Bell Fund – Slate Development
Description:
The purpose of the Slate Development Program is to help Canadian independent production companies build and diversify their slates by offering financial support for the development of original intellectual property (“IP”) with the intent to grow and foster the independent production industry.
Comments on Funding:
Funding is available as a non-interest bearing advance, of 100% of eligible costs repayable from production financing (on a per project basis). For a 2 project Slate the maximum amount requested may be $50,000, while for a 3 project slate the maximum request is $75,000. The minimum request for any slate is $20,000.
Eligibility:
The applicant must:
Eligible Slate applications must meet the following requirements:
Applications Steps:
Applicants must:
attend an application clinic, if they are first time applicants (visit their bookings page for dates and sign up information);
go to the online application portal: application.bellfund.ca and create an account,
click on the New Applications tab and select the fund you wish to apply for,
submit the application.
Documentation Needed:
Applicants must submit:
- the application form,
- the producer statement, for each project,
- proof that copyright is owned, optioned or controlled by applicant (producer) for each Project
- A market interest form or meaningful letter of market interest, addressed to Bell Fund, from one of the following 4 options, for each project:
a) a Canadian programming undertaking, public or private, licensed to operate by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC),
b) an online service owned, controlled and operated by a Canadian licensed programming undertaking including operating as a Hybrid VOD service (CraveTV, Club Illico),
c) a digital platform that features Entertainment Programming and is accessible to Canadians (Canadian or Foreign owned),
d) a Distributor (Canadian or Foreign), - proof of other financing, for each project, if applicable
- budgets (for each project),
- list of pending funding applications, for each project, if applicable,
- development History & Plan for this phase (a list of the proposed development deliverables and a schedule of activities must be included, for each project),
- credits of Applicant Company,
- a list of all confirmed Key Creatives + CVs e.g., writer, director, show runner, producer, exec producer, story editor, mentor, on screen talent,
- confirmation letter/ email from Key Creatives supporting application,
- incorporation Certificate (if available at time of application),
- self-identification contact list,
- co-development agreement(s), if applicable,
- service agreement(s), if applicable.
Other Things to Note:
This is a new program for the Ontario database, but was present and moved from the Atlantic Canada database.
Slate Development Guidelines – August, 2022

Program Contact:
When It Ends:
Ongoing
Deadline:
November 28, 2022