Public Understanding of Science & Technology Grant - Television

The Public Understanding of Science & Technology Grant for Television, provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, aims to enhance public appreciation of science and technology through innovative television projects. It encourages storytelling that highlights historical and contemporary scientific endeavors, showcasing the lives of those involved in these fields. The program supports projects that connect science with broader cultural narratives, ultimately seeking to bridge the gap between science and the humanities for a more informed public.

NOTE: The Sloan Foundation has several program areas (Books, New Media, Special Initiatives, Radio & YouTube and TikTok) in addition to this one within the Public Understanding of Science & Technology Program -
Television:Letter of Inquiry - Interested creators should submit a letter of inquiry of no more than two pages to the program director. Due to the volume of inquires we receive, it can take up to 8 weeks to receive a Foundation response to a letter of inquiry.Full Proposal - Invite Only - Grantseekers that submit promising letters of inquiry will be invited to submit a formal grant proposal.The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation makes grants year-round, though major grants (>$250K) are approved only quarterly. Grantseekers should take care to work with their program director to ensure there is sufficient time for submission, redrafting, independent review, and amendments subsequent to review.
This long-standing multifaceted program aims to give people a keener appreciation for the increasingly scientific and technological world in which we live and to convey some of the challenges and rewards of the scientific and technological enterprise.
The program's primary aim is to build bridges between the two cultures of science and the humanities and to develop a common language so that they can better understand and speak to one another--and ultimately to grasp that they belong to a single common culture.
The Foundation has established a nationwide strategy that focuses on books, theater, film, television, radio, and new media to commission, develop, produce, and distribute new work mainstreaming science and technology for the lay public.
Program goal: Develop television projects that tell stories, both historical and contemporary, about science and technology, and that portray the lives of the men and women engaged in scientific and technological pursuits.
Strategy - Grantmaking in the Television program seeks to:​Show the central role that science and technology—and scientists, engineers, and mathematicians—have played in American and world history;
Highlight key contemporary scientific breakthroughs, milestones, and challenges;
Spotlight key science and technology subjects and figures featured in Sloan-supported books and significantly expand their audiences;Reach new audiences by extending beyond traditional documentaries into drama and docudrama.

Ineligibility

What We Do Not Fund:The Foundation does not make grants to individuals except through its Books program.
Except in rare circumstances, the Foundation does not make grants to for-profit institutions.
The Foundation does not make grants in religion, medical research, or for research in the humanities.
The Foundation does not make grants to projects aimed at pre-college students except through its Civic Initiatives program.
The Foundation does not make grants to projects in the creative or performing arts except when those projects are related to educating the public about science, technology, or economics.
The Foundation does not make grants for endowments or fundraising drives, including fundraising dinners.
The Foundation does not make grants in support of buildings, laboratories, equipment, or instruments unless it can be demonstrated that such capital expenditures are essential to the success of a Foundation-supported research project, research program or educational initiative.
The Foundation does not make grants to political campaigns, to support political activities, or to lobby for or against particular pieces of legislation.