Fund · BFI NETWORK
BFI NETWORK England Early Development Fund
Closes November 11, 2026
National Lottery grants for writers in England at the very start of a debut feature-length fiction project (70 minutes or more, live action, animation or immersive), before there is a first draft. Stage one pays for a full treatment; writers who deliver it can apply for stage two to write the first draft. BFI expects up to 1,000 applications for about 20 awards.
- Who can apply
- Writers based in England, over 18 and not in full-time education, with a writing credit on at least one produced work that got industry recognition, and no UK commercial distribution deal on a long-form fiction project in the last five years. You can apply with or without a producer.
- Fee
- Free to apply
- What you get
- £3,000 to £5,000 to write a treatment (stage one). Writers who deliver can then apply for £8,000 to £12,500 to write the first draft.
- Formats
- Feature, Animation, Screenplay
- Applications open
- October 7, 2026
- You hear back
- By 10 February 2027
- Apply through
- BFI online portal
- Languages
- English
What to send
- Logline
- Story: world, characters and structure
- Your creative vision and why now
- CV summaries for the team
- Links to previous work, with a line on each
- Amount sought and what it covers
- Response to the BFI Diversity Standards
- Environmental sustainability plan
How to apply
- Check your eligibility against the fund guidelines.
- Read the guidelines in full and look at the application form preview.
- Start your application through the link in the guidelines.
- Attach links to previous work and your proof of address.
- Submit before 11am UK time on Wednesday 11 November 2026.
Worth knowing
- Applications sent any way other than the online portal are not read.
- BFI NETWORK talent teams across England run roundtables, 1:1s and workshops that can help before you apply.
Checked against BFI NETWORK's own page. Dates and fees can change, so read their call before you apply.