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Sundance Native Lab 2025
Year-long fellowship supporting emerging Indigenous Canadian filmmakers
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Funding available
$ 10,000
Timeline
- Open Date : December 3, 2024
- Closing date : December 23, 2024
Location
Canada
Overview
The Sundance Native Lab 2025 offers a $10,000 USD fellowship to one Canada-based Indigenous storyteller for a year-long mentorship program, supporting the development of narrative feature or episodic pilot scripts. The program provides hands-on training, including an in-person lab and monthly virtual check-ins, to advance storytelling and technical skills for emerging filmmakers and creators.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 10,000 $
Timeline
- Open Date : December 3, 2024
- Closing date : December 23, 2024
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Information and cultural industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Sole proprietorship
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Participation in a year-long fellowship for Indigenous filmmakers or episodic creators to develop narrative feature or episodic pilot projects.
- Engagement in an in-person storytelling and technical skills lab, followed by monthly virtual check-ins.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Companies and individuals working in audiovisual content, including television, cinema, the web, video games, mobile applications, and immersive technologies (VR, AR).
Who is not eligible
- Companies or organizations not controlled by Indigenous people (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) residing in Canada.
- Entities that have received funding from other ISO programs for the same project activities or initiatives.
- Businesses or applicants currently in a state of bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada).
Eligible expenses
- Travel costs for participation in the in-person lab.
- Accommodation expenses during the in-person lab.
- Food expenses during the in-person lab.
- Accessibility expenses during the application stages (such as support for application writing, video or audio recording, equipment rentals, professional fees, language interpretation/translation fees, and final report submission support, up to $500 CAD).
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada (applicants must be residents of Canada)
Additional information
- Applicants may request an extension for the application deadline by submitting their request at least 10 business days in advance.
- A monetary support of up to $500 CAD is available on a case-by-case basis to address accessibility expenses during the application process.
- Recipients are required to provide recognition of ISO support using textual references and the animated bilingual ISO logo in the credit sequence or other appropriate placement.
- Providing false or misleading information, particularly regarding Indigenous identity, may result in contract termination, denial of eligibility, repayment of funds, and possible civil or criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Sundance Native Lab 2025 Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Sundance Native Lab 2025. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Sundance Native Lab 2025?
The Sundance Native Lab 2025 offers a $10,000 USD fellowship to one Canada-based Indigenous storyteller for a year-long mentorship program, supporting the development of narrative feature or episodic pilot scripts. The program provides hands-on training, including an in-person lab and monthly virtual check-ins, to advance storytelling and technical skills for emerging filmmakers and creators.
How much funding can be received?
Sundance Native Lab 2025 Funds up to $10,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was December 23, 2024.
Who is eligible for the Sundance Native Lab 2025 program?
To be eligible for the Sundance Native Lab 2025 program, you must:
The applicant must be an Indigenous person (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) residing in Canada and a citizen or permanent resident.
The creator must work in the audiovisual content sector, including TV, film, web, games, or XR.
The project must be under the exclusive financial and creative control of the applicant.
What expenses are eligible under Sundance Native Lab 2025?
Participation in a year-long fellowship for Indigenous filmmakers or episodic creators to develop narrative feature or episodic pilot projects.
Engagement in an in-person storytelling and technical skills lab, followed by monthly virtual check-ins.
Who can I contact for more information about the Sundance Native Lab 2025?
You can contact Indigenous Screen Office (ISO).
Where is the Sundance Native Lab 2025 available?
The Sundance Native Lab 2025 program is available across Canada.