Film and TV Workforce Training Program
🏛 Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
✓ Free, no account · Source: Illinois GATA Catalog (CSFA) · Last verified Aug 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for Illinois-based organizations that provide workforce training in film and TV production. Applicants must have capacity to train Illinois high school graduates and individuals with barriers to employment for entry-level film industry jobs. Training topics include on-set roles (production assistants, hair/makeup, set construction) and office roles (production accountants, location assistants). Organizations must demonstrate quality, capacity, and community need.
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Program description
The goal is to administer workforce training programs that support efforts to recruit, hire, promote, retain, develop, and train a diverse and inclusive workforce in the film industry. The training program will provide real-world, practical job skills to fulfill the demand of producers and studios, while providing job opportunities for Illinois residents, including unemployed individuals and individuals with barriers to employment. The film and TV production industries are significantly growing in Illinois.
In 2026, film production revenues hit a record high of $700 million, shattering pre-pandemic levels in 2019 by $70 million1. Illinois ranks first in the nation in filming permit requests. However, the State’s revenues and rankings are at risk because there are not enough trained and qualified crew members for new productions. Producers and industry representatives have reported to the Illinois Film Office (“IFO”) that they struggle to find qualified people and cannot commit to productions in Illinois because there are not enough trained crew members to fully staff them. The objective of the program is to train Illinois high school graduates (or equivalent) in entry level film and television production positions. These positions can include on set training (production assistants, hair and make-up, set construction/set building), office training (office production assistants, location assistants, production accountants), and other entry level positions to meet the increased demand for more workers to staff the growing number of productions in Illinois. The specific goals of this program are to: Successfully train and place students in paying positions on TV and film productions in Illinois Provide career pathways for students to succeed in the film and TV industry ? Increase the number of productions and associated jobs in Illinois ? Change the perception that Illinois is “all booked up” with a lack of trained crew members ? Improve communication and coordination between producers and workforce training programs to increase the number of people graduating from those programs ? Work with groups that do workforce training to ensure a close match with what productions need ? Expand employment opportunities for Illinois residents, including unemployed individuals and individuals with barriers to employment ? Help grow and support new training programs across the state. This opportunity does not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs. In order to charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). There are three types of NICRAs: Grant award and Payment Terms: Successful applicants will be invited to negotiate a grant with the Department. The executed grant agreement will specify conditions for payment and a payment schedule. In general, grantee(s) will receive reimbursement payments and may be subject to proration, dependent upon the grantee meeting performance targets. Grantees may be eligible for a working capital advance to cover the first two months of the program. Applicants must submit a project narrative that describes in detail how the award will be executed. The project narrative should include enough information for DCEO to understand the scope of the project, the budget, including a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with each budget line and any additional necessary detail to enable DCEO to manage the grant agreement activity against planned project performance. The Project Narrative must include evidence of capacity, quality and need. Beneficiaries: DCEO will prioritize geographic diversity to help grow and guide workforce training programs outside of the Chicago area. Further, 50% of the funds appropriated for this program will go to organizations in underserved areas. Illinois residents, including unemployed individuals and individuals with barriers to employment. Administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity via the Illinois GATA Catalog of State Financial Assistance (CSFA 420-45-2336).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Project Narrative (with scope, budget detail, evidence of capacity/quality/need)
- Budget and detailed budget justification
- Evidence of organizational capacity and track record
- Documentation of community need and target population barriers
- Letters of support or partnerships from film/TV producers (recommended)
Program contact
- 👤 Crystal Barnes
- 📧 Crystal.Barnes2@Illinois.gov
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Illinois state appropriations. How funding has trended year over year.
| 2022 | $1 | |
| 2023 | $1,000,000 | |
| 2024 | $1 | |
| 2025 | $1 | |
| 2026 | $1,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Illinois-based organizations with workforce training capacity in film/TV production. You must be able to train high school graduates and unemployed individuals.
What types of training are eligible?
Entry-level film industry positions. Eligible roles include production assistants, hair and makeup, set construction, office roles, and production accountants.
Is cost-sharing required?
No. This is a 100% funded grant with no cost-sharing requirement.
What's the typical award amount?
Awards range from $50,000 to $180,000. The state has $1,000,000 total available.
Will my organization need indirect cost approval?
Only if you want to charge indirect costs. You must have a negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) in place.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Show clear demand from Illinois film producers. Include letters or documentation from studios/producers confirming workforce gaps.
- Prioritize serving unemployed individuals and those with barriers to employment. Target outreach to underserved areas outside Chicago.
- Provide detailed job placement data. Demonstrate your track record training people into paying film industry positions.
- Include a realistic budget with line-item justification. Show how each dollar supports direct training or job placement.
- Build partnerships with local studios, producers, and industry representatives. Show evidence of coordination with actual productions needing workers.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Vague training descriptions without specific job roles or learning outcomes. Failing to show documented demand from Illinois film/TV producers or evidence of actual production hiring needs. Submitting weak placement data or assuming all graduates will find jobs without a demonstrated hiring pathway.
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