Sources for grant funding
 

I'm trying to determine whether grant funding is available to make a small documentary promoting the nursing profession. It sounds like this would be easy but the folks doling out the big bucks want an established filmmaker, which I am not. I do have almost unfettered access to subjects and hospitals.

I'm wondering if there are other sources of grant funding, perhaps through organizations that support emerging artists. I have NO experience in this arena and I'm looking for some guidance and-to be blunt--looking for financial support to make a "day in the life" type film.

A Google search turned up a bunch of outdated stuff or stuff with restrictions I cannot meet.

Thanks

Bob, do you have your own equipment?

To be blunt: Not really. I'd like to get a grant to upgrade from a palm corder to something a little more capable for making the doc. So I'm really looking for a grant to buy equipment to make the product.

I know it's a pie-in-the-sky dream (if it were easy everyone would do it!) but after reading the recent list of Macarthur fellows--one person got a 1/2 million for sculpting things out of rigatoni noodles or something like that---I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

What I found is there's stuff out there but with strings such as "must film 75% within city X, or must hire a PA from school Y," things I cannot meet since this won't be a feature length product and I'll be making it in addition to my regular day job.

It was worth the two minutes of typing to ask.....

Bob