Teri Rogers Film Grants

Teri Rogers Filmmakers grants are for early-career directors creating new film, video, and digital production work in the short film, narrative genre (non documentary). 

The purpose of these grants is to support ambitious projects of risk, growth, and change for the filmmaker that also make a positive impact on the community. This funding is meant to support the process of production (filming) or post-production.

Last year, ArtsKC awarded two grants out of 13 applications for $10,000 each.

This year, ArtsKC will award two $10,000 grants, which also each include a membership to Film Independent, a subscription to Movie Maker Magazine, and mentorship opportunities with professionals in the field.

One grant will be awarded to a self-identifying women and/or gender nonconforming filmmaker and one grant will be open to all genders.

2024-2025 TIMELINE

Application opens: April 15, 2024

Application Deadline: July 23, 2024 at 11:45 PM

• Activity dates supported by this year’s funding: August 1, 2024 – April 15, 2025
• Committee will meet in August and September, 2024
• Grant decision announcements will be made in September, 2024
• Impact Reports are due April 16, 2025

2023-2024 Impact Report Deadline: April 17, 2024 at 11:45 PM

Note: One grant will be awarded to a self-identifying women and/or gender nonconforming filmmaker and one grant will be open to all genders. 

To be eligible for funding in the Teri Rogers Filmmakers category, applicants must:

• Be 18-years of age or older. This fund does not fund student films.
• Project must be new film, video, and/or digital production work in the short-film narrative (non documentary) genre.
• Applicants must assume the role of director with artistic/creative control. They must own the copyright of their production, and have artistic, budgetary and editorial control over their project.
• Reside in the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area (Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties in Missouri; and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas).
  • Applications from adjacent counties will be considered if the project takes place within our service area, but the five-county area is the main priority.
• Be in the early stage of film career.
• Special consideration will be given to projects where Kansas City or the region serves as character or is highlighted as place.
• Special consideration will be given to projects that prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Only one application per applicant will be considered

Not Eligible

• Projects considered documentaries, installations, new media, games or interactive work. 
• In addition, commercial, industrial, music videos, informational, or student work are not eligible. Music videos, industrial work and/or commercial work submitted as work samples will be removed from the application and will not be reviewed by the committee. 
• Applicants may only receive one grant from ArtsKC within the same fiscal year (July 1 – June 31).
• Applicants can apply to EITHER the Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant or the Teri Rogers Screenwriting Award, not both.

Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant Applications are submitted online using the ArtsKC Grant System.  A preview of the application is available below:

2024-2025 Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant Application

If you have applied before, log in to the ArtsKC Grant System and click on the “Apply” link to start a new application. Use the “Forgot Your Password?” link if you don’t remember what your password is. When you return to work on a saved application, be sure to look for your previously started form!

If you have not applied before, go to the ArtsKC Grant System, click on the “Create New Account” button, and follow the directions there. If you are a new user but your organization has applied for ArtsKC funding before, email ArtsKC Grants staff to help set up your user profile.

*Note: The online grants system is compatible with screen reading systems, but does not have an in-application screen-reader.

Draft Applications

Draft applications may be submitted for review by staff.  This step is strongly encouraged for new applicants. Draft applications do not require a full set of attachments or support materials to be reviewed and should be completed via the online grants system. Once the application has been completed for a draft review, email the ArtsKC Grants staff (grantmaking@artskc.org) to say that the application is ready for draft review. ArtsKC staff will review applications in the order they are submitted and will provide timely feedback to the applicant. Applicants will be able to make changes directly in the application without having to start the application over. Draft applications must be submitted 30 days before the application deadline to allow time for staff to review it (submit by 6/23/2024).

Project Budget

Many projects have a total Project Cost that is higher than the grant opportunity. The grant application requires a Project Budget document that includes Expenses (what it will cost to do the project) and Revenue (the money you will use to do the project). In-kind or donated resources should be included. The Revenue or Income should also include the amount of your ArtsKC grant request.

The total Expenses and the total Revenue is ideally the same, i.e. a balanced budget.

Expenses should make sense with the proposed project and be well-researched.

Revenue should list all sources of funding for the project, including the Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant. For example, other grants, personal funds, and in-kind resources are commonly included. Note if the funding is secured or pending.

Below is an OPTIONAL template that can be used for the application. This shows examples of possible expenses and income sources and is easy for evaluators to read.

