Resource Library
Funders are making decisions in a rapidly changing media landscape that’s increasingly fragmented and difficult to navigate. The MIF resource library exists to make sense of that complexity—with research, tools, frameworks, videos and more to help you think through how to do your work more effectively.
Start with a Learning Pillar Hub—four issue areas that reflect the most pressing strategic questions shaping the media ecosystem today—or browse the full library by topic, format, or focus area.
Members get exclusive access to resources such as tip sheets and network call recordings to stay up to date on the latest trends and strategies in media funding.
Learning Pillar Hubs
MIF’s work is organized around a set of thematic pillars that reflect the core challenges and opportunities facing media funders today. Each of these learning hubs brings together resources related to each pillar, making it easier to stay oriented over time. These hubs are updated continuously as new work, insights and conversations emerge.
Future of Public Media
Supporting funders working to strengthen public media as a trusted, resilient civic institution. This includes questions of sustainability, governance, innovation and public service in a rapidly evolving media environment.
Platforms & Audience Reach
Helping funders understand how platforms, algorithms and distribution systems shape who sees and trusts information, and what it takes for public-interest media to reach and engage audiences today.
Effective Philanthropic Practice
Advancing shared learning about best practices in funding media effectively.
Safeguarding Media & Journalism
Addressing the threats facing independent media and journalism, including political pressure, legal risk, safety concerns and challenges to press freedom, integrity and trust.
Resource Library
A Strategic Framework to Guide Investments in Narrative Change
Philanthropy best practices for narrative change
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USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
A Toolkit for Inclusion & Accessibility
Toolkit for inclusion and accessibility in documentary film
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FWD-Doc
Effective Grantmaking Practice
Arts + Social Impact Explorer
Interactive tool for tracking impact in the arts
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Americans for the Arts
Arts and Culture • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Beyond the Impact Report
The most overlooked and urgent issues in social impact documentary
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Climate Media Database
Updating compendium of philanthropically-supported climate media
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Media Impact Funders
Environment/Climate
Communication Matters
One of the original models from the Communications Network, this framework was built on extensive research across the social sector to support communication practitioners. Informed in part by communications leaders in philanthropy, the model organizes communications attributes across four key dimensions: Brand, Culture, Strategy, and Action. Use This Guide To:…
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The Communications Network
Effective Grantmaking Practice
Communications Strategies That Fast Track Policy Change
Using Media to Effect Policy Change
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Media Impact Funders
Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Media Access & Policy
Decoding Media Impact: Insights, Advice & Recommendations
Overview of the current state of impact assessment
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Elev8Docs: A Documentary Marketing Initiative
Eight case studies on marketing experiments that tested different approaches to connecting audiences with films.
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Color Congress
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Environmental Media Grantmaking: How Funders Are Tipping the Scales Toward Change
Highlighting trends in environmental grantmaking
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Environment/Climate • Impact Evaluation
Members Only
From Pop Culture to Public Benefit: Funding Entertainment that Creates Change
Our Nov. 2025 network meeting featured a discussion with Luminate’s Kristel Muciño, Cinereach’s Candice McFarlane, and Common Era’s Yonah Schiller on how philanthropy can strategically engage in the public-benefit entertainment space. We talked about what public-benefit entertainment is, why it matters, and how funders can use it to advance…
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Global Impact Producers Alliance
Find an impact producer
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Doc Society
Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Impact Assessment for Nonprofit News Projects and their Funders
How-To Guide for Developing Assessment Strategies
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Media Impact Funders
Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Impact Field Guide & Toolkit
Step-by-step guide to build your impact campaign
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Doc Society
Arts and Culture • Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Impact Evaluation
Impact Pack
A card deck to spark conversations about impact
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Dot Connector Studios
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Inside MIF’s Film Funder Gathering
Our annual film funder gathering in Park City, Utah brought together 65+ philanthropic organizations for a morning of collaboration and learning ahead of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Effective Grantmaking Practice
Journalism and Media Grantmaking: Five Things You Need to Know and Five Ways to Get Started
The beginner’s guide to media grantmaking
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Local Journalism
Media Grantmaking: Where to Start
MIF's recommended resources for new media funders
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Molto+Media: Digital Culture Funding
Early report on digital media non-profits
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Media Impact Funders
Arts and Culture • Impact Evaluation • Local Journalism
Narrative Infrastructure for Narrative Immersion
A grantmaking framework for narrative infrastructure strategy
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Pop Culture Collab
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Platforms & Audience
Narrative Observatory
An interactive platform to help you think strategically about reaching the right audience
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Harmony Labs
Arts and Culture • Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Recommended Safety Organizations & Resources
MIF created this tool for funders seeking to expand their journalist and filmmaker safety and press freedom strategies, as well as their grantee resources. The database is comprised of organizations, resources, tools, and emergency funding opportunities sourced from MIF members, colleagues and leading safety and security practitioners—though it is not…
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Media Impact Funders
Democracy/Free Expression • Immigration • Safety & Security
Members Only
Reimagining Public Media for the 21st Century
A conversation about what public interest media can and should be.
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Media Impact Funders
Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Public Media
Six Ways to Shift Your Philanthropic Mindset
In a session from the 2023 Journalism Funders Gathering, Crystal Hayling, former executive director of the Libra Foundation, shares six ways to shift your philanthropic mindset to meet the past and be an active force in bending history’s arc toward justice.
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Crystal Hayling
Democracy/Free Expression • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Justice
Storytelling for Good
Craft stronger messages for your organization
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The Communications Network
Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation
Members Only
Strategies for Supporting Narrative Change Work
Our Jan. 2026 network meeting furthered conversations we’ve been having around support for public-benefit media, strategies for reaching new and different audiences, and the role of platforms and distribution in funding decisions. The discussion featured two narrative change funders focused on climate media: Ricky Benavidez, Director…
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Media Impact Funders
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Environment/Climate • Impact Evaluation
Members Only
The Case for Impact – Webinar
Presenting new case studies on how documentaries can catalyze social change
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Center for Media & Social Impact
Civic Engagement/Civic Information • Impact Evaluation
The Democracy Audience Map
Analysis and tools to help pro-democracy communicators meet this moment
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Harmony Labs
Democracy/Free Expression • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Platforms & Audience
The Filmmaker-Participant Relationship Unpacked
A thorough examination of the filmmaker-participant relationship in documentary filmmaking
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ITVS
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Safety & Security
The Narrative Directory
A tool for sharing resources to support narrative change
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IRIS
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Impact Evaluation • Platforms & Audience
Members Only
The New Realities of Documentary Funding
This meeting examined the current state of documentary public media, including how federal funding cuts have affected the sector, and opportunities for funders to engage and support this work. Featured Speakers: Carrie Lozano, President & CEO, ITVS Lauren Pabst, Senior Program Officer, MacArthur Foundation…
Effective Grantmaking Practice • Public Media
The People of Color Documentary Ecosystem: Engines for a New American Narrative
Landscape study on diversity in documentary film
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Color Congress
Arts and Culture • Effective Grantmaking Practice • Racial Justice
Members Only
- Resource
US Documentary Industry Systemic Change Survey
A new survey from the Perspective Fund
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Perspective Fund
Arts and Culture • Effective Grantmaking Practice
US Independent Film Audience & Landscape Study
Landmark audience & landscape study for independent film
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Shorenstein Center
Arts and Culture • Platforms & Audience • Public Media