CMF & Shaw Rocket Fund Renew Partnership

The Canada Media Fund (CMF) and Shaw Rocket Fund (SRF) are renewing and strengthening their partnership to fund the production of Canadian digital animated series for children that encourage the use of new technology.

The second round of financing through the CMF-SRF Kids Digital Animated Series Program will have a total budget of C$5.06 million ($3.82 million). Applications for financing through the program must be submitted to SRF by January 17, 2020.

An eligible project must be an original animated series in its first season that meets the CMF’s definition of Children and Youth programming, created initially for digital distribution—including subscription video-on-demand services—on a platform that is meaningfully available to Canadian audiences. The CMF-SRF program will give priority to digital animated series that focus on creativity and originality, the potential to evolve into a subsequent season or a longer format and use of technology to increase animation quality.

Applicants must meet the CMF and SRF eligibility criteria and follow application procedures. Projects should be submitted to Shaw Rocket Fund, which will proceed to the initial analysis. Documentation required at application is described on the SRF’s website.

The budget for the second round of financing is C$1.76 million ($1.33 million) more than the last round’s. The maximum contribution provided to a project funded through the program shall be the lesser of C$525,000 ($397,000) or 75 percent of the project’s eligible costs, with the CMF contributing two-thirds of funding and the Shaw Rocket Fund providing one-third of the funds.