NMDIG is proud to announce recipients for 2026 grant funding:

A heartfelt thank you to all the applicants who applied & to our jury and selection committee for reviewing so many outstanding applications. We wish everyone the very best in their filmmaking and creative journeys.

Click the button below to view the profiles of NMDIG’s 2026 cohort:

2026 grant Recipients

New Mexico’s Newest Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Grants Program

With its inception and inaugural class of grant recipients in 2024, the NM Documentary Incubator Grant is New Mexico’s newest grant program designed to grow, foster, and develop emerging filmmaking talent in the documentary genre.

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Sunset photo of documentary filmmaker with camera

What past recipients are saying:

  • “Participating in NMDIG was the gateway to documentary filmmaking I needed. From the cohort of other filmmakers, to the key connections with members of the jury, every aspect of NMDIG helped me become more embedded in the world of independent documentary filmmaking. If you are a student looking to make the leap from school to working in the independent film industry, NMDIG is a great place to start.”

    Heath Seagraves

  • “The New Mexico Documentary Incubator Grant gave me a great opportunity to explore a topic that I find vital and important. It was not only great to have the feedback from the board but also meet and network with other filmmakers in the group. I found it inspiring and reassuring to create this community.”

    Pete Monro

  • “I benefited from participating in the NMDIG program in many ways. First, the money received from the grant helped make filming much more accessible. I could travel, afford new equipment, and I could also pay myself for the time spent on the project! Second, the sense of community and support from the other grantees and jury members was great! It felt like I was a part of a bigger story when we all talked about our films. If I needed help, I could reach out to anyone for support. NMDIG also helped connect me to filmmakers in other parts of the state. I was introduced to creatives in Albuquerque, Taos, and Santa Fe.”

    Annie Ersinghaus

  • “The NMDIG program was instrumental in getting my film made. Being selected for this funding was a big momentum builder that enabled me to leverage other resources and attract both collaborators and interviewees to participate in the project. I received valuable feedback from the NMDIG jury members on the rough cut which helped to shape the final film. On top of that I got welcomed into a community of filmmakers who have been a great source of support and inspiration along the way. Thank you NMDIG!”

    Micheal Santillanes

  • “NMDIG not only encouraged me to make a film I might not have felt capable of on my own, but helped me to maintain when I might have felt defeated otherwise. Even taking time to help with the editing process hands-on when I ran into a wall, or had questions about how to accomplish what I wanted.”

    Thomas Manning

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