Guidelines

Eligibility Requirements

We will consider U.S. documentary feature-length independently-produced film projects that:

  • Tell compelling stories about a topic in the broad cross-section of Jewish experiences and perspectives (see “What We Fund” below)
  • Are in development, pre-production, production, or post-production.
  • Have a director and producer attached, at least one of whom is based full-time in the U.S.
  • Have footage to share from the submitted project. (All projects must submit at least five minutes of material. Projects in development or production may submit up to 30 minutes of material. Projects in post-production may submit up to 2 hours of material.)

Filmmakers need not be Jewish but must be 18 years or older.

Current grantees will only be permitted to reapply once in the lifetime of their project. Projects not yet supported by JSP are permitted to apply up to three times.

What We Fund

Jewish Story Partners stimulates and supports the highest caliber independent films that use fresh, nuanced perspectives to tell stories about the diverse spectrum of Jewish experiences, cultures, and encounters.

Jewish Story Partners looks for films that provide insight into some aspect of Jewish experiences – contemporary or historical – and we take an expansive and inclusive perspective of what can be included in this criteria.

All funding decisions follow a rigorous review process, including final selection by independent juries of film professionals.

Projects eligible for funding must fulfill one or more of the following criteria:

  • Content or story explores some aspect of Jewish identities, experiences, cultures, or encounters
  • Features a lead character or supporting character who is clearly Jewish – explicitly established as such by the film, implicitly established by the film’s context, or an individual who is commonly known to be Jewish
  • Contributes meaningful new information or insight into a topic relevant to Jewish life
  • Expresses a Jewish perspective
  • Singular stories which provide fresh, nuanced perspectives; clear narrative strategies; and bold artistic choices to create a powerful, gripping experience for audiences

Jewish Story Partners issues grants of amounts between $5,000 and $75,000. Projects must be feasible with respect to budget, financing, timeline and scope, and led by strong creative and technical teams. We require both a director and a producer to be attached at the time of application.

How We Work

Jewish Story Partners is proud of our deep roots in the Jewish community, and eager to support independent, filmmaker-driven documentaries that reflect the full range and complexity of Jewish lives. We recognize the fundamental Jewishness of robust debate and respectful conversation, allowing for dissenting voices while staying true to our core values as expressed in our mission.

Jewish Story Partners will not fund projects that promote antisemitism, violence, or hatred, or that deny the fundamental rights and humanity of any group, race, nationality, or religion. We welcome a broad range of political and cultural perspectives.

Jewish Story Partners is not a production company, distribution company, or a studio. While we provide grant funding and a continuum of support for selected projects, we do not direct, edit, or produce the films ourselves; filmmakers have final cut.

Key Dates

We accept applications through one open call per year. The annual application opens in late fall each year and closes in January. Decisions will be announced by early summer.

For projects that have already been funded by JSP and would like to apply for a Reprise Grant, we accept applications twice a year. Reprise applicants may apply through our open call (see dates above), but they will also have a separate opportunity to apply over the summer. That application will become available in June, with a deadline in August.