PANO Microgrants

We are excited to announce our fourth round of Microgrants to support projects or professional development for PANO members!

In addition to the ten $500 cash grants, we're giving out two in-kind grants for lighting equipment rental and color-grading services.

We're introducing three brand new categories this round: Career Building, Community Organizing, and Distribution. Read on for more info!

About the grants

Every year, PANO distributes cash microgrants and in-kind grants to support underrepresented filmmakers and their projects. For Round 4, we will be giving out (10) $500 cash microgrants, (2) The MBS Group + Insight Equipment Grant (valued at up to $3000), and (1) Color Grading Grant provided by Marika Litz (valued at $6,000).

Microgrants are intended to support projects or professional development for PRO members of the PANO Network. All positions, above and below the line, are encouraged to apply. In addition to the Career Building and Community Organizing grants, we also offer Microgrants for projects at every stage of the filmmaking process, from Pre-Production through Distribution. Read on or click here for the grant categories and examples of activities we support.

We prioritize projects that support underrepresented filmmakers and/or involves PANO members in key leadership positions. You can view past winners from Round 3, Round 2 and Round 1 for more insights.

dates & timeline

Applications will be open from October 18, 2023 through November 30, 2023 @ 11:59 pm ET.

Semi-Finalists, Finalists, and Winners will be notified and announced in January & February of 2024.

Grants for Round 4 will be disbursed by March 2024.

Events supported by the Community Organizing Grant must be held by December 31, 2024.

The in-kind Equipment Grant must be utilized by December 31, 2024.

The film selected for the in-kind Color Grading Grant must be ready to begin color correction by Spring 2024. 

There is no expectation that projects necessarily be fully finished by the end of the grant term. However, all grantees must provide a progress update via email by June 15th, 2024.

Types of Grants

Please note you can only win in ONE grant category per round. 

Activities listed below are just suggestions of what each category may cover. It is up to the applicant to select the right category to apply to. We appreciate applications that are intentional with the category they select and are specific about the activities and services the grant will cover.

$500 CASH GRANT CATEGORIES:

  • Pre-Production or Development: Script consultant fees, script submission, pitch deck creation, etc.
  • Production: Equipment rental, crew fees, locations, crafty/catering, costumes, props, insurance, etc
  • Post-Production: Editing, sound mixing, VFX, music composition, music licensing, etc.
  • *NEW* Distribution: Festival submission fees, marketing for your project, travel to film festivals, etc.
  • *NEW* Career Building: Education/training, tools and upgrades for your kit, business cards, headshots, website design, etc. Below-the-Line positions are encouraged to apply!
  • *NEW* Community Organizing: Program in-person events for the PANO community. For example: fund a writers group, host an advocacy workshop, plan a social event outside of NYC/LA, etc. Events must be free for PANO members and be held by December 31, 2024.

IN KIND GRANT CATEGORIES:

  • *NEW* The MBS Group + Insight Equipment Grant for Lighting and Grip Rental (valued at up to $3000): This is NOT a cash grant! Grant is for a one-time equipment rental for up to one week from Insight Equipment in Long Island City, NYC. More info here.
  • Color-Grading Grant provided by Marika Litz (valued at $6000): This is NOT a cash grant! Grant is for color grading services only for one short film under 40 min. Applicants must submit a fine cut of film at minimum. The film selected must be ready to begin color correction by Spring 2024. More info here.

in-kind Equipment Grant

The MBS Group + Insight Equipment Grant for Lighting and Grip Rental

PANO has partnered up with The MBS GroupInsight Equipment to offer 2x in-kind Equipment Grants (valued at up to $3,000) for one-time equipment rental for up to one week from Insight Equipment in Long Island City, Queens. 

TERMS OF THE IN-KIND EQUIPMENT GRANT:

  • For a one-time equipment rental for up to one week from Insight Equipment in Long Island City, NYC.
  • Grant must be utilized by December 31, 2024.
  • The equipment package will be based on available equipment in the warehouse. See sample list here.
  • The awardees will need to provide a COI and a credit card on file, and will be responsible for any theft, loss or damages, fuel or expenditures used.
  • Maximum value of rental: $3000 – based on the rental price.

in-kind color Grant

About the Color Grading Grant provided by Marika Litz

PANO has partnered up with Marika Litz to offer a Color Grading Grant (valued at $6,000) for one short film by a PRO member of the PANO Network. Marika Litz is a colorist and finishing artist working on site and out of their studio in Brooklyn, NY. They offer personalized post services from conform through final delivery including basic compositing, clean-up, look creation, LUT creation, end credits, and delivery to spec.

