Sandbox Fund
The Sandbox Fund offers grants, engagement events, and other opportunities for independent artists seeking to explore the intrinsic link between science and culture through innovative storytelling. The program is administered by the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund, in collaboration with Sandbox Films.
Grants are offered to independent artists who are working at the intersection of science and nonfiction storytelling. The partnership identifies and supports nonfiction projects that inspire a deeper interest in science, especially among those who don’t think of themselves as science enthusiasts.
Eligibility & How to Apply
U.S. and international feature-length nonfiction projects are eligible.
Applications must be submitted through the Sandbox Fund application portal.
Timeline
The Fund offers grants two times a year, with two separate application windows. Grant-making decisions occur generally in the winter and summer, in collaboration with Sandbox Films.
Current and Upcoming Grant Cycles:
2025 Fall Cycle: Accepting applications through
July 21, 2025 (11:59pm Pacific Time)
2026 Spring Cycle: To Be Announced
Applicants will be notified within 4-6 months of the deadline.
Grants
The fund offers support to projects at all stages of development, production, and post-production. Average grant sizes are as follows:
- Development (up to $40,000)
- Production (up to $100,000)
- Post-Production (up to $100,000)
Creative Considerations
Selection criteria for the Sandbox Fund will emphasize creative narrative techniques and projects that highlight diversity in science, specifically those that feature characters, topics, or disciplines that broaden and redefine what it means to be a scientist or to do science.
About Sandbox Films
Sandbox Films is a documentary studio that illuminates the art and beauty of scientific inquiry. Mission-driven. Artist-friendly. Non-profit. We collaborate with production partners and visionary filmmakers around the world, providing co-production and financing opportunities for feature-length documentary projects at every stage of production. We’re a collective that brings together clashing viewpoints, industries and personalities. We celebrate both the precision and peculiarities of the process. Because science should be embraced for what it really is: humankind’s weird, messy, brilliant way of navigating the world. More info at: sandboxfilms.org
