Runway's $5M film grant is handing out between $5,000 and $1,000,000 per project, with decisions in about two weeks
The Runway Hundred Film Fund offers cash grants from $5K to over $1M per project, plus up to $2M in Runway credits, with rolling decisions and a December 2026 deadline.
Runway, the AI video and creative tools company, has opened a rolling grant fund called the Runway Hundred Film Fund with a total pot of $5 million. Individual project awards range from $5,000 at the lower end to $1,000,000 or more at the top, and the fund operates on a rolling basis, meaning applications are reviewed as they come in with decisions promised in approximately 14 days. That turnaround is unusually fast for a film grant of this size, which makes it worth assessing sooner rather than waiting until late in the year.
Alongside the cash, successful applicants can receive up to $2,000,000 in Runway platform credits, which gives funded filmmakers substantial access to Runway's AI generation tools for production. The fund is open to short films, features, documentaries, experimental work, animation, and music videos, so the range of eligible formats is broad. Entry is free, and the fund accepts applicants from all nationalities, provided they meet the professional eligibility requirements.
What you submit
The fund is aimed at professional directors, producers, and screenwriters aged 18 and over. You must be working on a project that uses Runway as part of its production, which is a firm requirement, not a suggestion. The application is made directly via runwayml.com/hundred-film-fund. The page does not specify a required demo reel length or script format, so applicants should treat the official site as the definitive source for submission details at the time of applying.
Prize structure
- Cash grants of $5,000 to $1,000,000+ per project
- Up to $2,000,000 in Runway platform credits per project
- Total fund size is $5,000,000
- Rolling decisions, approximately 14 days after submission
The credit component is meaningful but worth understanding clearly: Runway credits are platform-specific and give you access to Runway's tools, not transferable cash. If your project relies on other AI tools or production software, factor that in when assessing the value of the credits portion of any award.
Terms worth reading
The mandatory use of Runway in the funded project is the clearest condition to flag. If you receive a grant, your work will be built on Runway's platform, and the company will have visibility into what you produce with their tools. The official page does not detail IP ownership terms or licensing arrangements in the text provided here, so reviewing the full terms on the application page before submitting is essential, particularly for larger projects where rights retention matters commercially.
Eligibility is limited to professional directors, producers, and screenwriters, which means emerging filmmakers without professional credits may not qualify. The fund does not charge an entry fee, which removes one barrier. All nationalities are welcome, though any tax or legal implications of receiving a US-originating grant in your home country are your responsibility to check.
Deadline and how to apply
The submission window closes on 31 December 2026. No cutoff time is published, so submit with at least a day in hand to avoid any timezone-related issues. Because this is a rolling fund, earlier applications may receive earlier decisions, and there is no stated guarantee of funding availability throughout the entire period if the $5M total is committed before the deadline.
Apply directly at runwayml.com/hundred-film-fund. The aggregator listing is tracked at AI Film Contests.