Support for Your Film Initiative Might Mean Hitting the Railroad

Union Pacific Foundation is the philanthropic offspring of Union Pacific Corporation and Union Pacific Railroad, and it places significant giving emphasis on arts and culture through its through its Community-Based Grant Program "Community and Civic" category.

Individual visual arts, theater, music, and dance organizations all make appearances on Union Pacific Foundation's recent giving lists. Individual film projects/organizations/festivals almost do not. The recent exception: $2,500 to the Utah Film Center in Salt Lake City.

However, Union Pacific Foundation gives hearty support to community arts organizations and centers, many of which showcase film as much as they do music, theater, dance, or visual arts, including:

$10,000 to the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (Oakland, CA);
$8,000 to Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center (Auburn, CA);
$5,000 to the West Valley Arts Council (Surprise, AZ);
$5,000 to Ballroom Marfa (Marfa, TX);
$5,000 to the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (New Orleans, LA);
$3,000 to Blue Line Arts (Roseville, CA);
$2,500 to the Hays Arts Council (Hays, KS);

Also in your film program's potential favor: The foundation never states anywhere that it won't support a film series or a film festival, which in terms of community programming could easily fulfill a similar mission to a music series or a visual arts festival.

If you do take a shot a pitching Union Pacific Foundation your film program, be mindful that generally speaking the foundation seeks to promote “program effectiveness,” and therefore particularly likes its grants to go capacity building, which it describes as “helping new or existing programs reach more people or reach them effectively.” This definition and prioritization opens up a lot of opportunity for a film organization seeking support.

Also be sure to emphasize the community you'll serve, because Union Pacific Foundation really is about supporting communities, specifically those that make up the 56 large regions along their railroad lines.