The Mission
Subject Matter provides funds and resources to documentary films highlighting urgent social issues and to nonprofits tackling the featured topics, while creating roadmaps for inspired audiences to take action.
The Vision
Compelling documentaries that highlight urgent social issues will inspire funding and support for grassroots nonprofits that have been working on the featured topics, contributing to solutions that lead to a more just and loving society.
Our Values = Connection + Trust + Empathy + Generosity + Ethical Storytelling
〰️
Our Values = Connection + Trust + Empathy + Generosity + Ethical Storytelling 〰️
The Challenges
Documentary filmmakers often run out of funding by the time their film is finished. They have a great story around an issue, but they have limited funds for outreach and impact campaigns.
Nonprofits often have limited marketing budgets and may lack well-told stories that create empathy and action around the issues they’re working to solve.
Audiences are often inspired and engaged with an issue through a documentary film, but they may not have a clear call to action or know who to support to help make an impact.
Film Participants give their time and energy sharing their stories (which can often be traumatic) for the benefit of audiences. They often do not receive any sort of compensation and there aren’t many channels for audiences to honor their contributions.
Our Strategies
We address these challenges through strategic partnerships with film festivals. We work with the festival programming teams to award grants to social issue documentaries in their programs.
Documentary Films
When selecting film grantees, we look for:
Feature length documentaries focused on a social issue currently impacting the United States
Filmmaking teams with an inherent connection to the subject matter
Films that feature leaders connected to nonprofits working on the issues; character driven stories; and films that are hopeful (These are of interest to us, but not requirements)
The purpose of the film grant is to support the project’s outreach and impact efforts so more audiences can engage with the film and learn about the issue.
We then identify nonprofits working on the issues, vet them, and consult with the filmmaking teams to select a corresponding grantee that is doing work that addresses the issues featured in the films.
Nonprofit Organizations
When selecting nonprofit grantees, we look for:
Small to mid-sized grassroots organizations
Organizations with an inherent connection to a Subject Matter granted film and that have a successful program connected to the featured issue
Organizations whose leaders have lived experiences connected to the issues
Organizations in good financial standing
The purpose of the nonprofit grant is to support the organization’s programmatic work tied to the issue in the film and to contribute to solutions that lead to a more just and loving society.
Connecting with Audiences
The Subject Matter team is present at the grantee’s festival screenings. We speak with audiences about the grants for the film and for the corresponding nonprofit, and we invite them to join us in donating. Our goal is to create a positive community action in response to the film. In addition to donating, audience members can share messages of support for the filmmaker or nonprofit or communicate an interest in volunteering with the nonprofit.
Acknowledging Film Participants
Together through our nonprofit grants and audience donations, we acknowledge the participants of the films by sending resources and support back to their communities who are on the ground tackling the issues.
Our Festival Friends
