Productions must film 50% or more of the principal photography days at within Montana in order to qualify for the Big Sky Film Grant (BSFG).

Each applicant is limited to one application per funding cycle. Any applicant applying for multiple projects or in more than one grant category is ineligible. An applicant is not eligible if they are a current BSFG grantee with an open BSFG grant contract for an uncompleted project.

The MFO accepts grant applications annually via an online application. Applicants may apply through the link for the appropriate grant category on the Big Sky Film Grant page of the website montanafilm.com.

Eligible applicants must submit applications by midnight MST of the application close date. Applicants unable to complete the online application process must contact the MFO prior to 5 p.m. MST on the application close date.

The review committee meets annually to review and evaluate eligible applications in the respective cycle. The review committee makes funding recommendations to the director of Commerce, who will make the final funding decision.

Applications received through the online platform are reviewed for completeness. Staff will contact applicants who submitted incomplete applications to allow for an amendment or withdrawal of the application. 

Grants are awarded in four categories:

Feature Film and TV
Awards in this category are made to a Montana-based production of a feature length film, television series or limited series with a minimum Montana spend of $350,000. Award amounts are not limited in this category but are subject to annual program funding limitations.

Resident Filmmaker: Feature Film and TV
Awards in this category are made to a Montana-based production of a feature-length project that is produced by a Montana resident filmmaker who has a validated credit as a producer, director or primary director of photography. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $100,000 per project. Proof of Montana residency must be submitted with an application to be eligible.

Short-Form Content
Awards in this category are to a Montana-based production of a short-form content film project. Examples include a short narrative, pilot episode, documentary, animation, webisode, Montana-centric story or film series of episodes each 60 minutes or less in length and a budget of less than $350,000 per episode. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $50,000 per project.

Resident Filmmaker: Short-Form Content
Awards in this category are made to a Montana-based production of a short-form content project that is produced by a Montana resident filmmaker who has a validated credit as a producer, director or primary director of photography. Examples include a short narrative, pilot episode, documentary, animation, webisode, Montana-centric story or a film series of episodes each 60 minutes or less in length and a budget of less than $350,000 per episode. Award amounts are a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $50,000 per project. Proof of Montana residency must be submitted with an application to be eligible.