MFO Big Sky Film Grant Program (United States)

The Big Sky Film Grant (“BSFG”) is a competitive grant program intended to attract and support filmmakers and production companies to stimulate economic activity, community enhancement, and statewide tourism through increased investment, job creation or retention, business expansion, and local tax base growth.

In addition to providing grant funding, the program elevates and supports Montana filmmakers, crew, and those businesses and individuals providing the products, services and locations to the film industry.

Depending upon the category, eligible productions include feature films, short films, documentaries, television series, limited series, music videos, and others. Certain categories of productions are excluded from the program, including, but not limited to, broadcast news or current affairs programs, interview or talk shows, instructional videos, sport shows or events, religious or political campaigns, adult content, and daytime soap operas.

Funding Information

• Award amounts will depend upon various factors, including the number of applications received in a grant cycle, the discretion of the Review Committee, and approval from Commerce. Annual grant funds also are subject to funding availability and grant awards may be less than requested. The total annual budget for the grant program is $1,500,000.

Grant Categories

• Each applicant is limited to one (1) application per funding cycle. Any applicant applying for multiple projects or in more than one grant category is ineligible. An applicant is not eligible if they are a current BSFG Grantee with an open BSFG grant contract for an uncompleted project. BSFG funds are available for the following grant categories:
  • Feature Film & TV
    • This category is awarded to a Montana-Based production of a feature-length film or television series with a minimum Montana-Spend of $350,000. Award amounts are not limited but are subject to annual program funding limitations an available funding.
  • Short Form Content
    • This category is awarded to a Montana-Based production of a short-form content film project. Examples include a short narrative, pilot episode, documentary, animation, webisode, Montana-centric story, or a film series of episodes each 60 minutes or less in length and with a budget of less than $350,000 per episode. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of up to $50,000 per project.
  • Resident Feature Film & TV
    • This category is awarded to a Montana-Based production of a feature-length project that is produced by a Montana-Resident filmmaker who has a validated credit as a producer, director, or primary director of photography. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of up to $100,000 per project. Proof of Montana residency must be submitted with an application to be eligible.
  • Resident Short Form Content
    • This category is awarded to a Montana-Based production of a short form content project that is produced by a Montana Resident filmmaker who has a validated credit as a producer, director, or primary director of photography. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of up to $50,000 per project. Proof of Montana residency must be submitted with an application to be eligible.

Eligible Projects

• All eligible projects must be Montana-Based and include an eligible production type.
• Eligible production types include:
  • feature film;
  • short film;
  • music video;
  • documentary;
  • series for theaters;
  • television or streaming;
  • pilots;
  • webisode; and
  • video game or game sequel.

Ineligible Projects

• Ineligible projects include:
  • a project containing Obscenity;
  • a project that has completed final editorial;
  • a project that already has been released;
  • concepts;
  • development ideas;
  • development stage projects;
  • projects without funding or investment from the applicant; and

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants include:
  • Individual Person(s);
  • Business Entity (for-profit or not-for-profit); and
  • Organization (for-profit or not-for-profit, non-governmental).

For more information, visit MFO.