Portland Festivals & Screenings Grant 

FOR ELIGIBLE EVENTS OCTOBER-JUNE, 2025 

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The Portland Events & Film Office is excited to launch a new grant opportunity in partnership with Prosper Portland and Travel Portland, designed to provide funding and support Portland based festivals and screenings.  This rolling grant funding opportunity supports an initiative to increase film productions taking place in Portland by helping establish Portland as a destination on the film festival and screening circuits while supporting local productions to gain more visibility. Awards can range from $500 - $5,000 based on program priorities. 

This grant program strongly encourages productions to apply that further career advancement and/or storytelling for historically underserved communities in the Portland area, which may include people who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or people of color, people who speak English as a second language, people living with disabilities, youth, women, LGBTQIA2S+ , people on the gender spectrum, people experiencing houselessness or low income, people impacted by the legal system, immigration and/or incarceration.  

This grant is open for anyone to apply. 

Eligibility 

All events: 

• Must be held in the Portland Metro area. 

• Must have the event venue confirmed. 

• Must have the event date(s) confirmed. 

• Must have a minimum attendance of 100 (estimated from previous festivals or screenings).  

• If this is a new event, expected attendance should be 100 or more.  

  Festivals  

• Must be open to the public. 

• Must be multi day. 

  Screenings  

• Must feature full length projects and include Portland directors, producers, crew, or cast. 

• The event will need to take place before June 30, 2025 

  Application submittal timeline:  

• Funding window is 30 - 120 days from the event date. 

• Applications are reviewed once the event is within the funding window.  

• Applications will not be accepted if it received within 30 days of the event. 

• If the event is awarded, funds are typically disbursed within 30 days from the notice of award letter. 

Note: You can submit your application at any time during the grant season. However, we will only review applications as they are received up to 120 days before your event. Applications submitted 30 days or fewer before your event will not be accepted.  

Example: Your event takes place on March 1st, and you have submitted your application early on September 30th. Your application will be accepted but will not be reviewed until it falls within 120 days of your event. The earliest it would be reviewed would be Nov. 1st, 2024.  

Program Goals 

• Increase the number of film festivals and screenings that draw international attendees or submissions. 

• Bolster a vibrant film ecosystem that supports local creatives and encourages more people into the industry. 

• Grow opportunities for diverse filmmakers to showcase their work. 

• Support film festivals and screenings that showcase diverse communities and cultures 

Use of Funds 

Funding is reserved for expenditures related to presenting and growing the applicant’s event. Qualifying examples include but are not limited to:  Permits, paying contractors such as filmmakers, artists, musicians, vendors, event producers, equipment rentals or purchases, marketing materials, food and drink for attendees or contractors. 

Funding may not be used for controlled substances. 

The following are ineligible: 

• Fundraisers. 
  Fundraising activities are allowed so long as that is not the sole purpose of the event.  

• Seminars or workshops are not eligible for funding. Events that teach or train as their primary purpose will not be funded. Interactive educational activities are allowed so long as they are not the sole purpose of the event.   

Example:    
ALLOWED: Two-day film festival with a camera demonstration.     
NOT ALLOWED: Cinematography class. 

• Ongoing reoccurring events are not eligible for funding. Multi-day festivals are allowed and required.   

Example : 
ALLOWED: Festival that takes place over two weekends.   
NOT ALLOWED: a weekly film screening.  

• Networking events that help to build relationships that can further an individual’s business or career.   

• Business promotional events. This includes sales, product launches, and/or grand opening.   

• Religious or political events  

Selection Criteria 

All applications will be reviewed and scored based off of meeting the eligibility criteria. Funding awards will be determined by how many aspects of the event meet the eligibility criteria, program goals and priorities.  

Funding Priorities – Funding is determined by an event’s ability to meet or exceed the following priorities:   

• Able to demonstrate attendance from distributors. We would like to see that the festival or screening is drawing in attendance from potential film distributers. (Events will be asked to track attendee surveys, RSVP’s, registration/ticketing data.)  

