How To Lose Everything – A Knock at the Door (Terril Calder, Christa Couture) ISO funding opportunities are available through two key streams: the ISO Story Fund and Sector Development.
Read our Funding Guidelines.
We support Indigenous talent, communities and companies in the development, production and marketing of screen content. We support partners in building a robust Indigenous screen sector and workforce.
Our priority is to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis storytellers from across Canada including representation from diverse regions, women, 2SLGBQTIA+, emerging creators, and Indigenous language groups. Our approach is relational; we want to hear from applicants about who they are, where they come from and where they are going so that we can enter a relationship with them built on honesty and trust.
ISO Funding Programs
Accepting Applications
There are no programs currently accepting applications.
Closed and Upcoming Programs
Marketing, Promotion, and Distribution
For Indigenous-owned screen-based companies.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Marketing & Distribution
- Project Type
- Shorts, feature films, television and web series
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
- Rolling deadline or until .
Interactive and Immersive Program
For individuals (including sole proprietors), collectives, companies and community groups.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Development, Production
- Project Type
- Videogame design, AR/VR/MR works, apps, and immersive and/or interactive projects that include audio or audiovisual content
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
Production (all)
For Indigenous screen-based creators.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Production
- Project Type
- TV and web series, short and feature length films
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
Production, Features & TV Series
For Indigenous screen-based creators.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Production
- Project Type
- TV series and Feature length films
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
Development
For Indigenous on-screen content creators and Indigenous-owned production companies.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Development
- Project Type
- TV and web series, short and feature length films
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
Podcasting Program
For Indigenous screen-based and audio storytellers.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Pre-development, Development, Marketing & Distribution
- Project Type
- Podcasts
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
Finishing Fund
Provides support to Indigenous-owned screen-based companies in the post-production stage of shorts, feature films, web and television series.
- Program Streams
- Story Fund
- Project Stage
- Post-production
- Project Type
- Shorts, feature films, web and television series.
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
- Rolling deadline or until .
Apprenticeship and Cultural Mentorship Funding, supported by Netflix
For Indigenous on-screen content creators and Indigenous-owned production companies.
- Program Streams
- Sector Development
- Description
- Provides funding to support training, professional development and cultural specific approaches.
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
- First deadline: September 20, 2023
Second deadline:
Sector Development
Funding for workshops, labs, incubators, research projects, community based programs, and organizations whose mandate is to develop the Indigenous screen sector.
- Program Streams
- Sector Development
- Description
- Designed to support a wide array of initiatives and projects that aim to strengthen and grow the Indigenous screen sector.
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
- Rolling deadline or until .
Travel Funding
For Indigenous screen-based creatives.
- Program Streams
- Sector Development
- Description
- Supports travel for festival and market attendance, conferences, community engagement, training opportunities, and artistic screen-based collaboration across Canada and internationally.
- Opening Date
- Closing Date
- Rolling deadline or until .
No upcoming or recently closed programs match the selected criteria.
ISO Story Fund
The Story Fund is the core funding program of the ISO, supporting the full cycle of creation, production and dissemination across all screen-based platforms with a focus on Indigenous storytelling and narrative sovereignty.
Sector Development
ISO is committed to supporting a robust Indigenous screen sector, creating opportunities not just for key creatives but for the workforce of professionals that supports screen-based creation.
Industry Initiatives
Find out about our strategic initiatives and delegations.
Application Assistance
If you have any accommodation needs or barriers to access including but not limited to:
- disability need
- language or translation needs
- low bandwidth
- limited internet access
External Funding
Public and private funders for film and TV projects.
Government / Arts Councils
Alberta
Alberta – Film Development Program
The Screen-Based Production Grant supports the creation of film and television production in Alberta. This improved grant replaces the previous Alberta Production Grant.
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Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Our funding programs provide support to artists and arts organizations, giving them the power to inspire minds, encourage expression, foster creativity and help diversify Alberta’s economy.
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British Columbia
BC Arts Council
The British Columbia Arts Council nurtures and supports arts and cultural activity in communities across British Columbia. The Council supports a range of activities while engaging with Indigenous artists and communities to inform policies and programs.
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First Peoples Cultural Council
The Individual Artists Program supports the artistic development of B.C. First Nations,, Métis and Inuit creators residing in B.C. Funding supports artists to further develop their creative practice, connect with community and explore new approaches and techniques.
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Manitoba
Manitoba Arts Council
The Manitoba Arts Council offers a broad range of grants and services to professional artists and arts organizations in all art forms.
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Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism
Manitoba Sport, Culture, and Heritage support community organizations and citizens who take action to build on their community’s achievements, existing strengths and local skills in the arts.
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Manitoba Film and Sound
The Manitoba Film & Sound Recording Development Corporation (Manitoba Film & Music) is a statutory corporation of government proclaimed under the Manitoba Film and Sound Recording Development Corporation Act.
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Winnipeg Arts Council
With a focus on artistic excellence and community impact, the Winnipeg Arts Council supports opportunities for the people of Winnipeg to engage with the arts as artists and as audiences.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick – Arts and Culture
New Brunswick – Arts and Culture funding is intended for new, emerging and established arts and cultural organizations and performing arts festivals.
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The New Brunswick Arts Board
The New Brunswick Arts Board is an arts funding agency with a legislated mandate to facilitate and promote the creation of art as well as administer funding programs for professional artists in the province.
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Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland Labrador – Tourism, Culture and Recreation
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation has allocated funding to support community projects and amateur arts and/or heritage activity that present local artists, artisans and/or performers of local historical heritage.
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The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
The Professional Project Grants Program supports the creation and/or presentation of works of art in the disciplines of dance, film, music, multidisciplinary arts, theatre, visual arts, or writing. Grants support project costs related to creation, production, administration, travel, professional development, etc.
