NAI Direct Access Fund

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The Direct Access Fund awards small targeted funds for access accommodations and services that would otherwise be unfunded. We underwrite disabled media makers who practice fact-based storytelling, including but not limited to: documentary, nonfiction podcasting, new media, immersive, and other types of nonfiction practice, and are currently working on a project at any stage. This includes distribution and festival support.

All career levels are encouraged to apply. You do not need an official diagnosis to apply to the fund. If disability, neurodivergence, or chronic illness is something that resonates with your experience, please apply.

We acknowledge that access is situational and can be defined in different ways, such as:

Infrastructural: allowing participation and use by a particular individual and presentation in such a way as to provide full participation for all

Interpersonal: allowing for the need to be addressed and supported through the administration and support of life-promoting services

We are awarding up to $5,000 of direct funding toward the development of practices that allow non-fiction media makers and their teams to widen access capacity within their projects. (We have a limited amount of funds that we can give out each quarter, so in the interest of serving the largest number of makers, we ask that you ask for exactly what you need.)

These may include but are not limited to:

  • Hiring a caregiver or assistant
  • Assistive equipment, technologies, and/or software
  • Assistive equipment insurance
  • Funding the salary of an access coordinator
  • Creative captioning and audio description
  • ADA accommodations/travel to a film festival
  • Caregiver travel
  • ASL interpreters for panels, meetings, networking, etc
  • Funding for specialty dietary needs of crew
  • Health insurance for crew
  • Health insurance for filmmaker
  • Access auditing
  • Accounting support
  • Legal support
  • Festival application fees
  • Research
  • Living expenses
    • Rent (accommodation/office/studio)
    • Utilities
    • Groceries
    • Car payments
    • Insurance premiums
    • Co-pays
  • Unexpected or emergency medical costs
  • Rental costs for accessible equipment on set
    • ADA approved trailers
    • Ramps
    • Wheelchair-accessible black cars
    • Accessible bathrooms
  • Haptic vests for Immersive works
  • Haptic research and development
  • Film training program fees
  • Dependant care, including pets
  • Mental health support
  • Trauma mitigation
  • Medical treatment not covered by insurance
    • Supplements
    • Physical therapy
    • Holistic therapy
  • Equipment and tech repair
  • ADA training
  • Tax support
  • Residency fees
  • Accessible website building/website hosting
  • Grant writing support
  • Subscription services
  • Salary for disabled crew members
  • Accounting
  • Transcription

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

  • Applicants cannot be enrolled in a full-time degree-granting program.
  • Applicants should be 18 years of age or older to apply.
  • Applicants can be individuals or collectives operating under a $50,000 operational budget.
  • Applicants may have a fiscal sponsor, but not required.
  • The applicant should be either the director or producer of the project.
  • Projects should preferably be led by a maker who identifies as living with a disability.
  • Applicants must be actively working on a non-fiction-based media project.
  • Applicants can apply from anywhere in the world.
  • The applicant is not required to be a member of IDA.
  • Funding must be used to fulfill an immediate need and used within 3-6 months of receiving the funds.

Funds will be released on a rolling basis.

For more details: https://www.documentary.org/nonfiction-access-initiative/direct-access-fund

Submissions will close on October 31, 2023.

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