• The event has a marketing budget and/or an out-of-state marketing budget. This funding opportunity is funded with tourism improvement district fees. It is important that the applicant can demonstrate outreach and marketing to out of state visitors to help bolster overnight stays.  

• Open to the public. The Events and Film Office aim is to support events that draw a wide audience and contribute to accessible and inclusive participation. Events that are open to the public and actively marketed, encourage broad attendance. 

• The event producer has not received funding from Prosper Portland in the current fiscal year (July 1st, 2024 - June 30th, 2025). This grant will prioritize applicants who have not already received funding from Prosper Portland during this fiscal year, however applicants who have received funding are not disqualified from applying for consideration of funding.   

• Film festivals - two years demonstrated success. By investing in festivals with demonstrated impact, we can better ensure that our contributions maximize the overarching goals of the grant which further enhance the existing local event and filmmaking community. 

• Events draw over 10% out of state attendance. We aim to broaden engagement for out of state visitors to further contribute to the local economy and cultural exchange.  

• Film festivals and screenings that draw international attendees or submissions. Our goal is to enhance Portland’s global visibility and broaden our reach to filmmakers and attendees from around the world. 

• Promote diversity in the film industry in any or all of the following ways: 

• Feature Films from a Diversity of Creators. Example: Your festival will include films directed by creators from historically underserved communities, showcasing unique narratives and cultural perspectives.  

• Diverse Jury and Programming Teams. Example:  
  For Festivals- Ensure that your selection committee and programming teams are composed of individuals from a variety of backgrounds. A diverse jury will bring a range of perspectives to the selection process, ensuring that the festival’s lineup reflects a wide array of voices and stories.   
  For Screenings- your event programming/planning teams are composed of individuals from a variety of backgrounds.  

• Community Outreach and Engagement. Example: Collaborate with local communities to emphasize drawing in diverse stories, submissions and viewers.  Additionally, your event could feature films made by local filmmakers from those communities, followed by Q&A sessions or panel discussions that engage directly with the audience and encourage dialogue about the issues portrayed in the films.  

• Scholarships and/or subsidized entries. Example: Offer scholarships, and/or subsidized entry specifically for filmmakers from historically underserved communities to help fund their projects or attend the festival/screening.  

• Highlighting Underrepresented Genres or Themes. Example: Dedicate a segment of the festival to exploring genres or themes that are underrepresented in mainstream cinema but are significant within certain communities. For example, focusing on Afro-futurist films or stories that address the experiences of people living with disabilities.   

• Interactive Panels and Discussions. Example: Host panels and discussions that address the challenges and opportunities facing filmmakers from underserved communities. Invite directors, producers, and scholars to share their experiences and insights, fostering a space for learning and collaboration among industry professionals and festival attendees 

Selection Process 

1. Applications will enter the pool of eligibility for review on a rolling basis once the event takes place within the funding window: 30 days – 120 days from the event date 

1. Applications are screened for eligibility and completeness.  

1. Award amounts will be determined based off of alignment with the program goals and priorities. 

1. Awards will be distributed on a rolling basis in amounts of $500-$5000 until the grant award budget has expended or until June 30th, 2025. 

Notification 

Awardees will be notified via email. 

Once notified, awardees will have one week to accept the funding. 

If the event is awarded funds, they are typically disbursed within 30 days from the notice of award letter. 

Grant FAQ

For any questions about this process, please contact OEFgrants@portlandeventsandfilm.com 

KEY DATES: 

• October, 2024  
  Application available for review and submissions on a rolling basis until all funds have been awarded or until the funding period closes 

• Application Review Window 

  30 – 120 days from the event date 

• June 30, 2025  
  Funding period closes 

• Award Notifications 

  If the event is awarded, funds are typically disbursed within 30 days from the notice of award letter 

For questions, or to request accommodations or language translations, please contact Portland Events & Film at oefgrants@portlandeventsandfilm.com