TERMS OF THE IN-KIND COLOR GRANT:

  • Applicant must submit at minimum a fine cut by November 30th to be considered. Cuts that are further along are of course accepted and highly encouraged!
  • Color grading work must start by Spring 2024
  • Work must completed within 8 weeks from start of project with Marika Litz
  • Unlimited reviews within the 8 weeks timeframe
  • Max runtime for project: 40 min
  • Awardee must list Marika Litz as the Colorist in the film’s credits and include PANO Network’s logo in the end credits.
  • Marika Litz offers a free online portal to deliver the footage electronically but if you choose to ship the footage, you must pay for postage & delivery to and from their studio.

Marika Litz: POST-PRODUCTION MADE PERSONABLE

Eligibility​

Please note only PANO Network members with active PRO memberships are eligible for this grant. Memberships must be active from time of application through receipt of grant. If you are not yet a PRO member, please login and upgrade before applying. If you are not a PANO member, please join before applying.

Each applicant may only apply once. If you submit more than once, we will only consider your first submission.

You must apply with the same name that is listed on your PANO profile.

Please do not apply on behalf of someone else. If you win, the grant funds or services will go to you, and you will be the point person for the project going forward as well as the grantee listed on all our materials. We will not send the funds to another member of your team nor change the name of the awardee to someone else nor transfer the services to another project.

We don’t accept projects that promote hate or excessive violence, projects/films completed prior to June 1, 2022,
and projects/films with any affiliation with a major studio, or having secured U.S. distribution or films produced, financed or initiated by a major film studio or television network.

As a PANO Filmmaker PRO member, you are eligible to win multiple Microgrants throughout your time as a member, but you cannot win more than 1 PANO Microgrant or Color Grading Grant in any calendar year.

Important Info

  • Submissions will be accepted through November 30th, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
  • Each eligible applicant may only submit one application.
  • You must apply with the same name that is listed on your PANO profile.
  • Please do not apply on behalf of someone else.
  • All winners are the decision of the PANO jury and are final.
  • Any materials submitted will not be returned.
  • PANO will in no way own or control your copyright or intellectual property.
  • All winners agree to share the news of winning and tag @panonetwork on their social media channels, and to thank PANO publicly in credits on their film (if it is a film) as well as on their website and/or social media channels – using our name and social handles.
  • In-kind grant winners agree to share, thank, and tag the in-kind partners for their respective grants publicly in credits on their film as well as on their website and/or social media channels – using the partners’ names and social handles.
  • There is no expectation that projects necessarily be fully finished by the end of the grant term. However, all grantees must provide a progress update via email by June 15th, 2024.
  • Payment of the cash Microgrants will be sent via Paypal. Fees may apply and PANO is not responsible for said fees.
  • By submitting your application, you also agree to the following terms and conditions.

Applications are Closed

Submissions close November 30, 2023 @ 11:59 pm ET.

Please subscribe to our newsletter for Microgrant announcements and updates.

Questions?

Terms & Conditions

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) are made effective upon you (“Applicant”) submitting the application to PANO Network, Inc. (“PANO”) for consideration of the Applicant’s project (“Project”) for the PANO Microgrant Program award of $500 and in-kind Equipment and Color Grading Grants (“Grant”). There will be 10x of Microgrants to be awarded and 2x MBS Group + Insight Equipment Grant and 1x Color Grading Grant during the 2024 Spring period.

1. Eligibility. Applicant must be 18 years or older at the time of application submission. Applicant must be an active paid member (Filmmaker PRO, BTTL x PANO, Industry) of the PANO Network from the time of application until receipt of the Grant, complying with the Terms of Service of PANO membership. If Applicant’s membership lapses before being awarded the Grant, Applicant will be asked to renew their membership within one (1) week of being awarded the Grant or will become ineligible to receive the Grant.

