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Academy Foundation

Annual Giving
$87.5M
Grant Range
$2K - $54.5M
Decision Time
4mo

Academy Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $87.5 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Varies by program (3-6 months typical)
  • Grant Range: $2,000 - $54.5 million
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily North America (some programs international)

Contact Details

Address: 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Phone: 310-247-3000

Website: www.oscars.org

Email: Not publicly listed; contact through online application portals for specific programs

Overview

The Academy Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, established to organize and oversee the educational and cultural activities of the motion picture industry. In fiscal year 2023, the Foundation distributed $87.5 million in grants, primarily supporting the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures ($54.5 million), the Margaret Herrick Library, the Academy Film Archive, and various educational programs. The Foundation's mission focuses on recognizing and upholding excellence in motion picture arts and sciences, inspiring imagination, and connecting the world through film. Through its grants, internship, fellowship, and visiting artist programs, the Academy seeks to promote diversity, bridge the opportunity divide, attract and engage broad new audiences for theatrical motion pictures, and provide platforms for underrepresented artists.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Student Academy Awards

  • Amount: Gold ($5,000), Silver ($3,000), Bronze ($2,000)
  • Application: Free to enter; online submission through designated portal
  • Deadline: Late March to early April annually
  • Categories: Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative, Alternative/Experimental

FilmWatch Grants (Currently on hold as of 2022)

  • Amount: $5,000 - $20,000
  • Focus: Curated screening programs at North America-based film festivals, film societies, and other film-related organizations
  • Application: Online portal (when active)
  • Eligibility: Organizations must have five-year history of programming

FilmCraft Grants (Currently on hold as of 2022)

  • Amount: $5,000 - $20,000
  • Focus: High-quality educational programs that identify and empower future filmmakers from nontraditional backgrounds
  • Application: Online portal (when active)
  • Eligibility: Organizations must have three-year history of programming

Academy Film Scholars Grants (Currently on hold as of 2022)

  • Amount: Two grants of $25,000 each awarded annually
  • Focus: Support significant new works of film scholarship
  • Eligibility: Previously published scholars, writers, historians, or researchers with at least one published book

Institutional Grants

  • Amount: Varies (total of $500,000 awarded to 56 organizations in recent cycles)
  • Focus: Support for Academy Museum operations, Margaret Herrick Library management, and Academy Film Archive preservation
  • Application: No public application process; grants awarded at trustee discretion

Priority Areas

The Academy Foundation actively funds programs that:

  • Promote diversity and inclusion in filmmaking
  • Bridge the opportunity divide for underrepresented communities
  • Attract and engage broad new audiences for theatrical motion pictures
  • Provide platforms for underrepresented artists and viewpoints
  • Encourage filmmaking as both a vocation and art form
  • Support film scholarship and research
  • Preserve and provide access to motion picture history through libraries and archives
  • Offer hands-on training opportunities for emerging filmmakers
  • Cultivate new talent from nontraditional backgrounds

What They Don't Fund

  • Development, production, or completion of films (except in training or classroom settings)
  • General operating support for organizations not aligned with film education, preservation, or presentation
  • Retrospective funding for completed projects
  • Projects outside North America (with limited exceptions for Film Scholars program)
  • Organizations without established track records (minimum 3-5 years required for most programs)

Governance and Leadership

2025-2026 Board Leadership

The Academy Foundation Board comprises 12 trustees who also serve as members of the Academy Board of Governors.

Officers:

  • President: Kim Taylor-Coleman (Casting Directors Branch)
  • Vice President: Brooke Breton (Visual Effects Branch)

2024-2025 Board Leadership

Officers:

  • President: Howard Berger (Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch)
  • Vice Presidents: Brooke Breton (Visual Effects Branch) and Kim Taylor-Coleman (Casting Directors Branch)
  • Treasurer: Donna Gigliotti (Executives Branch)
  • Secretary: Marlon West (Animation Branch)

Additional Board Members: Jason Reitman, Stephen Rivkin, Dana Stevens, and Janet Yang

The Foundation's leadership rotates among Academy members representing diverse branches of the film industry, ensuring multiple perspectives inform grant-making decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Student Academy Awards:

  • Entries must be submitted online through the designated SAA submission portal on FilmFreeway
  • Competition is free to enter
  • Films must be capstone, thesis, or intermediate level works completed during the eligibility period
  • Students have up to one year after graduation to submit films completed within eligibility dates
  • Films must be submitted to one category only
  • Maximum length: 40 minutes including credits
  • All entries must be in English, subtitled in English, or dubbed in English

