Grants vs. Fellowships vs. Labs: Which Is Right for Your Documentary
If you’re a documentary filmmaker looking for support on your next project, you’ve probably seen the terms grants, fellowships, and labs thrown around interchangeably. While they can overlap in purpose, each offers a very different experience, and choosing the right one can make a big difference in how your film moves forward. Below, we break down the differences between these three types of opportunities, what each typically provides, and how to decide which is the best fit for your current stage.
Grants: Show Us What You’re Making (Project-Focused Funding)
What it is: A grant is direct funding for your film project. It’s essentially free money that you do not have to pay back. In exchange, you’ll usually need to meet certain requirements like delivering progress updates, meeting deadlines, or other agreed-upon deliverables during your production. The focus here is on your film and its content, rather than on you as an artist.
Best for: Filmmakers who have a clear vision and a well-developed project that just needs financial fuel to move forward. If you know exactly what you want to make and can show a plan or sample, a grant can provide that crucial cash infusion.
What to expect:
High competition: Grants are often very competitive, with large applicant pools vying for limited funds. Be prepared to polish a strong proposal or sample footage to stand out.
Wide funding ranges: Award amounts can vary dramatically – from micro-grants around a few hundred dollars to major grants of $50,000 or even $100,000+ for big projects. Every grant is different: some might support early development with smaller funds, while others (like investigative documentary funds) might award six-figure production budgets.
Project deliverables: Most grants expect you to adhere to a timeline and budget for your project. You’ll likely need to provide periodic progress reports or updates on how the money is being used. However, grants typically come with fewer creative strings attached – funders don’t control your film, they just want to see it completed.
Minimal ongoing engagement: Pure grants usually do not include mentorship or networking programs – they’re primarily cash support. There are exceptions where a grant is paired with workshops or feedback, but those tend to be labeled as labs or fellowship programs rather than standalone grants.
Examples: Some notable U.S.-based documentary grants include:
IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund – grants for journalistic docs (production grants in the ~$25K–$75K range). Note this opportunity is suspended for 2025.
Catapult Film Fund – seed funding to launch early documentary projects (often development grants).
Fellowships: Support for the Filmmaker (Not Just the Film)
What it is: A fellowship is an investment in you, the filmmaker, often over a longer term. These programs typically provide funding, professional development, and a network to help you grow in your career. In the funding world, it’s often said that “fellowships go to people and grants go to projects,” and that captures the idea: a fellowship values your voice, vision, and potential as much as (or more than) the specific film you’re working on.
Best for: Filmmakers who want to develop their craft, career, or leadership in tandem with making a film. If you’re looking not just for money but for mentorship, training, and a community of peers, a fellowship is ideal – especially for emerging creators who will benefit from guidance and a stamp of recognition.
What to expect:
Longer-term engagement: Fellowships often run for several months up to a year (or more). During that period, you might attend workshops, retreats, or residencies. For example, Firelight Media’s Documentary Lab is an 18-month fellowship for early-career filmmakers of color. These programs are a marathon, not a sprint.
Holistic support: Unlike a simple grant, a fellowship typically offers a package of support. You may receive a stipend or grant money toward your project plus mentorship and training opportunities. Some fellowships cover travel or provide stipends for workshops and events. It’s common to have master classes, one-on-one mentorship sessions, or even funds for things like conference attendance.
Cohort-based learning: Most fellowships select a cohort of fellows who go through the program together. This means built-in peer support and networking with other filmmakers in the group. The cohort model encourages peer-to-peer learning and collaboration – you’ll share experiences, give each other feedback, and often form lasting professional relationships.
Personal narrative in applications: Getting a fellowship usually involves more than just pitching a project. Applications often ask for essays or statements about your goals, background, and values as an artist. The selectors want to know who you are and why your perspective matters, not just the synopsis of your film. So be prepared to articulate your artistic mission or the impact you hope to have.
Community and mentorship: Once in a fellowship, expect intensive mentorship from seasoned filmmakers and industry professionals. Many programs include retreats, workshops, and one-on-one advising. For instance, a fellowship might include multiple retreats focused on career development and creative process, with mentors guiding you through challenges and expanding your professional network. By the end, you should come away not only with progress on your film, but also with new skills, confidence, and connections.
Examples: Notable documentary fellowships (U.S-based) include:
Firelight Media Documentary Lab – An 18-month fellowship for emerging documentary makers of color, offering a $25K project grant plus mentorship and professional retreats.
Logan Nonfiction Fellowship – A program (formerly at the Carey Institute) that hosts documentary filmmakers (along with writers and journalists) for multi-week residencies focused on their craft, often providing lodging, workspace, and mentoring in a cohort.
Chicken & Egg Pictures’ (Egg)celerator Lab – A year-long fellowship/lab for first or second-time women or non-binary directors, which includes project funding (around $25K), monthly mentorship, and creative retreats to hone both film and career. (Note: Chicken & Egg also offers a separate Award for more advanced filmmakers, showing how fellowships can target different career stages.)
Labs: Workshop Your Story with Expert Feedback
What it is: A lab is an intensive workshop or training program focused on developing a project at a specific stage. Labs often zero in on story development, editing, producing, or other aspects of the filmmaking process, providing a burst of expert feedback and mentorship over a short period. The primary value of a lab is the creative guidance and industry access you get – some labs may include a small grant or travel support, but they are usually more about mentorship than money. Think of it as a creative bootcamp or incubator for your documentary.
