Overview
MacArthur's goal in media grantmaking is to provide the public with high-quality, professionally-produced documentary films, deep and analytical journalism, and well-produced news and public affairs programming. In a media environment characterized by proliferating information sources of varying degrees of reliability, the Foundation seeks to support serious, fact-based journalism for television, radio and the web, the type of original reporting that is likely to be blogged about, linked to, tweeted, and otherwise circulated throughout the Internet. Programs supported by the Foundation inform and educate their viewers about important and under-reported topics, provide balance and accurate information, encourage global conversations, and use technology to tell stories in engaging and interactive ways.
In 2011, the grantmaking budget for this program area is $8.5 million.
What MacArthur Funds
MacArthur provides support to:
- Documentary films - The open call for documentary film proposals is now closed. We are no longer accepting proposals. Grant recipients for this round will be announced in the summer of 2012.
Please visit this section for updates to the documentary film program if you plan to submit your project in the future.
- Public media and nonprofit programs that identify, co-produce, broadcast, and/or disseminate high-quality documentary films on important social issues like P.O.V., Wide Angle, Sundance Documentary Fund, and the International Media Development Fund of ITVS;
- Projects that use technology to aid the production and/or distribution of the types of nonfiction content supported by the MacArthur Foundation like Bay Area Video Coalition's Producers Institute for New Media Technologies and Public Radio Exchange; and
- National and international nonprofit news organizations that report, produce, and distribute news content for public television, radio and the web, such as National Public Radio, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE, Center for Investigative Reporting, and LinkTV.
An organization wishing to approach the Foundation may submit a letter of inquiry to the Foundation describing the proposed project. The format for these letters can be found in Applying for Grants. (This set of instructions does not apply to individuals and organizations applying for a documentary film grant; please follow the guidelines above.) Based on this information, the Foundation may invite proposals from prospective projects and organizations.
MacArthur does not accept proposals for the following:
- News and documentary programs that are local or regional in focus, except in Chicago.
- Media projects intended to advocate a particular point of view or policy position, or to promote a particular organization or field.
- The distribution and/or outreach activities associated with a documentary film.
- Film festivals.
- Training programs.
- General operating support for independent production companies or professional associations of media professionals.
Updated December 12, 2011
Phone: (312) 726-8000