FilmWatch, FilmCraft, and Academy Film Scholars Programs:

  • Currently on hold as of 2022 due to budget adjustments from COVID-19 pandemic
  • When active, applications are submitted through online portal
  • Proposals must be submitted through the online application system with no extensions granted
  • Check www.oscars.org/education-grants for updates on program resumption

Institutional Grants:

  • No public application process
  • Grants awarded at trustee discretion to support Academy operations and affiliated organizations

Decision Timeline

Student Academy Awards:

  • Submission deadline: Late March to early April
  • Preliminary round judging: Applicants notified of advancement to semifinals in July
  • Semifinal round judging: Applicants notified of advancement to finals in August
  • Final round judging: Final status notifications in September
  • Awards ceremony: October

FilmWatch, FilmCraft, and Film Scholars (when active):

  • Typical timeline: 3-6 months from submission deadline to decision
  • Notification methods vary by program

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. However:

  • Student Academy Awards receives over 500 submissions annually from colleges and universities across the United States
  • Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards may be given in each of four categories (up to 12 awards total)
  • FilmWatch and FilmCraft programs awarded approximately $500,000 total to multiple recipients in active years
  • Academy Film Scholars awards only 2 grants of $25,000 each per year, indicating highly competitive selection

Reapplication Policy

Student Academy Awards: Students may submit different films in subsequent years, provided they meet eligibility requirements. The same film cannot be resubmitted.

FilmWatch, FilmCraft, and Film Scholars: Specific reapplication policies not publicly disclosed. General foundation practice suggests unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply in future cycles with revised or new proposals.

Application Success Factors

Student Academy Awards

  • Focus on craft excellence: Judges are Academy members who evaluate films based solely on filmmaking quality, not on filmmaker profiles or personal details
  • Technical execution matters: With a three-stage judging process (preliminary, semifinal, final), films must demonstrate strong technical execution to advance
  • Category fit is critical: Submit to the most appropriate single category (Animation, Documentary, Live Action Narrative, or Alternative/Experimental)
  • Capstone-level quality expected: Only capstone, thesis, and intermediate level films are eligible, indicating expectation of advanced student work

FilmWatch and FilmCraft (when active)

  • Demonstrated track record required: Organizations must show 3-5 years of established programming
  • Alignment with diversity mission: The Academy explicitly seeks programs that "promote diversity, bridge the opportunity divide, and provide platforms for underrepresented artists"
  • Direct hands-on opportunities valued: For FilmCraft, programs providing "direct, hands-on opportunities for participants to gain filmmaking skills" are prioritized
  • Theatrical film focus: FilmWatch favors programs that "cultivate new and dedicated audiences for theatrical film"
  • Clear outcomes and impact: Funded programs demonstrate measurable impact on participants and communities

Examples of Funded Projects

Past FilmCraft recipients include:

  • Kartemquin Educational Films' "Diverse Voices in Documentary" (six-month intensive program)
  • Visual Communications' "Armed With a Camera Fellowship Program" (seven-month program for Asian Pacific American filmmakers)
  • AFI Directing Workshop for Women (tuition-free, year-long program)
  • Ghetto Film School Fellows Program (narrative filmmaking for diverse high school students from the Bronx)
  • Sundance Institute Native Filmmakers Lab

These examples show preference for programs with clear structure, defined duration, focus on underrepresented communities, and comprehensive support including mentorship and networking.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Mission alignment is paramount: The Academy Foundation prioritizes diversity, inclusion, and opportunities for underrepresented artists. Applications should explicitly demonstrate how programs serve these goals.

  • Established track record required: Most programs require 3-5 years of organizational history. New organizations should build experience before applying.

  • Quality over quantity: Whether submitting a student film or organizational grant proposal, technical excellence and craft are highly valued by Academy members who serve as judges and decision-makers.

  • Programs currently limited: FilmWatch, FilmCraft, and Film Scholars grants are on hold since 2022. Monitor www.oscars.org/education-grants for announcements about program resumption.

  • Student Academy Awards most accessible: The free, annual Student Academy Awards competition remains the most accessible entry point for individuals to receive Academy Foundation funding.

  • Hands-on training emphasized: For educational programs, the Foundation values direct, practical filmmaking experience over theoretical instruction.

  • No film production funding: The Academy does not fund development, production, or completion of films outside of training/classroom contexts. Focus applications on education, preservation, scholarship, or presentation.

References

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