Best for: Filmmakers who are looking to refine their project – whether you’re in early development and need to workshop your story, mid-production and facing narrative hurdles, or in post-production with a rough cut that needs sharpening. Labs are ideal when you have material (footage, a rough cut, a pitch) that would benefit from outside expert eyes and structured feedback. They can also help if you feel stuck or want to elevate the storytelling, structure, or impact strategy of your film.
What to expect:
Short, intensive format: Labs can run anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Some are in-person retreats (e.g. a week at a rural resort or a film institute campus); others might be virtual or spread out over a couple of weekends. For example, the Sundance Documentary Edit & Story Lab is a weeklong convening of filmmakers at the rough-cut stage, whereas other labs might meet periodically over a couple of months. Be ready for an immersive experience when your lab is in session – it’s often all-day workshops, screenings, and critique sessions.
Expert mentorship and feedback: Labs bring in experienced advisors – working filmmakers, editors, producers, etc. – to mentor you and give detailed feedback on your project. In a story or edit lab, you might screen your rough cut for advisors and peers and then have brainstorming sessions on structure, character development, or editing choices. In a producing or impact lab, you might workshop your distribution or outreach plans with industry experts. The advice is candid and aimed at elevating your film.
Hands-on work and creative risk-taking: Don’t expect lectures only – you will actively work on your film during the lab. It’s a space to experiment and try new approaches with guidance. For example, a lab may encourage you to reimagine your narrative structure or explore new editing techniques in a safe, collaborative environment. Many lab mentors will challenge you to push the boundaries of your story and take creative risks.
Networking and industry exposure: Though shorter than fellowships, labs often provide great networking. You’ll be alongside a small cohort of fellow filmmakers, and labs frequently culminate in some form of showcase or pitching opportunity. Some labs end with a pitch forum, work-in-progress screening, or industry presentation where you present your project to funders, distributors, or festival programmers. For instance, the Points North Fellowship (an initiative of the Camden International Film Festival, which functions like a lab) brings teams to Maine for a week and culminates in the public Points North Pitch in front of industry leaders. This can open doors to future funding or festival invitations.
Selective entry (invite vs open): Every lab has its own selection process. Some prestigious labs are invitation-only or curated (you might be scouted or must win another grant first), while many others are open application (often with an interview or project review stage). Always check the application guidelines – some labs require you to be at a particular stage (e.g. “must have a rough cut ready” or “in production with X amount filmed”). If you’re not selected, don’t be discouraged; these programs are small by design. You can always refine your project and try again or target a different lab.
Examples: Renowned documentary lab programs include:
Camden/Points North Fellowship – A week-long lab in Camden, Maine (during Camden Intl. Film Festival) for projects in development or post. Fellows get rigorous feedback in private workshops and then pitch their works-in-progress to funders and broadcasters at the festival’s pitch forum. It’s a launchpad that often connects filmmakers with funders and collaborators.
The Gotham Documentary Lab – A program (formerly IFP Documentary Lab) for first-time documentary feature directors in post-production. It provides months of workshops and mentorship in New York, covering everything from editing to marketing, and includes industry meetings. (The lab is known for helping filmmakers prepare their films for festival premieres and distribution, and it emphasizes career sustainability for new voices.)
So, Which One Is Right for You?
To decide among a grant, fellowship, or lab, consider what type of “fuel” your project needs most at this moment:
If you need immediate funding to shoot or finish your film: Apply for a grant. A grant will give you money to solve production or post-production needs without long-term program commitments.
If you want long-term support and mentorship as you make your film: Look for a fellowship. Fellowships will invest in your personal development and connect you with mentors and peers, which can pay off over your whole career (not just one film).
If you have a rough cut or a specific story problem and need expert eyes on it: Try a lab. A lab will provide focused, constructive feedback and help you elevate your project’s storytelling or strategy.
If you crave community and professional growth: A fellowship offers a cohort experience, a network of other filmmakers, and often public recognition that can boost your profile.
If you’re still developing your idea and aren’t ready to film yet: Consider a lab or a fellowship that targets early-stage projects. A development lab can help you shape the idea, while a fellowship can support you with resources as you flesh it out.
If you’re close to the finish line and gearing up for distribution or impact: A grant (for finishing funds or outreach) or a lab (focused on distribution or impact strategy) could provide that last push. For example, some grants specifically fund audience engagement or distribution, and some labs (like impact labs) help strategize your release and impact campaign.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Choose Just One
The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to stick to only one type of opportunity over the life of your documentary. In fact, many filmmakers stack multiple grants, fellowships, and labs as their project progresses. For example, you might receive a development grant to get started, then participate in a story/edit lab to fine-tune the narrative, and later secure a fellowship that supports you through production and elevates your career to the next level. Each type of program offers a unique form of support – financial, creative, professional – and these can complement each other.
The key is to honestly assess where you are with your film and your career right now. Do you primarily need cash to roll cameras? Do you need mentorship and a community? Do you need expert critique on a cut? Once you identify the kind of boost you need, you can target the grant, fellowship, or lab that provides that “fuel” to keep you going. And remember, the documentary field has a robust ecosystem of support in the U.S.: it’s not uncommon for a project to benefit from all three at different stages.
By understanding the differences between grants, fellowships, and labs, you can make smarter decisions and navigate the opportunities that will most effectively drive your project forward. Good luck, and happy filmmaking!