Each Applicant may only submit one application during each Grant round. If Applicant submits more than one application, PANO will consider Applicant’s first submission only. Applicant can be a part of multiple projects that are submitted for Grant consideration; however, Applicant can only submit one Project under their name. If Applicant is working on more than one project and wishes to submit each project for consideration for the Grant, each application must be submitted by a different person. Applicant must apply with the same name that is listed on Applicant’s PANO profile and Applicants cannot apply on behalf of someone else. If Applicant wins, the Grant funds or services will go to Applicant for the Project submitted with their name, and Applicant will be the point person for the Project going forward, as well as the grantee listed on all of PANO’s materials. PANO will not send the funds to another member of Applicant’s team, nor transfer the services to another Project.

A Project completed prior to June 1, 2022 is not eligible for consideration. Any Project that has any affiliation with a major studio, such as having secured producing services, U.S. distribution, or financing by a major film studio or television network is ineligible.

2. Application. PANO considers a variety of applications for the Grant, whether the Applicant’s purpose of the Grant is for filming, writing, acting, directing, producing, post-production, equipment, crew, competitions, consulting, education, and/or paid feedback notes for new works or works in progress. PANO embraces diversity, dignity, inclusion, social justice and was created, in part, to discover and share media representing the full spectrum of humanity. PANO will not consider a Project that promotes hate or excessive violence. For clarity, whether a Project promotes hate or excessive violence will be at the sole discretion of PANO.

Submissions will be accepted from October 18, 2023 through November 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time. Applicant must include Applicant’s legal name and contact information in the application.

The PANO jury, comprised of established filmmakers and media professionals, evaluates the strength of the Applicant’s provided sample, how the grant is proposed to be used on the Project, and how Applicant’s Project will advance PANO’s mission. Any materials submitted will not be returned. All winners are the decision of the PANO jury and are final. PANO will in no way own or control Applicant’s copyright or intellectual property.

By submitting the application, Applicant grants permission to PANO to share Applicant’s name, biography, project title and team members, images, synopsis and description, genre, film clips and information about Applicant, crew and cast members, team members, and Applicant’s project on the PANO website, social media platforms, in promotional, visual, digital, or print, marketing materials, grant applications and other materials in perpetuity throughout the known and unknown universe.

3. Awardees Responsibilities. Applicants who are selected to receive the Grant (“Awardees”) agree to provide a written update by September 15, 2023 on what Awardee did with the Grant, even if that use changed from what was on the application. Awardee must make PANO aware of any festival premieres and/or awards won in conjunction with the Project created with the Grant.

Awardees agree to share the news of winning the Grant and tag PANO’s social media handle (@panonetwork) on the Project or Awardees’ personal social media accounts, such as, but not limited to, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. Awardees should also follow PANO on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter using Project and Awardees’ personal social media accounts. If the Project contains credits, then Awardee agrees to provide PANO a “Special Thanks” credit on the Project, including the PANO logo; if Project does not contain credits, then Awardee shall provide PANO credit on Awardee’s website and/or social media sites, such as, but not limited to, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter, using PANO’s organization name and social media handle.

4. Grant Distribution. Awardees are required to submit an email, phone number and address for PANO’s records. If Applicant will be unable to share that information if chosen as an Awardee, Applicant should not apply.

Monetary payment of the Grant will be sent via Paypal. If Awardee does not have a PayPal account at the time Grant winners are announced, Awardee must create a Paypal account within one (1) week of receiving notice of winning to receive the Grant. Paypal fees may apply and PANO is not responsible for said fees for the Awardee to receive the Grant.

5. In-Kind Equipment Grant Terms:

  • For a one-time equipment rental for up to one week from Insight Equipment in Long Island City, NYC.
  • Grant must be utilized by December 31, 2024.
  • The equipment package will be based on available equipment in the warehouse.
  • The awardees will need to provide a COI and a credit card on file, and will be responsible for any theft, loss or damages, fuel or expenditures used.
  • Maximum value of rental: $3000 – based on the rental price.
  • Awardees agree to share, thank, and tag The MBS Group + Insight Equipment publicly in credits on their film, or if it is not a completed film with credits, on their website and or social media channels – using The MBS Group and Insight Equipment’s names and social handles.

