Image credit: Tap Roots Acting Academy
- Closed
Podcasting Program
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Indigenous Screen Office
- Closed
Interactive and Immersive Program
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Indigenous Screen Office
Indigenous storytellers have always been at the forefront of new technologies and ways of creating media. This program provides funding support to Indigenous screen-based creators for the development and production of Interactive and/or Immersive projects. Applicants to this program may undertake project work in the production of high-calibre videogame design, AR/VR/MR works, apps, and immersive and/or interactive projects that include audio or audiovisual content.
- Closed
Apprenticeship and Cultural Mentorship Funding, supported by Netflix
Deadline: December 7, 2023
ISO / Netflix
ISO has partnered with Netflix to provide funding to support training, professional development and culturally specific approaches for Indigenous on-screen content creators and Indigenous-owned production companies. There are two funding streams available:
1. Production Apprenticeships: The intent of this funding is to support new opportunities for hands-on training and career progression for Indigenous creatives through all stages of production, or in a production studio.l. The apprentice(s) should have a record of production experience and demonstrate that this opportunity, with the support of the proposed mentor(s), will support their skills building and career development.
2. Cultural Mentorships: This opportunity was created for Indigenous producers, directors and writers to be able to engage in cultural mentorship, community engagement, cultural learning, and protocols work during the pre-development, development, and production phases of their projects. This may include working with Elders, language speakers, knowledge keepers and/or community members to develop their project idea or to support their personal growth and development in their career as a screen-based storyteller. Indigenous owned production companies may apply for this funding to bring cultural mentor(s) on set for cultural learning, knowledge sharing, and to implement cultural and traditional practices related to the completion of a production.
- Closed
Travel Funding
Deadline: March 1, 2024
The ISO is offering Travel Funding to support Indigenous screen-based creatives for activities that require travel including festival and market attendance, conferences, community engagement, training opportunities, and artistic screen-based collaboration across Canada and internationally.
This funding support is open to Indigenous Companies, and Individuals.
- Closed
Marketing, Promotion, Distribution
Deadline: March 1, 2024
Indigenous Screen Office
This program provides support to Indigenous-owned screen-based companies for Marketing, Promotion and Distribution of shorts, feature films, television and web series.
Eligible applicants must have previously secured production funding through either: Canada Media Fund’s peer-assessed Indigenous Program, Telefilm’s peer-assessed Indigenous Initiatives program, a government Indigenous-specific arts grant, or the ISO.
- Closed
Sector Development
Deadline: March 1, 2024
Indigenous Screen Office
The Sector Development program is designed to support a wide array of initiatives and projects that aim to strengthen and grow the Indigenous screen sector. Workshops, labs, incubators, research projects, community based programs, and funding for organizations whose mandate is to develop the Indigenous screen sector should consider applying to this program. The ISO has partnered with educational institutions, non-profit youth programs, Indigenous-owned production companies, broadcasters, film festivals, art centres, and other organizations to support their activities and mission. This funding can be leveraged to build capacity within an organization, or to support the delivery of a program, workshop, conference or lab.
- Closed
Production Funding
Deadline: September 27, 2023
Indigenous Screen Office
- Closed
Development
Deadline: August 16, 2023
Indigenous Screen Office
This program offers support for project development, recognizing that time and resources are critical to the creation of strong content for TV and web series, short and feature length films. Many Indigenous creators undertake extensive protocols and community-engagement work during this phase, and ISO support is intended to support these practices, in addition to other development costs. We encourage ISO applicants to this program to access this funding for key supports needed to develop the project idea such as cultural and community engagement work, learning from experts, mentors, or knowledge keepers or other professional development in relation to the project.
- Closed
Production
Deadline: May 31, 2023
Indigenous Screen Office
This program offers support to Indigenous screen-based creators in the Production phase of their project. Indigenous creators applying to this program are undertaking work in the Production of screen-based content, including TV and web series, and film. We encourage ISO applicants to this program to access this funding for activities during the production phase that will ensure a strong project, including fees for key creatives, producers, crew members, technical expertise, cultural advisors/knowledge carriers, community liaisons, and/or legal advice.
- Closed
New Media
Deadline: October 14, 2022
This program provides support to Indigenous screen-based content creators for the production of New Media projects. Applicants to this program may undertake project work in the Production of high calibre game design, AR/VR/XR, apps, podcasts and narrative audio/visual immersive projects. We encourage ISO applicants to this program to access this funding for activities during the production phase that will ensure a strong project, including fees for the project team and technology costs, Cultural Advisors/Knowledge Carriers, community liaisons, and/or legal advice.
*If your project intersects on multiple mediums and platforms or does not fall under one of these practices, please contact the funding@iso-bea.ca. This funding is open to Individuals, Sole Proprietors, Collectives/groups, and Companies.
- Closed
Amazon Studios Pitch Competition
Deadline: March 5, 2021
Amazon Studios
Image credit: Riley Smith, “Wildhood”

To see a list of funders that offer programs for Indigenous storytellers, visit our External Funding page.