APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN

Story Money Impact Pod program: developing practitioners who want to leverage documentaries for positive change

Story Money Impact (SMI) continues to develop and support the field of impact work with a Pod training program. Each year we iterate this program to adjust to how we see the field developing. This year, we are looking to support five participants who are actively engaged in impact work either in the development, production or dissemination of a Canadian documentary film.

What is the Pod? The SMI Pod program is a four month applied mentorship adventure to support five individuals as they build their impact skills on an existing project. This mentorship focuses on the skills and strategies that support the content being used as a tool for positive change in the issue area it explores.

Our hope with this iteration of the Pod is to support Canadian projects that are striving to be active in the impact space, but desire some guidance from SMI.

The program will include:

  • Group and individual learning sessions and mentorship from April 1 - July 31, 2025

  • Attendance at a four-day, three-night in-person impact workshop hosted by SMI during one of the following time frames: May 1–16 or June 16–27, 2025. If the workshop is not held in your hometown, SMI will cover travel expenses

What is an Impact Producer or Practitioner? An Impact Producer, or Practitioner, is responsible for maximizing a film’s potential for social change. Responsibilities may vary based on the film’s content and defined distribution goals, but often include strategy development, issue mapping, fundraising, partnership development and management, event production, dialogue facilitation, discussion guide creation, evaluation and impact measurement.

Who we seek: We are looking for five people from across Canada who are actively using documentary storytelling as a tool for change. Candidates may be the creators of a social or environmental justice film, or working with a film as their impact lead, in development, production or dissemination phases. Ideally, some seed funding or budget allocation has been secured to support this role within the project. If not, we hope to help!

If you are a candidate who is not a filmmaker, but feel called to work with films in an impact role, we encourage you to apply.

Candidates need to have flexibility in their schedule to engage in sessions with other Pod participants and in one-on-one mentoring sessions with SMI staff from April 1 - July 31, 2025 and join the SMI team for an in-person session in either May or June (dates above).

Helpful qualities and interests include:

  • Digital savvy

  • An interest in activism

  • Ability to work between groups and networks

  • Highly organized

  • Eagerness to learn and experiment

Individuals with historic barriers to access are encouraged to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, BIPOC, people with disabilities, and queer folks. If the application form is itself a barrier, please email clare@storymoneyimpact.com to explore an alternative approach.

How does it work? For a period of four months, selected Pod participants will come together for a series of virtual group learning sessions and discussions. Once we get to know the participants and what their area of applied impact work is, we will shift sessions to working one-on-one with an SMI mentor, providing direct support to each individual and project based on what they are trying to do. Schedules will be determined once we have identified our candidates.

All participants will attend one in-person community impact workshop hosted by SMI and get some time working alongside SMI staff. Locations will be determined in collaboration with the Pod participants.

An honorarium of $3,250 will be provided to participants for their time.

Application deadline:  February 24, 2025 at 11:59pm PT. 

Timeline: The Pod program will run April 1 - July 31, 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview between February 26th and March 7th.

Application: To preview the application questions, take a look at this PDF.

DO NOT submit this PDF as your application.

Questions? We will host two live Zoom info sessions about this program. Click on the link below to register.

 If you cannot attend these sessions, you can direct any questions to clare@storymoneyimpact.com