Nonprofit
For Nonprofits
City of Austin: ACME Cultural Funding
Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME)
City of Austin
ACME just completed its largest-ever grantmaking cycle in FY26, distributing more than $24 million to 731 artists, musicians, organizations, venues, and heritage partners. ACME explicitly states programs are "open to all people regardless of race, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, physical ability, and socioeconomic status."
Elevate: Main engine for nonprofits and mid-sized arts groups. FY26: 289 organizations received $4,000-$80,000, totaling $12.86 million. Right lane for established or growing nonprofits.
Nexus: Smaller, more accessible grant for individuals and small arts groups. Awards $5,000 or $10,000 for public cultural projects. FY27 cycle deadline: April 16, 2026. Bonus points for applicants who haven't received recent city funding.
Austin Live Music Fund: $7 million annually, $5,000-$70,000 for musicians, independent promoters, and live music venues.
Creative Space Assistance Program (CSAP): $60,000 each to creative spaces - studios, galleries, rehearsal spaces.
Heritage Preservation Grant: $3 million for cultural heritage events and capital improvements. Strong fit for documentary filmmakers and community history organizations.
Elevate: Main engine for nonprofits and mid-sized arts groups. FY26: 289 organizations received $4,000-$80,000, totaling $12.86 million. Right lane for established or growing nonprofits.
Nexus: Smaller, more accessible grant for individuals and small arts groups. Awards $5,000 or $10,000 for public cultural projects. FY27 cycle deadline: April 16, 2026. Bonus points for applicants who haven't received recent city funding.
Austin Live Music Fund: $7 million annually, $5,000-$70,000 for musicians, independent promoters, and live music venues.
Creative Space Assistance Program (CSAP): $60,000 each to creative spaces - studios, galleries, rehearsal spaces.
Heritage Preservation Grant: $3 million for cultural heritage events and capital improvements. Strong fit for documentary filmmakers and community history organizations.
Austin Community Foundation (ACF)
Third-Largest Charitable Foundation in Central Texas
Manages over $500 million in assets, distributing more than $51 million annually. Key programs:
Forever Austin Fund: Annual competitive grants $5,000-$50,000 across economic mobility, arts and culture, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. In 2025, $2.3 million to 99 organizations. 2027 cycle likely opens January 2027.
Women's Fund and Hispanic Impact Fund: Together distribute $1.1 million annually in unrestricted general operating support. Hispanic Impact Fund supports Latino-led or Latino-serving orgs. Women's Fund supports nonprofits working on childcare, housing, education, and women's health. Applications typically open in early summer.
Geographic focus: Travis, Burnet, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson counties.
Forever Austin Fund: Annual competitive grants $5,000-$50,000 across economic mobility, arts and culture, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. In 2025, $2.3 million to 99 organizations. 2027 cycle likely opens January 2027.
Women's Fund and Hispanic Impact Fund: Together distribute $1.1 million annually in unrestricted general operating support. Hispanic Impact Fund supports Latino-led or Latino-serving orgs. Women's Fund supports nonprofits working on childcare, housing, education, and women's health. Applications typically open in early summer.
Geographic focus: Travis, Burnet, Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson counties.
Texas Pride Community Foundation (TPCF)
Statewide LGBTQ+ Funder
The primary statewide LGBTQ+ funder for Texas. Community Grants program awards up to $10,000 in general operating support. Explicitly prioritizes underserved geographies (rural, border, small cities), transgender people, people of color, seniors, youth, and people with disabilities. Previous Austin recipients include ASHwell and Austin Rainbow. Also operates the Texas Health Impact Grant cohort focused on HIV care and advocacy for Black and Latinx transgender individuals.
ACME is mid-transition - move now
Austin's cultural funding department is actively restructuring its grant programs for FY27, and the people making those decisions are visible and reachable. Attending ACME info sessions and building relationships with program staff now - before the new unified guidelines go into effect - positions your organization to be an early mover in the new system.
Startup
For Underestimated Founders
City & Government Programs
Austin Kiva Hub
Austin Economic Development + Kiva
Launched March 2026 - Austin's first-ever Kiva Hub. Crowdfunded microloans of $1,000-$15,000 at zero percent interest, no fees, and no minimum credit score required. Austin is one of two designated Kiva Hubs in Texas. A local Capital Access Manager provides hands-on guidance. More than 90% of Kiva borrowers successfully fund their loans. Austin Small Business Week (May 4-8, 2026) includes a session on "Microloans and Funding Paths for Small Businesses" on May 7.
CDFIs & Mission-Aligned Capital
PeopleFund - BIPOC Small Business Accelerator
Central Texas CDFI
One of Central Texas's primary CDFIs for underserved entrepreneurs. The BIPOC Small Business Accelerator offers: expedited loan packaging, access to PeopleFund loan products (microloans, SBA 504, Flash Funds), business planning software, 3 months of tool access, and a completion grant of $3,000-$5,000 for founders who meet requirements and close on a loan. Application explicitly includes an LGBTQ+ identification field and is "open to all regardless of race, gender or creed." Q1 2026 application cycle active. 78% of graduates still operating at 3 years, 415+ graduates to date.
