Reel Impact frequently asked questions

• Diversity - refers to the variety of differences among people, encompassing race, gender, age, experiences, talents, skills, and opinions.
• Impact - we measure impact by reviewing the outcomes of a project. For example, what has improved as a result of funding, how has someone developed, has someone progressed in their career, has an organisation grown or received additional funds as a result of the project.
• Intersectionality and/or specificity - considers how people’s identities and social experiences, such as race, class, gender interconnect. Having an intersectional approach enables people to consider other’s varying experiences and their impact.
• Lived experience - the knowledge and understanding gained through something someone has directly gone through and is based on their own perspective, personal identities and history.
• Racial Equality - equality focuses on equal treatment and rights for all individuals regardless of race.
• Racial Equity - addresses systemic factors that contribute to disparities and striving to ensure fairness and justice for all groups. Achieving equity may require different strategies for different communities.
• Racial justice - a vision and transformation of society to eliminate racial hierarchies and advance collective liberation, where Black and Global Majority people have the dignity, resources, power and self-determination to fully thrive.
• Systemic Racism - systemic, institutional, and structural racism are forms of institutional discrimination that are deeply embedded in and throughout systems, laws, written or unwritten policies, practices, and established beliefs and attitudes that result in widespread unfair spread unfair and harmful treatment of people as a result of their race or ethnicity.

Aligning with recommendations from Sasha Salmon’s Think Piece on Anti-Racism in the UK Film and TV Industry, published in September 2021, the Charity made a commitment to invest £1m of the Charity’s own money in a new programme.

The aim of the programme was to tackle racism within the screen industries so more Black and Global Majority workers can enhance and sustain their careers and access opportunities to positions at all levels.

Reel Impact is a £1m investment from the Film and TV Charity. We are hoping to engage other funders to support the sustainability of the programme in the longer term.

Reel Impact awarded grants to five organisations and eight individuals in the first round, followed by four organisations and four individuals in the second round.

Applying as an individual

As an individual you can apply for up to £10,000. This is for mid-to-senior level Black and Global Majority individuals, to support personal development

Applying as an organisation

As an organisation, you can apply for one of the following:

• £25,000: for Black and Global Majority–led organisations applying individually or in partnership, to support organisational development
• £25,000: for Black and Global Majority–led organisations applying individually to advance race equity
• £50,000: for Black and Global Majority–led organisations partnering together to advance race equity

Why are there different themes?

We have introduced award themes, which we hope provides more clarity to applicants around what they can and cannot apply for.

The grants application process is in two stages.  The window for the first stage will open at 9.00am on Tuesday 17th March and close on Tuesday 21st April 2026.

If shortlisted after the first stage, you will be invited to submit further information at stage two.

Awards in principle will be made by September 2026, and successful awardees will be notified by October 2026.

Please allow sufficient time to submit your application as the window will not be extended. Dates for future rounds will be communicated in due course.

We welcome applications from individuals and Black and Global Majority owned or led production companies or organisations with significant experience of working behind the scenes in film, TV, or cinema.

Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding. All applications are assessed and we also anticipate receiving far more applications than we are able to fund.

If you were successful in Round 1 or 2 of Reel Impact then you are not eligible to re-apply.

We’re defining Black and Global Majority to mean people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/or have been racialised as marginalised, or 'ethnic minorities’.

Although you are unable to apply to the fund, you can of course support Reel Impact in different ways. Please do get in touch with us and email: [email protected]

The programme is designed for people who have worked in the industry for at least five years’ and who can demonstrate experience and expertise for example in a management or decision-making position, or more complex roles.

We welcome joint applications from organisations either in Theme 1b or Theme 2. With joint applications, at least one of the applicants has to have at least five years’ industry experience.

Under Theme 2, applications can come from established organisations or new partnerships between experienced individuals who have created an entity to address systemic challenges in the industry.

If the amount you are applying for does not fund the whole project, you will need to demonstrate how the rest of the project is being funded, and you can use other funds to support it.

Applications can come from organisations outside of the film, TV, and screen industry (in Theme 2 only). You will need to demonstrate knowledge and expertise about how you will access and influence the industry and how your work centres Black and Global Majority people from the industry in your approach.

Organisations are defined as a registered company or a not-for-profit (defined as independent organisations whose purpose is something other than to make private profit for directors, members or shareholders, these can include an Unincorporated Association, CIC, CIO, Charitable Trust, Community Benefit or Cooperative Society).

Proof of an organisation’s track record and finances will need to be supplied as part of the application process. Individuals who are sole owners can apply as an organisation if they meet the criteria.

There are two stages to the application process. Stage one gathers information about you, your organisation, and an outline of your project or initiative. If you pass through to stage two then you will be asked for more detailed information.

Applicants can apply using an online form or submit a video or audio recording for certain sections of the application form. Videos or audio sections should be a maximum of 6 minutes long.

Applicants shortlisted for the second stage process will be sent a separate application link for this stage.

Yes. When you are filling out the form, you should find an option to 'Save my progress and resume later'. This will prompt you to input your email address and a password. You will then receive an email with a link back into your application by using your email and password set at the point of saving.

Please note: you can only access your application via the link in the email. If you start a new application using the same email address, your previous progress will not be accessible.

We are recruiting Peer Assessors to help us make decisions about each stage of the process. There is more information about this in the guidance.

A scoring system will be used to assess applications – the scoring matrix is in the guidance.

Successful applicants will be paid in two or three instalments, depending on the size of the project. Short-term projects or activities and/or those that require more immediate upfront payments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, you can apply for a subsequent round. However, you will have to submit a new application.

The panel’s decision is final so there is no right of appeal.

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications we anticipate receiving we are unable to provide individual feedback to applicants following stage one decision making. However, if you progress to stage two and are unsuccessful, then we will provide feedback.

It is essential that we measure the impact of the Programme to ensure it is reaching those it is aimed at. If you have received an award, we will ask you to share updates about your work to understand the impact the award has made on you or your organisation and the in meeting the wider objectives of the Programme. We will work with you in partnership to ensure this process is of benefit to you.

The Film and TV Charity has partnered with Lincoln University as an evaluation partner. They will be evaluating the Reel Impact Programme’s objectives and engaging with awardees, unsuccessful applicants, and other stakeholders. They will be working with us until 2027.

See guidance for further details about this or contact [email protected] for support.

We want to ensure the process is accessible. If applicants would benefit from additional support in completing the application, we will be more than happy to help. If you need help, then please let us know by email: [email protected]

All applicants will be be invited to be kept up to date with relevant opportunities and events to connect and network, otherwise they will only be contacted regarding the outcome of their application.

As part of the ongoing development of the programme, we will be building partnerships with other industry stakeholders. These partnerships may lead to further opportunities, that add value and may include workshops, training or events.

We provide a range of support beyond Reel Impact.