How to hack it? Members of the International Documentary Association need grant funding to green-light film projects, and they often turn to IDA with questions about how and where to apply. To provide some immediate answers, IDA takes a crowdsourcing approach, collecting information from members and listing active grants in an online database.

Why does it work? The database includes information on more than 300 grant-making organizations that support filmmaking and other projects in the humanities, with practical information like the amounts of money awarded and application deadlines. In the past, IDA used a blog to share tips on how to apply for competitive grants in a Q&A exchange with grant makers.

What’s the bonus? IDA also shares grant opportunities via Twitter and uses the platform to answer members’ questions in real time using the hashtag #FunderFriday.

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