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Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories Arts
The NWT Arts Program is a marketing initiative that represents all artists of the Northwest Territories, including traditional arts and fine crafts, contemporary arts and fine crafts, performing arts, literary arts, and film and media arts.
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NWT Arts Council
The mandate of the NWT Arts Council is to promote the arts in the Northwest Territories.
The Arts Council provides financial awards for creative artistic projects in the visual, literary, media and performing arts, and on issues and policies associated with the arts and artists.
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Nova Scotia
Arts Nova Scotia
This program supports the creation of new works by professional artists in all disciplines including fine crafts, literary, visual, media and performing arts.
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Nova Scotia Arts and Culture Partnership Council
The Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council works to elevate the artistic and cultural vibrancy of the province for all Nova Scotians.
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Nunavut
Government of the NWT – Culture and Community
The Culture and Heritage Division is responsible for documenting, researching, promoting, and preserving the culture and heritage of the NWT. The programs and services provided by the division range from museum-based operations to the administration of archaeological research and protection, funding for arts and culture programs, and curating the NWT Archives.
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Nunavut – Department of Culture, Languages, Elders and Youth
The Department of Culture and Heritage provides grant and contribution funding to non-profit, community-based organizations, individuals, and municipal corporations who direct their efforts to the promotion, protection and preservation of Nunavut’s culture and heritage, official languages, and activities that support elders and youth.
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Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association
The Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association is a non-profit incorporated society that supports and promotes the development and growth of Nunavut’s arts and crafts community through advocacy, communications, artist development, education and marketing.
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Ontario
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council provides grants to Ontario-based individual artists and arts professionals, ad hoc groups/collectives and organizations. Grants support a range of arts activities and disciplines.
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Toronto Arts Council
Toronto Arts Council is the City of Toronto’s funding body for artists and arts organizations in Toronto.
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Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island – Arts, Culture and Heritage
The mandate of the PEI Arts Grants is to support, assist, encourage and represent the arts community in the province.
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Quebec
Conseil des arts et des lettres Québec
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) supports, throughout Québec, creation, experimentation, production and dissemination in the realms of the visual arts, the arts and crafts, literature, the performing arts, the multidisciplinary arts, cinema and video, the digital arts and architectural research.
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Culture et Communications Québec
The mission of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications is to contribute to the dissemination of culture and communications, to the individual and collective development of the population and to the creation of an environment conducive to creativity and to the vitality of the territories. Its work focuses on the following areas: heritage, museology, edition, arts training, media, sponsorship and capital assets.
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Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan Arts Board
The Saskatchewan Arts Board provides grants, programs, and services to individuals and groups whose activities have an impact on the arts in Saskatchewan and ensure that opportunities exist for Saskatchewan residents to experience all art forms.
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Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative
The Saskatchewan Filmpool Cooperative is a non-profit artist-run centre which supports and assists independent visionary film and video production in Saskatchewan. The Filmpool is committed to developing an awareness and appreciation of independent film which reflects the individual and collective cultural expression of Saskatchewan people.
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Yukon
Yukon Arts Centre
The Yukon Arts Centre is proud to champion and promote artists and their stories in our community. The Centre is honoured to be located on the traditional territories of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.
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Yukon – Arts Fund
The Arts Fund supports group projects that develop the arts and engage the public in Yukon.
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Yukon Media Development, Department of Economic Development
Media Development funding for Predevelopment, Development, Production and Training for TV, Film and Digital Media Projects.
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Corporate / Private
Canada Council for the Arts
Canada’s public arts funder. We champion and invest in artistic excellence through our grants, services, prizes and payments to Canadian artists and arts organizations.
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Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund
The Canadian Independent Film & Video Fund is a dynamic private sector funding body which supports non-theatrical film, videos and new media projects created by Canadian independent producers to enable lifelong learning.
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Canada Media Fund
The Canada Media Fund fosters, promotes, develops and finances the production of Canadian content and relevant applications for all audiovisual media platforms.
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CrossCurrents Canada Doc Fund
Promoting inclusion in the documentary space, the Funds foster storytelling from within groups whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented.
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Directors Guild of Canada
The Directors Guild of Canada is a national labour organization that represents key creative and logistical personnel in the screen-based industry covering all areas of direction, design, production and editing across Canada.
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Independent Production Fund
The Independent Production Fund provides financial support for dramatic television series created by Canadian independent producers for Canadian private broadcasters.
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Quebecor Fund
The Quebecor Fund’s mission is to support the development, production, marketing and exportation of high-quality content, as well as its distribution on various platforms.
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Rogers Group of Funds
The Rogers Group of Funds provides three types of funding for independent Canadian film and television producers.
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Shaw Rocket Fund
The Shaw Rocket Fund provides equity financing for the production of high-quality Canadian children’s, youth and family programming and industry initiatives.
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Telefilm Canada
Telefilm Canada supports all stages of a feature film, from development, to production and post-production, to marketing to audiences both at home and abroad.
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Telus – StoryHive
Telus Storyhive funds new and emerging content creators in BC and Alberta.
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The Bell Fund
The Bell Fund supports Canadian media content makers in creating for and connecting with, audiences here and everywhere.
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The Canadian Film Centre
The Canadian Film Centre is a charitable organization that empowers Canadian talent and advances opportunities for them to thrive in the screen industry. We deliver intensive programs in film, television, screen acting, music, and digital/immersive media.
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NOHFC
The Film and Television Stream is designed to increase film and television industry jobs and investment and to increase quality, original film and television productions produced in Northern Ontario, while showcasing its culture, geography, stories and talent.
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