British Film Institute National Lottery Creative Challenge Fund

The British Film Institute (BFI) is seeking organisations to design and run development programmes for UK creatives who have narrative, documentary or animation feature film projects or narrative immersive media projects.

The aim is to support the programme participants with the advancement of their projects through a structured development environment, enabling them to go on to receive financial support from the marketplace.

All funded activities supported should contribute to at least five of the following aims:

1. Creative talent is supported and nurtured, as they emerge and throughout their careers people are better enabled to innovate and experiment creatively
2. A wider range of stories on screen are told that otherwise wouldn’t be
3. People from under-represented groups across the UK can access the support they need to develop their careers and skills
4. A broader range of organisations supported by the fund, breaking down historic barriers to funding
5. Screen organisations have significantly reduced their carbon footprint.

All programme activity must be delivered within 12 months, unless you’re applying for more than one edition.

Fund award sizes

Minimum: £12,000

Maximum: £150,000

Annually awarded: £1,000,000

Notes on award amounts:

• The amount of funding depends on the timeframe and ambition of your programme. You can apply for between £12,000 and £150,000 for one edition (or call) for your programme which should run for a maximum of 12 months.
• They can consider making awards for up to three editions of your programme at no more than £150,000 per edition. Awards over £200,000 will be rare so they strongly advise that you discuss your project with the Creative Challenge Fund team before making an application for over this amount.  
• Multi-year funding may be available, discuss with the BFI team.

Who can apply?

Your organisation must be legally constituted and centrally managed in the UK as one of the following:

• A limited company registered at Companies House
• A community interest company registered at Companies House
• A limited liability partnership (LLP) registered at Companies House
• A UK combined or local authority or statutory body
• A UK charity or trust registered with the Charity Commission

How to apply

Application form and guidance available on the website. Apply via their online portal.

Closing date

11.59am on Monday 21 September 2026

News/Events Categories:

Share your news/events

Sign up to our e-bulletins

Sign up for e-bulletins now