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How to Write Grants and Crowdfund Like a Filmmaker

Posted on: Jul 31, 2025

Photo Credit: Jacob Wackerhausen // iStockPhoto

By Jessica Mathis

The words “grants” and “crowdsourcing” are common terms floating around the industry, and yet, the skill of grant writing and crowdfunding escapes many. While the idea of “free money” is tempting, it’s important to note that grant seeking and writing can seem to take up more time than it’s worth, while equal energy could be put into investment or fundraising campaigns.

Whatever fundraising you choose, you’ll need to prepare and gather the same information in order to convey your need, and impact others enough to elicit their money. I’ve received 12 grants over the year and countless sponsors or donors, so here are my suggestions to improve your chances.

Key Takeaways:

  • Fundraising success starts with storytelling—about you and your project.

  • Grants and crowdfunding both require clear goals, emotional stakes, and proof of execution.

  • Preparation and alignment with funders’ missions will boost your chances.

Tell Your Story

When funding, you become the protagonist. This is intimidating to many, but I find it helpful to think about yourself or your project like the protagonist in a film or TV series. 

Know your story engine. When you create a protagonist, your goal is emotional investment. Funding will follow emotion. This is accomplished by a powerful story engine that consists of three things: 

  • Who you uniquely are, what the project is, and what you’re actively seeking to accomplish with it.
  • Who your antagonist is. It can be an obstacle, a villain, a behavioral pattern, etc.
  • What the stakes are. What happens if you don’t accomplish your goal?

Clearly communicating these three things about yourself or your project effectively will grab attention from those considering aiding you for the long series of tasks ahead.

Know your theme and world. You’ll also need to set the tone and world your project is within. What problems and blessings are common, and how are you navigating them? What are the themes your project addresses, or that you are passionate about? What kind of mindsets surround you?

Know your cast list. Be sure to mention who’s on your team, whether they include collaborators, other funders, etc. It’s even more helpful if you have signed letters of intent from key players that show funders that they believe in your project enough to sign on to it. These can also be low commitment, though. A letter may say, “If the filmmaker raises funding, and I am available during the shoot dates, I would love to participate as ….”

Know your target audience. Who will relate to your project? Where do you find them? Is there a widespread problem in your world the story is meant to heal or bring awareness to?

Pre-write all this information and keep it safely in an easily accessible place to pull from, and it will help narrow your search and keep you from taking time-intensive shots in the dark. Once you do, you’ll be better able to identify your most likely supporters. You’ll know your audience. You’ll have the basic “story outline.” You’ll be ready to write and rewrite the same important basics into different applications with a slightly different focus geared toward various potential funders. 

Tell Their Story

Don’t waste your time applying to every opportunity or chasing every potential donor. 

Research best matches. Look for organizations, companies and individuals who care about the themes in your project and who support voices like yours. Research organizations and corporate sponsors through directories or online. Learn where to find groups of individuals who may support you. You can learn a lot about organizations and others from mission statements, their social media channels, or from press articles about them. You may find non-profits who will share your request with their members, or finding the right online platforms your target audience frequents. 

Pay attention to grant descriptions and eligibility rules and follow them. They don’t bend. You may even go so far as to find and speak with others who have some experience with the groups.

Communicate your ability to fulfill their mission. Match their vibe and language. If it’s a grant for feminist art, be sure to show that you understand feminism. Point out how your project matches certain tenets of feminism. Match the energy and vocabulary used on their socials, mission statements and grant descriptions. Communicate how what you’re doing accomplishes their goal.

This can be anything from giving a voice to other victims of domestic abuse, to finding other people who like to laugh at ridiculous comedies as much as you. Make it clear how what you’re doing fulfills what they want their money to be doing in the world, and what the payoff is for them. Their payoff may be financial, emotional, social or personal. They may support to see good done in the world, make money back or even just to feel good. Show them how you’re overcoming the obstacle or villain together.

Tell Your Backstory and Arc

Now, they need confidence in the stories.

Show your proof. Share examples of your experience creating quality work on time and within budget. If you don’t have this yet, you might think of some simple, but good stories before seeking funds. You can tell good stories with very simple production. Most grants require some sort of work samples, and most pitches require at least some concept art.

Lots of people have good ideas, but that doesn’t mean they can execute them. There are a lot of great ideas, even with funding, that fall apart or are never completed. 

Show your arc. Where are you and the project heading? How will your story unfold? You’ll explain with: 

  • The budget — Avoid undercutting yourself or under-budgeting. People in the business of funding know what is unrealistic and will see a super low budget without explanation as a red flag. Don’t forget to account for “in-kind” donations of time, money, items, etc.
  • How you will create your project (what kind of gear, crew, etc). Again, be realistic.
  • Any potential obstacles and how you would overcome them. Knowing there will be potential obstacles and having backup plans is a green flag. 
  • Their payoff. Even if they’re handing over money with no financial return, they will want know their social, mental or emotional return.
  • How you will deliver it to the intended audience.

The more information, the better — usually. You want to avoid leaving questions in their mind, but also avoid rambling. Like in a script, every piece of information you share should move you forward toward the goal — convincing them you are a good investment. You want to be convincing, but realistic. Most grant applications have character or word limits, and that’s good practice to self-impose to avoid overwhelming your audience.

Keep Telling the Story

There is a moral and sometimes legal duty to report on your activities. Consistently sharing and reminding your supporters how you’re both facing overcoming the obstacles of your shared world together, including them in your victories or challenges, which will deepen their emotional and financial investment in you. 

Reporting successful use of previously raised funds will build trust and improve chances of repeat support. When you’re in good standing with previous funders, you can use them as references, or ask them for testimonials that will help you in the future. Through each of these segments, be sure to include visual aids, such as photos, color palettes or videos that help tell your story.

Your actions tell your stories just as much as your words and photos. Once you’ve told your stories, others are going to keep telling your stories, too. Building a relationship of trust and dependability will build a network that will be helpful for years to come. 

Takeaways:

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