Sector Development Support Program

Overview of the Sector Development Support Program program:

The Sector Development Support Program is a selective and competitive initiative that funds projects with broad, measurable impact across Canada’s screen sector. It aims to address gaps and systemic barriers in the industry, with priority given to organizations and initiatives led by or benefiting Indigenous peoples, equity-deserving groups, and regional communities. The program supports two streams of activities: 1. Capacity Building – For training, mentorship, leadership development, board governance, and other professional development activities. 2. Market Access – For initiatives that help participants reach new markets, secure financing, attend B2B events, or support Canadian content discoverability. Only non-profit organizations with a mandate in the screen sector are eligible. Projects must be new, not yet launched, and provide benefits to multiple participants—not a single organization or individual. Applications must demonstrate a clear rationale, a feasible plan, meaningful inclusion practices, and expected impact. Funded activities can occur at a regional, provincial/territorial, or national scale and must be completed within the funding cycle. All supported initiatives must include meaningful engagement of underrepresented communities.

Benefits of the Sector Development Support Program program:

• Supports Indigenous, Equity-Deserving, and Regional communities within the Canadian screen sector.
• Non-repayable contributions up to $100,000 for national reach initiatives.
• Encourages inclusion, accessibility, and representation across all project levels.
• Promotes career growth, mentorship, training, and business development opportunities.
• Facilitates market access, export activities, and B2B matchmaking for Canadian media professionals.
• Provides funding for accessibility supports, participant stipends, travel, accommodation, and coordination.
• Enables eligible organizations to deliver skills-building programs, executive leadership training, and industry capacity-building activities.

Eligibility criteria of the Sector Development Support Program program:

• Eligible Applicants Must Be:
• A Canadian-controlled (51%+) non-profit organization
• Incorporated at the time of application
• Mandated to serve the screen-based industries
• In good standing with CMF (no outstanding deliverables or issues)
• Ineligible Applicants Include:
• For-profit entities
• Government agencies or other funders
• Non-screen-sector organizations
• Organizations in poor standing or default with CMF
• Eligible Activities (choose one stream):
• Capacity Building:
• Training, mentorship, board/governance development
• Leadership and below-the-line crew skill-building
• Executive or producer-level training
• Market Access:
• Export missions, B2B matchmaking, marketing campaigns
• Discoverability and promotion of Canadian content
• Market prep and audience engagement
• Ineligible projects include:
• Production, post-production, or distribution activities.
• Events, showcases, or festivals.
• Research-only or software development initiatives.
• Projects started before CMF funding decisions.
• Student-focused or under-18 projects.
• All projects must include meaningful participation of:
• Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Metis, Inuit)
• Equity-deserving communities (e.g., racialized groups, 2SLGBTQ+, women, persons with disabilities, Official Language Minority Communities)
• Regional communities (located more than 150 km from Toronto or Montreal)