6. In-Kind Color Grading Grant Terms:

  • Applicant must submit at minimum a fine cut by November 30th to be considered. Cuts that are further along are of course accepted and highly encouraged!
  • Color grading work must start by Spring 2024
  • Work must completed within 8 weeks from start of project with Marika Litz
  • Unlimited reviews within the 8 weeks timeframe
  • Max runtime for project: 40 min
  • Awardee must list Marika Litz as the Colorist in the film’s credits and include PANO Network’s logo in the end credits.
  • Marika Litz offers a free online portal to deliver the footage electronically but if you choose to ship the footage, you must pay for postage & delivery to and from their studio.
  • Awardees agree to share, thank, and tag Marika Litz on their website and or social media channels –
    using Marika Litz’s name and social handles.

7. Ownership and License Grant to PANO. Applicant warrants, affirms, and represents that they are the rightful owner of the copyright of the submission and owns and maintains the rights to the Project and submitted materials. Applicant hereby grants PANO a non-exclusive, royalty-free, sub-licensable and transferable license to use the Project to show, publicly perform, display, use and/or stream the submission on the PANO website and on any affiliated websites, social media, or promotional materials, as well as Applicant’s name and/or likeness for promotional purposes.

8. Content. Submissions may not include material that may be considered pornographic, obscene, hateful, violent, or advertising a product or any commercial activity, or that which would otherwise conflict with the mission of PANO. PANO, at its sole discretion, will determine whether a submission includes content that would conflict with the mission of PANO. Applicant will be solely responsible for its own content and the consequences of submitting the content to PANO. Applicant also expressly affirms, represents, and warrants that they own or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to publish, use, perform, display or otherwise submit all of the material in the materials they submit for consideration in the Grant consideration process.

Applicant further expressly warrants, affirms and represents that the Project submitted does not contain third-party copyrighted material, or material that is subject to other third-party proprietary rights, for which Applicant does not have the express and legal permission from the rightful owner of the material and that Applicant is otherwise legally entitled to use all of the material included in the submission for consideration in the Grant, and grants PANO all of the license rights granted herein.

9. Hold Harmless. Applicant shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless PANO from any and all actual or alleged claims, demands, causes of action, liability, loss, damage and/or injury (to property or persons, including without limitation wrongful death), whether brought by an individual (including Applicant and its affiliates) or other entity, or imposed by a court of law or by administrative action of any federal, state, or local governmental body or agency, arising out of or incident to: (i) the breach of the representations and warranties in these Terms; (ii) any acts, omissions, negligence, or willful misconduct of Applicant, its personnel, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers in connection with or arising out of Applicant’s participation in this process and/or acceptance or use of the Grant or in-kind services. This indemnification applies to and includes, without limitation, the payment of all penalties, fines, judgments, awards, decrees, attorneys’ fees and related costs or expenses, and any reimbursements to PANO for all legal expenses and costs incurred by it.

10. Dispute Resolution; Choice of Law. All disputes under these Terms that cannot be settled by the parties will be settled pursuant to binding arbitration in the state of New York, before a single arbitrator. The prevailing party will be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, but in no event shall the prevailing party be entitled to recover more than the value of the Grant. These Terms shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with and subject to the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts to be performed entirely within such state.

11. No Obligation/Termination. PANO is under no obligation to provide the Grant. PANO reserves the right to terminate these Terms at any time upon notice to the Applicant/Awardee.

12. Authority to Accept Terms. Applicant warrants that the individual who has submitted the Application has the legal power, right, capacity, and authority to agree to these Terms and to bind the respective party.

13. Entire Agreement; Amendment; Modification. These Terms represent the entire agreement between PANO and the Applicant and supersede any prior communications, understandings, or agreements that may have taken place, whether written or oral. No supplement, modification, or amendment of these Terms shall be binding unless executed in writing and signed by both Applicant and PANO.

14. No waiver of any default shall constitute a waiver of any other default or breach, whether of the same or other covenant or condition. No waiver, benefit, privilege, or service voluntarily given or performed by a party shall give the other party any contractual right by custom, estoppel or otherwise.

15. Submission is Electronic Signature. The parties agree that by the act of submission of the application to this site, Applicant explicitly agrees that they are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions herein and will have the same effect as if the Applicant physically executed said document.