SXSW Pitch Competition
South by Southwest
Held every March. In 2026, 45 companies competed across nine categories from 600+ applications. Since 2009, over 93% of SXSW Pitch participants have gone on to receive funding, with combined alumni funding exceeding $23.2 billion. Austin-based founders have a natural advantage competing in their home city. Categories include Entertainment/Media/Content, Smart Cities, HealthTech, AgTech, and Student Startups. SXSW is infrastructure, not just a festival - investors actively convene here to meet early-stage companies.
PeopleFund is genuinely accessible
For queer founders who are used to programs that say the right things but don't show up in practice, PeopleFund's track record speaks for itself. Their application explicitly includes an LGBTQ+ identification field and is open to all. The Austin Kiva Hub's zero-interest, no-credit-score model removes most traditional barriers to entry for early-stage founders.
Film
For Filmmakers
State & City Incentives
Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP)
Texas Film Commission - Senate Bill 22
In 2025, Texas passed SB 22 committing $1.5 billion over 10 years - the largest state film incentive commitment in Texas history. A direct cash grant (not a tax credit - no secondary market transaction required). Payment issued directly after an audit of qualifying Texas expenditures.
Grant rates: 5% on $250K-$999K spend, 10% on $1M-$1.5M, 25% on $1.5M+. Stackable uplifts of 1%-2.5% each bring totals up to approximately 31%. Requirements: minimum $250K Texas spend, 55% paid crew must be TX residents, 55% paid cast must be TX residents, 60% of production days in Texas. Apply before principal photography begins. Annual cap: $300M per biennium, no per-project cap. Documentary films qualify.
Grant rates: 5% on $250K-$999K spend, 10% on $1M-$1.5M, 25% on $1.5M+. Stackable uplifts of 1%-2.5% each bring totals up to approximately 31%. Requirements: minimum $250K Texas spend, 55% paid crew must be TX residents, 55% paid cast must be TX residents, 60% of production days in Texas. Apply before principal photography begins. Annual cap: $300M per biennium, no per-project cap. Documentary films qualify.
City of Austin Creative Content Incentive Program (CCIP)
Austin Economic Development
Layers an additional 2.5% rebate on top of the state incentive for productions that hire Austin Metro Area residents at living wages. Maximum combined stack: up to 33.5% for productions qualifying for both state and city incentives. Requires productions to be produced by an Austin-based company or promote Austin as a destination.
Local Film Organizations
Austin Film Society (AFS)
Founded 1985 by Richard Linklater
The heart of Austin's independent film ecosystem. Key programs:
AFS Grant for Feature Films: Raises $200,000+ annually. In 2025, $130,000 to 13 projects from 14 directors. AFS explicitly tracks diversity: 8 of 14 recipients identified as female, 1 non-binary, 3 LGBTQIA+, 2 with disability, 9 from communities of color.
AFS Grant for Short Films: Parallel program for narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental work. In 2025, 15 filmmakers supported from 225 applications.
AFS Fiscal Sponsorship: 7.5% fee for Texas-based projects. Currently paused for new applications - contact filmmakersupport@austinfilm.org for status. Existing sponsored projects accept donations year-round.
Austin Studios: AFS manages a five-stage professional production facility.
AFS Grant for Feature Films: Raises $200,000+ annually. In 2025, $130,000 to 13 projects from 14 directors. AFS explicitly tracks diversity: 8 of 14 recipients identified as female, 1 non-binary, 3 LGBTQIA+, 2 with disability, 9 from communities of color.
AFS Grant for Short Films: Parallel program for narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental work. In 2025, 15 filmmakers supported from 225 applications.
AFS Fiscal Sponsorship: 7.5% fee for Texas-based projects. Currently paused for new applications - contact filmmakersupport@austinfilm.org for status. Existing sponsored projects accept donations year-round.
Austin Studios: AFS manages a five-stage professional production facility.
Austin PBS Finishing Funds Grant
Austin PBS
Awards $15,000 to one documentary filmmaker per cycle for assistance with repackaging for public media distribution ($12,000 for film repackaging + $3,000 for attending a public media conference). Eligibility: Central Texas residency or project set in Central Texas. Film must be completable as a one-hour cut for public television distribution.
AFS is the first relationship to build
Even if your project is not ready for a grant application, becoming an AFS MAKE Member connects you to the fiscal sponsorship program, the grant pipeline, Austin Studios, and the local filmmaker network. It's the connective tissue of independent film in Texas. For queer filmmakers in particular, AFS's documented commitment to funding LGBTQ+ directors - combined with fiscal sponsorship access to identity-aligned foundations - makes it the first call for most community-rooted projects.