Redford Center Grants
Supporting environmental filmmakers and frontline stories
Since launching in 2016, The Redford Center has remained one of the few entities exclusively funding and providing multi-faceted grant support to independent environmental documentaries. According to the International Documentary Association, there are about 440 grants in the nonfiction film funding landscape, and of that, only 8 awards exclusively support environmental stories.
To date, Redford Center Grants have supported nearly 50 projects and awarded more than $1.7 million in funding. Redford Center grantee films have received awards, premieres, and distribution from industry leaders including Netflix, Hulu, HBO, PBS, National Geographic, Sundance Film Festival, Jackson Wild, DC Environmental Film Festival, and many more.
The Redford Center Grants program is designed to support feature documentaries and episodic docuseries at any stage of development, production, or post production. It currently operates on a two-year cycle and provides funding, access to a network of industry and environmental experts, a professional development retreat, and the opportunity to apply for second-year funds.
Our grant application is now closed. Please subscribe to our newsletter for updates regarding funding opportunities.
“The Redford Center came on early in this process for me. And as a first time feature director, I think that was a huge boost – meeting other people and having confidence that someone believes in your story.”
– Christi Cooper
Director, Youth V Gov
2018-2019 Grantee
Program Resources
Read our 2022-23 Grantee Announcement
Meet our Grantee Filmmakers
Meet our Grant Advisors
Eligibility Criteria and Application
Grantee Project Impact
Previous Redford Center grantees include the films Youth V Gov, which had its Netflix premiere in April 2022; Inventing Tomorrow, winner of the 2019 Peabody Award and now streaming on Amazon Prime; To The End, which premiered at Sundance 2021 and just completed its Roadside Attractions theatrical release; Path of the Panther, recipient of four Jackson Wild nominations and winner of the Ecosystem Long Form award; Adaptation, broadcast on PBS; Exposure, winner of the Jackson Wild Breakthrough Film Award, and Manzanar Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust, broadcast on PBS’s POV.
With special thanks to The New York Community Trust for their incredible support of Redford Center Grants over the years, and in acknowledgment of the vision and contributions of our additional program funders including Alnoba Lewis Family Foundation, Code Blue Foundation, Earthsense Foundation, GoPro For A Cause, Horne Family Foundation, KindHumans, Matthew and Janice Barger, Skoll Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation.