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Artemis Rising Foundation

Annual Giving
$5.6M
Grant Range
$1000K - $5.9M

Artemis Rising Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5.6 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation/relationship-based)
  • Decision Time: Not disclosed
  • Grant Range: $1,000,000 - $5,936,000
  • Average Grant: $2,789,700
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily New York and California
  • Total Assets: $130.7 million

Contact Details

Website: https://artemisrising.org

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries on their website. They primarily work through established relationships in the film and documentary community.

Overview

Founded in 1993 by philanthropist and documentary producer Regina K. Scully, Artemis Rising Foundation (formerly Phoebe Snow Foundation) is a San Rafael, California-based private foundation that supports transformative media and education initiatives. With assets of approximately $130.7 million, the foundation has supported over 200 documentary and narrative films addressing critical social justice issues. The foundation's unique dual approach combines direct film production with strategic grantmaking, focusing on projects that Regina Scully describes as "DNA changers"—works that affect people "on an emotional, physical and psychic level" and create lasting cultural transformation. The foundation has been recognized for supporting numerous award-winning films, many of which have received Peabody, Emmy, and Academy Awards. In recent years, the foundation has expanded its impact through a $3 million commitment to establish the Artemis Rising Foundation Filmmaker Fellowship at Barnard College, demonstrating a strategic investment in developing the next generation of social justice filmmakers.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Institutional Partnerships & Educational Initiatives

  • Multi-year commitments to educational institutions
  • Filmmaker fellowship programs
  • Example: $3 million to Barnard College for the Artemis Rising Foundation Filmmaker Fellowship (established 2022)

Film Production & Media Projects

  • Documentary and narrative film projects addressing social justice themes
  • Distribution and educational initiatives
  • Social advocacy campaigns linked to film releases

Note: The foundation made only 2 grants in 2023, suggesting highly selective, large-scale institutional partnerships rather than numerous smaller grants.

Priority Areas

Core Thematic Focus:

  • Gender bias and women's empowerment
  • Trauma and healing
  • Mental health and addiction
  • Sexual assault (military and college campuses)
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Women's representation in media
  • Personal empowerment and social transformation

Impact Areas:

  • Education and educational reform
  • Philanthropy and grantmaking initiatives
  • Professional societies and associations
  • Documentary and narrative filmmaking
  • Social advocacy and cultural change

Notable Supported Films:

  • The Invisible War (2012) - sexual assault in the military
  • Miss Representation - women in media
  • The Hunting Ground (2015) - campus sexual assault
  • Fed Up - nutrition and health
  • The Breadwinner (2017)
  • Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
  • Knock Down the House (2019)
  • The Truffle Hunters (2020)
  • Ailey (2021)
  • Athlete A - gymnastics abuse scandal

What They Don't Fund

Information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available. However, based on their mission, the foundation focuses exclusively on media, education, and social justice initiatives and would not support projects outside these areas.

Governance and Leadership

Founder & CEO: Regina K. Scully

Regina K. Scully is an award-winning documentary producer and philanthropist who founded Artemis Rising Foundation with a vision to leverage media as a tool for social transformation. She has produced over 200 films focused on social justice issues and has helped launch successful charter schools including Making Waves Academy. Scully serves on multiple boards including the Making Waves Education Foundation (as Co-Chair) and Liberty Science Center.

On Project Selection: "It's about who and how the film can help. How many people will be in less pain because of it? How much untreated trauma will be addressed through this? What are the constituencies that can benefit?" - Regina K. Scully, International Documentary Association interview

On Impact: Scully looks at whether producing a piece of storytelling "will make a person's life more whole than before they've seen it and heard it," emphasizing projects that will "affect states, schools and culture at large" and ultimately "change protocol and legislation."

Key Personnel:

  • R. Scully - President/Director (voluntary, no compensation)
  • Kenneth J. Blum - Secretary (voluntary, no compensation)

In 2020, Scully received the International Documentary Association's Amicus Award, recognizing her as one of the documentary field's most important supporters.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

Artemis Rising Foundation operates through a highly selective, invitation-based model. The foundation receives over 100 emails daily, and Regina Scully personally reviews scripts and proposals. However, there is no formal application portal or published guidelines for unsolicited grant applications.

How Grants Are Awarded:

  • Foundation leadership identifies projects aligned with strategic priorities
  • Scully must personally review and approve all projects: "I won't take on a project unless I've seen it—I have to know what the issue is and who the people involved are"
  • Projects often emerge from existing relationships within the documentary and social justice communities
  • The foundation works closely with filmmakers as production partners, often taking executive producer roles
  • Large institutional grants (like the Barnard College fellowship) represent strategic multi-year commitments

For Filmmakers Seeking Support: While there is no formal application process, the foundation is actively engaged in the documentary community through film festivals, industry events, and partnerships with organizations like the Athena Film Festival (which they co-founded). The foundation's annual giving has remained steady at approximately $5-6 million, distributed through very large grants to a small number of recipients.

Getting on Their Radar

Artemis Rising Foundation Filmmaker Fellowship at Barnard College: Established filmmakers can apply for the teaching fellowship program at Barnard College, which serves as one pathway to connect with the foundation. The fellowship welcomes proposals from filmmakers interested in teaching semester-long courses or 1-credit short courses (2-4 weeks) at Barnard. Applicants should complete an interest form through Barnard's Athena Center, with responses reviewed on a rolling basis. The program seeks filmmakers with commitments to advancing women in film and bold women's leadership.

Industry Connections:

  • The foundation co-founded the Athena Film Festival with Barnard College
  • Regina Scully is active in documentary film circles and frequently participates in industry events
  • Scully serves on boards of educational and social justice organizations including Making Waves Education Foundation and Liberty Science Center
  • The foundation partners with other documentary funders like Impact Partners

Note: Given that Scully receives over 100 emails daily and personally reviews materials, any outreach should be exceptionally well-targeted, demonstrating clear alignment with the foundation's focus on social justice issues and transformative impact.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation's small number of annual grants (2 in 2023, 1 in 2022, 1 in 2021) suggests that decision-making happens on an ad-hoc basis rather than following fixed review cycles.

Success Rates

Not available. The foundation's highly selective approach—making only 1-2 grants annually with an average size of nearly $2.8 million—indicates this is not a traditional grantmaking foundation with measurable success rates for applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a formal application process.

Application Success Factors

What Regina Scully Looks For

"DNA Changers" - Transformative Impact: Scully seeks projects she describes as "DNA changers"—works that "are changing us on an energetic level and on a cellular level" and will "change our culture, our behavior, our legislation, our policy, our education system."

Holistic Viewer Impact: Projects must demonstrate they will "make a person's life more whole than before they've seen it and heard it" and that people "will be more enriched for it."

Authentic Voice & Social Commitment: When selecting filmmakers and projects, Scully looks for "storytellers that have the most authentic voice, that have the commitment to the social advocacy and social-action campaigns that are sure to follow many of these films, and that are interested in making real social change."

Key Selection Questions:

  • Who and how can the film help?
  • How many people will be in less pain because of it?
  • How much untreated trauma will be addressed?
  • What constituencies can benefit?
  • Will it affect people on an emotional, physical, and psychic level?
  • Will it lead to changes in legislation, policy, education, or cultural norms?

Evidence of Real-World Impact: The foundation prioritizes projects with potential to affect "meaningful changes to legislation & policy, education, corporate protocols and cultural norms across all sectors of society." Previous supported films have led to policy changes (e.g., The Invisible War influenced military sexual assault protocols).

Social Justice Alignment: Projects must address pressing social justice issues including:

  • Gender bias and women's empowerment
  • Healing and trauma
  • Mental health and addiction
  • Sustainability and environmental issues
  • Personal empowerment

Examples of Funded Projects

Recent successful projects demonstrate the foundation's commitment to social impact:

  • Films addressing military and campus sexual assault that led to policy reform
  • Documentaries about women in politics that captured cultural moments (Knock Down the House)
  • Projects addressing systemic abuse in institutions (Athlete A)
  • Environmental documentaries promoting sustainability
  • Films celebrating cultural icons and social pioneers (Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Ailey)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Relationship-Based Funding: This is not a traditional grantmaking foundation with open applications. Success requires being known in documentary/social justice circles or building connections through industry events and partnerships.

  • Very Large, Strategic Grants: With only 1-2 grants annually averaging $2.8 million, the foundation makes major institutional commitments rather than supporting numerous smaller projects. Think multi-year partnerships, not one-off project grants.

  • Social Impact Is Everything: Regina Scully's selection criteria centers entirely on transformative impact—legislative change, trauma reduction, cultural transformation. Your project must articulate concrete, measurable ways it will improve people's lives.

  • Authentic Voice Matters: Scully personally reviews all projects and looks for filmmakers with authentic connections to their subject matter and genuine commitment to social advocacy beyond the film itself.

  • Consider the Fellowship Path: For established filmmakers, the Artemis Rising Foundation Filmmaker Fellowship at Barnard College offers a concrete pathway to connect with the foundation and its mission.

  • Film as a Tool for Change: The foundation sees film production not as an end itself but as a catalyst for advocacy campaigns, educational initiatives, and policy reform. Your proposal should extend beyond the film to articulate the broader change strategy.

  • Geographic Preference: Primary focus on New York and California, though national impact is valued.

References

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