The aims of the documentary production funding programs are to support Australian documentary content for production and release for Direct-to-Audience, Television and Feature Film platforms.

The aims of the documentary production funding programs are to support:

• Australian documentary content for production and release for Direct-to-Audience, Television and Feature Film platforms;
• distinctive storytelling for a range of budgets and audiences across local and global platforms; and
• content makers at different career stages who reflect the breadth of Australia in service of cultural, creative and economic benefits.

There are three (3) different documentary production funding programs that applicants can apply for. They will each have four (4) application rounds per financial year.

• Direct to audience
• Platform first
• Producer first

The amount of funding provided will depend on the scale of your project, the first and primary platform and the amount of additional finance required or secured from other sources.

Round deadlines:

• 18 June 2026
• 24 September 2026

Applicants and projects must meet Screen Australia's Terms of Trade, any general eligibility or other requirements listed on the agency's website (see Information for Applicants and Information for Recipients), as well as the specific eligibility criteria set out in the guidelines.

Direct-to-Audience Production - Additional Eligibility Criteria

• The team must include at least two key creatives covering the roles of writer, director or producer.
• The application must have at least one key creative (writer, producer or director) with one credit on a comparable project which has been primarily released on a direct-to-audience platform.

Platform First Production - Additional Eligibility Criteria

• For features, series or single documentaries that have a confirmed Commissioning Platform for FTA, BVOD, SVOD and AVOD, applicants must meet certain credit requirements as per the Guidelines.
• For feature length, series or singles for which Television (including SVOD, AVOD or BVOD) is the first and primary window, applicants must meet certain presale requirements as per the Guidelines.

Producer First Production - Additional Eligibility Criteria

• For feature length, series or singles for which Television (including SVOD, AVOD or BVOD) is the first and primary window, applicants must meet certain credit requirements as per the Guidelines.

For full eligibility information, please refer to the guidelines.

• Email: documentary@screenaustralia.gov.au