PHILADELPHIA, June 2, 2021 – The Independence Public Media Foundation (IPMF) announces another major investment in Philadelphia’s media making community. Thirteen grants totaling $2 million were awarded to a range of film, journalism, storytelling, and youth media organizations and projects.
In this first round of grants for 2021, IPMF provided continued support to a group of existing grantees that lift up storytelling and creative expression as pathways for communities building power. The grants in this cycle provide critical ongoing support for media-making organizations and storytelling projects that have been excluded from access to resources that amplify the voices of the communities they serve.
“We are thrilled to offer our continued support to organizations that foster communication and storytelling among diverse communities across Philadelphia,” said Nuala Cabral, IPMF program officer.
►Read Nuala’s essay on what the IPMF board and staff prioritized during this grants review process.
The Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, which is celebrating its ten-year anniversary, received $250,000 to support its operational structure and media-making that advances cultural equity for Latinx, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities. Asian Arts Initiative was awarded $75,000 to increase accessibility to, and support community engagement with, their Digital Broadcast Studio, a project that aims to increase opportunities for media-making and collaboration among communities of color.
With this round of grants, IPMF explored ways to support the growth of its grantees in a manner that allows each organization to grow at its own pace. The foundation also prioritized multi-year general operating support to provide maximum flexibility to these organizations, many of which are Black or brown led, women led, and/or have budgets under $1 million.
Independence Public Media is currently accepting proposals through June 11 for the Community Media Fund and Digital Equity Fund open call. The foundation’s next round of grants will be announced in August.
CLICK HERE for a full list of grants in this round.