BFI delivery partner: National Lottery documentary funding and talent support delegation

Overview

They believe society needs stories. Film, television and the moving image bring them to life, helping us to connect and understand each other better. They share the stories of yesterday, search for the stories of today, and shape the stories of tomorrow. This is the BFI’s purpose. It runs through everything we do and is fundamental to our emerging 10- year National Lottery strategy.

National Lottery funding has been transformative for the value it has delivered to audiences and filmmakers across the UK. In supporting organisations, projects and activities the funding has nurtured creativity, fostered collaborative working and is improving inclusion through participation and representation. This all contributes to the vibrancy of our sector, its provision for audiences and our cultural identity. They want to continue to ensure that the benefits of National Lottery funding reach the maximum number of people across the UK and this principle is at the heart of our future thinking.

Strategic priorities - creativity and storytelling

They believe that anyone should be able to create original screen work, from first-time creators to world-class professionals.

The BFI has supported feature and short filmmaking and the development of new talent using funds from the National Lottery since 2011, and this includes documentaries. In 2017, following an open application process, they appointed a dedicated partner as their delegate to oversee and manage their support for documentary filmmaking. As they prepare to launch their new strategy, they are again seeking a delegate partner for the documentary filmmaking support through an open application process.

What they are looking for

They have consulted with the screen sectors and general public across 2021-22 to shape their 10-year National Lottery funding strategy, which is currently being finalised, along with a funding plan for April 2023-March 2026. They published their draft strategic priorities in April 2022, and undertook a consultation to ensure those priorities are shared by the wider industry.

Following that process, it is now clear that the strategy will include support for documentary filmmaking, and they intend to delegate this funding to an external organisation to manage and run a dedicated funding and talent support programme for the documentary sector.

In order to ensure continuity of provision, they are now initiating the process to identify a suitable UK partner to deliver these elements of their new National Lottery funding strategy from April 2023 onwards.

They are currently seeking Expressions of Interest only, with a full application stage to take place following the publication of the strategy this autumn.

They are looking for organisations interested in acting as their delegate to deliver a National Lottery - funded programme for documentary that would ensure that emerging and established creative talent is supported and nurtured; that there is an environment and culture that enables filmmakers to innovate and experiment creatively; and that a wider range of stories, that might not otherwise be told, make it on screen.

• The programme would be likely to encompass support for feature, short film and immersive work.
• They intend that the new 10-year strategy will be broken down into implementation periods consisting of three years plus three years plus four years.
• The documentary delegation opportunity is currently for periods one and two, so for six years covering April 2023 – March 2029.
• There will be annual review points to agree progression to the following year, and a midpoint formal review in year three.
• Progression to each subsequent year will also be contingent on the BFI receiving sufficient National Lottery funding to allocate to the delegation.

You can read more about the development of their new National Lottery Strategy here.

Who do they want to hear from? (Eligibility criteria)

They are looking for a UK-based not for profit screen organisation, or a partnership of UK-based not for profit screen organisations, that has the expertise and organisational capabilities to manage and run a funding and support programme dedicated to UK documentary filmmaking and talent development.

The expertise and capabilities required include:

• High level expertise in the development, production, legal, compliance and creative aspects of film, and documentary feature film in particular
• Significant knowledge of the history of the documentary form
• Significant knowledge and experience of the UK documentary field and the international documentary landscape
• Significant experience in financing documentary films and of rights and clearance issues associated with documentary filmmaking
• Strong understanding of the needs of new and emerging talent
• Understanding of current film industry demographics and routes to diversifying the industry
• Track record of identifying new and emerging talent
• History of facilitating creative excellence and of nurturing talent
• The staff infrastructure to administer a major funding scheme, including in relation to the employment of scheme staff, finance administration (including making payments to awardees), and the provision of dedicated legal and business affairs and other applicable support – working within guidance on allowable overheads that will be provided by the BFI to ensure maximum value for money
• Demonstrable existing partnerships or relationships within the documentary and wider film industry
• Experience or knowledge of grant-making and grant management
• Demonstrable outreach experience.