Teri Rogers Short Film Budget Template

ArtsKC committees review grants competitively.

Committee Members are selected for their artistic knowledge and experience, awareness of community needs and issues, and other contributing factors.  Each application will be reviewed online and discussed by the committee virtually or in person. Applicants may be emailed questions regarding the application. Not all applicants will be sent questions. The committee will consider:

Artistic Excellence

Career and Community Impact

Feasibility and Budget

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Regionality

Any other relevant factors

Grant committees make a set of recommendations for funding that is presented to the ArtsKC Board of Directors for official approval.

Here is a preview of the evaluation forms used by our committee members:

2024-2025 Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant Evaluation Form

Two grants of $10,000 will be awarded. One grant will be awarded to a self-identifying women and/or gender nonconforming filmmaker and one grant will be open to all genders. In addition to monetary funds, the grantee will receive a membership to Film Independent, a subscription to Movie Maker Magazine, and mentorship opportunities with professionals in the field. 

Funds must specifically be used for the process of production (filming) or post-production, including:

• Shooting
• Rights
• Location Fees
• Equipment
• Materials
• Travel
• Staffing (creative, technical or other)
• Editing
• Transfers
• Scoring/sound mix
• CGI/titling
• Special Effects
• Color Correction

Funds may not be used for:

• Marketing
• Creation of Trailers
• Distribution Costs
• Festival Fees
• Pre-production costs, including;
• Research
• Professional Development

Projects that are still in early pre-production planning and that may not begin shooting for at least 24 months are encouraged not to apply until more work on the project has been completed. This program does not offer second grants to support projects previously funded within the Teri Rogers Film Fund Grant program. 

Grants are paid in two payments. The grant recipient must return a signed grant agreement and W-9 to receive the first payment of 80%. To receive the second payment of 20%, the grantee must turn in an Impact Report and an edited version of the film (or portion of the film if still in progress), which must be approved by ArtsKC. Please allow two weeks after submitting grant agreements and Impact Reports to process checks.

Timely Paperwork and Documentation

To accept a grant, you must return your signed Grant Agreement Letter and W-9 within 15 business days of the notice, or you will forfeit your entire grant award.

You are required to submit an Impact Report by the deadline, or you will forfeit your final payment. We understand that it may become necessary to request a reasonable extension. Please do so by contacting ArtsKC well before the deadline to ensure timely processing of your request. If you forfeit your final payment and do not turn in an Impact Report, you will become ineligible to apply for ArtsKC grants. Ineligibility can be reversed by the submission of an acceptable Impact Report.

Here is a preview of the Impact Report form, which is filled out and submitted in the online grants system:

2024-2025 Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant Impact Report

Final note: You do not have to accept grants. If you have been awarded a grant and would like to turn it down or return it because of a change in plans or for any other reason, please notify ArtsKC Grant Staff immediately.

During the duration of your active status as a grant recipient, we ask that you recognize Teri Rogers Filmmakers Fund, ArtsKC and KC Film publicly in your promotional materials and programs in a manner consistent with your policy of acknowledging other donors. ArtsKC respectfully requests to use your organization’s name and any photos you are willing to provide in our promotional materials and online.

Download ArtsKC’s logos and brand guidelines here. 

Download ArtsKC’s logos and brand guidelines here. 

Please notify ArtsKC staff in writing of any major changes in leadership, programs, or operations as described in your grant application. Updates to contact information are also necessary to stay in contact and to mail checks to the appropriate address.

The 2024-2025 Grant Committee Listing is Coming Soon!

The 2023-2024 Teri Rogers Filmmakers Grant Committee:

Committee Chair (ArtsKC Board Member): Andrea Young, Sr. Vice President, General Counsel at Grayson Capital, LLC

Committee Advisor: Stephane Shannon, Kansas City Film Commissioner

Committee members:

Lonita Cook – Creative Producer/EP, Critics Choice Association member, KCTV5 and blackbeebuzz.com film and theater critic as well as Kansas Department of Commerce Creative Arts Industries Commission East Central Kansas Field Rep with a focus on developing Kansas Film

Michelle Davidson – FILM IN MO President
Veronica Loncar Executive Director of Kansas City FilmFest International

Gretchen McCourt – COO of MoviePass and Co-Founder of Women in Entertainment

Jon Niccum – Writer and Producer