026.
One-year reporting fellowship supporting early- and mid-career US-based journalists to produce in-depth, place-based reporting on how education, workforce development and emerging technologies are reshaping economic opportunities across the United States. Open to print, digital, radio, television, multimedia and freelance journalists. Fellows receive a $5,000 stipend, editorial coaching, expert-source access and amplification of their stories.
Competitive screenwriting lab for emerging feature screenwriters. Selected fellows are eligible for the Climate Entertainment Development Grant ($25K, climate-focused fiction features) and the same bundled $10K fellowship pool available across Artist Development programs. Applications open 29 June 2026; non-member deadline 31 August 2026; Film Independent member extension to 14 September 2026.
Residency for artists across seven disciplines (architecture, film/video, interdisciplinary, literature, music composition, theatre, visual arts). Sole selection criterion is artistic excellence. Applications open 15 August 2026. February deadline of the following year covers the Fall/Winter cycle.
Grants for in-depth investigative reporting that exposes corruption, malfeasance or misuse of power across public and private sectors. Covers print, online, broadcast, books, documentaries and podcasts. Surveillance, abuse-of-power and accountability investigations all fit. Letter of Commitment from a news outlet required for full proposals (not for seed). Seed deadline ~10 May 2026; regular deadline 14 September 2026, 23:59 ET. Reviewed three to four times per year. Stories must be published in English with a U.S. media outlet. Ethnic media and journalists of colour particularly encouraged.
$75,000 prize for women figurative realist painters, awarded by a five-member jury. The winner receives $37,500 each year for two years to create a solo exhibition that travels nationally; one finalist additionally receives $10,000. Open to emerging artists who have not yet achieved full professional recognition.
Intensive program for emerging episodic (TV/series) directors, with mentorship, set shadowing opportunities and industry access. Selected fellows are eligible for the same bundled $10K fellowship pool (Cayton-Goldrich, MPAC Hollywood Bureau, Sony Music Vision) available across Artist Development programs. Applications open 27 July 2026; non-member deadline 28 September 2026; Film Independent member extension to 12 October 2026.
Six-week fellowship for cultural producers at any career stage working in the vanguard of their creative fields. Five cycles run March to December. Fellows commit to an Artist Talk and Open Studio bookending the residency. 2026 application window has closed (Sep 15 to Oct 15, 2025); 2027 round expected Sep 15 to Oct 15, 2026 via Slideroom. Selection notifications mid-January.
Year-round support for unanticipated opportunities or emergencies tied to a confirmed innovative artistic project. Open to individual visual and performing artists and poets living in the US or US territories with a US tax ID. Apply 8 to 10 weeks before your public presentation date. Designed to cover sudden costs (a venue change, a confirmed exhibition or performance opportunity with a tight runway, etc.).