How to Apply
Through invited proposals, film nominations, and the Community Voices open call, IPMF supports building and strengthening networks of people who are creating and sharing information, ideas, and stories for justice and change.
What We Fund
Our funding focuses on projects based in the Greater Philadelphia region. Projects must be based in:
- Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania
- Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties in New Jersey
- New Castle County, Delaware
We also prioritize organizations and projects that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, people who are LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and people directly impacted by mass incarceration.
- Serve communities that are directly impacted by systemic racism and other forms of oppression.
- Directly address systemic inequality.
- Feature collaboration between multiple partners.
What We Don’t Fund
IPMF does not make grants for:
- Projects not based in the Philadelphia-region.
- Arts and culture organizations or projects without a focus on BIPOC community storytelling, narrative shift for movement building, or internet for all.
- Marketing campaigns (e.g., public health campaigns for a specific health program).
- Individuals without a fiscal sponsor.
Ways to Apply
We currently have four funding cycles aimed to support local organizations and media makers. Learn more about them below.
Community Voices
This spring, a panel of community members will review applications submitted through our Community Voices Open Call, which seeks to support local storytelling, archive and movement media projects.
Learn more about a past Community Voices grantee: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture.
Applications open: May 8, 2023
Applications close: June 2, 2023
If you or your organization isn’t able to meet the open call deadline, you’re welcome to submit a Letter of Interest starting in July.
Filmmaker Grants
Our film grantmaking process puts grantmaking decisions in the hands of local filmmaking experts. Each year we work with a diverse committee of local filmmakers and filmmaking advocates to review and make grants to local film projects. Applications can be submitted to be considered by the committee on a rolling basis up until August 18. The committee will make their decisions in September.
See a film project we funded through this process: Marie Alarcón
Application Close: August 18th, 2023
Submit a Letter of Inquiry
We invite first time* grant applicants to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI).
The LOI asks for:
- A brief request summary (1-2 sentences).
- A project description (5-7 sentences).
- A few questions about the organization/project.
- In just a few sentences, how the organization or project directly addresses systemic inequality, and how media and/or community storytelling will be part of the work.
As the requests are reviewed, staff may reach out with follow-up questions. Applicants will receive a response to their request within 3-4 weeks of submitting the inquiry, depending on the volume of requests.
*Please note we will not accept a LOI if you received a grant via the 2023 Community Voices Open Call.
Requests open up: July 10, 2023
Last call for requests: October 27, 2023, or until funds run out
Small Funding Requests
To remain accessible to emerging ideas, we accept requests for impromptu project needs on a rolling basis. We are prioritizing organizations/individuals that traditionally have not had access to philanthropic capital, including BIPOC and women-led organizations with operational budgets under $500K. We ask that your request is under $20,000.
Requests open up: July 10, 2023
Last call for requests: October 27, 2023, or until funds run out