NUVEE STARTER FUND
The Nuvee Starter Fund is a grant program where donors help decide which filmmakers receive funding.
Make a tax-deductible donation and cast your vote on a shortlist of finalists selected by the NUKHU FOUNDATION board.
How the Nuvee Starter Fund Works
Apply by the deadline. Filmmakers submit their projects by April 15 or October 15.
Board review + shortlist. The NUKHU FOUNDATION board reviews all eligible applications and selects a shortlist of finalists.
Donor voting. Shortlisted projects are shared with our donor community, who vote to determine the top-ranked finalists.
Final approval. The board reviews the top vote-getters and formally approves the Nuvee Starter Fund grant recipients.
Production support. Selected filmmakers receive funding and ongoing support from the NUKHU FOUNDATION and a Volunteer Producer.
PARTICIPANTS + WINNERS
Vote for the Spring 2026 Finalists
by April 15th, 2026 - 12am EST
Click to View Application
Current Finalists:
The Mushroom Man by Taylor Bakken (Spring 2026 Finalist)
Previous Winners:
SILK by Darryl Miles Kelly (Fall 2024 Grant Winner)
Max Distance by Marissa Goldman (Fall 2024 Runner Up)
Todo El Tiempo En El Mundo by Stephanie Ibarra (Fall 2023 Grant Winner)
Thank you for voting.
Apply below to become a 2026 Finalist.
Grant Information
The NUKHU FOUNDATION provides a minimum $500 USD grant to one video artist each grant cycle. Once an artist wins a grant, they may not apply again. We also award 2nd and 3rd place runners-up with $100 USD each. Runners-up may apply again in a future grant cycle.
There are two grant cycles per year – April 15 and October 15. The deadline for the current grant cycle is April 15, 2026.
After each deadline, we review all complete applications and notify each applicant of the results (approximately 2–3 weeks after each deadline). We will display the name and work of each grant recipient and a link to their website (if applicable) on our website and social media.
In an effort to provide potential applicants with more information about our selection process, we publish shortlisted artists’ work on our social media*. We hope the short list provides insight into the wide range of creative efforts we consider. Artists retain all rights to their work. We are simply interested in celebrating and promoting the award winners and shortlisted artists.
If you have questions, contact us through our contact form.
*Note: We only share the work of those artists who give us their permission. Submission materials are shared with our donor base during voting consideration.
The program is open to all artists with a U.S. Tax Identification Number, regardless of location. Artists who live in the U.S. but work overseas are welcome to apply.
Next Submission Deadline: April 15, 2026
Grant Eligibility
Artists may submit a treatment and/or script with any attached cast and crew for video media concepts that can be produced for less than $500,000 or a working linear assembly of video footage that needs a finishing budget for completion. There is no application fee. Applicants receive no guarantees nor protections if the foundation funds a project of similar nature.
After each deadline, the NUKHU FOUNDATION board of directors reviews all eligible applications and selects a shortlist of finalists.
Eligible applications are selected based on the strongest work possible. Markers for what constitutes “strong” include:
A cohesive body of work
Well-crafted work
Well-presented work (with an understanding that artists have varying financial means and resources for presenting their work)
Work that communicates its viewpoint, ideas, and concepts clearly, effectively, and creatively
Work that is not derivative
Grant Terms
From the pool of shortlisted eligible candidates, our donors cast votes to rank the projects. The top-ranked finalists from this vote advance to final review by the NUKHU FOUNDATION board.
After donor voting concludes, the board of directors reviews the top vote-getting projects and formally approves the Nuvee Starter Fund grant recipients. Once recipients are approved, the NUKHU FOUNDATION contracts a Volunteer Producer to ensure funds are spent only on approved purchases relevant to the film’s timely and efficient completion. The Producer will oversee the project and provide basic accounting oversight. The Producer will oversee the project and provide basic accounting oversight. The Producer will report to the board of directors and maintain a credited Producer status for the entire creative process through the final stages of licensing and distribution, up to 2 years after the grant is awarded. Access to NUKHU FOUNDATION staff for assistance with project development, management, and feedback are available to grantees for no additional fee. We are here to support grant recipients and are happy to connect via phone, email, or in person conversations.
Each awarded grant applicant will produce the selected projects in partnership with the NUKHU FOUNDATION. All IP related to selected projects are owned by the applicant organization.
Grant recipients of at least $500 will be able to use the funds to support your filmmaking efforts, including film production such as hiring talent, equipment rentals, location fees, post-production, education & training, and/or submission fees. Expenses related to meals, transportation, and lodging can be covered as long as these costs are directly attributed to your film project (not personal expenses such as rent). You must provide a detailed financial report with a break-down of how the monies have been used within 3 months of receiving funding. Compliance with our grant terms will go towards determining additional funding for your project by the NUKHU FOUNDATION.
For grant recipients of more than $500, after a selected project is completed, the NUKHU FOUNDATION and its elected producer will provide marketing and sales resources for the best possible financial outcome for the artists (including cast and crew). This can include revenue from theatrical exhibition and/or licensing fees. The NUKHU FOUNDATION will receive a small fee from all revenue generating agreements between the applicant organization and consenting third parties totaling 8% of gross revenue, not exceeding $100,000 per grant project. This fee is substantially below our cost of providing creative production assistance for a grant recipient for up to two years in addition to the expertise needed to facilitate content marketing and sales which furthers our exempt purpose.