Independent Production Fund

What Independent Production Fund does

The Independent Production Fund (IPF / Fonds ind\u00e9pendant de production) is a Canadian private foundation with philanthropic enterprise status, established in 1991 to provide financial support for dramatic television and web content created by Canadian independent producers. Originally focused exclusively on dramatic series for Canadian private broadcasters, IPF expanded in 2010 to include a pilot program financing dramatic web series and in 2018 reinstated broadcast television support via the Cogeco TV Production Program. In 2020 it added development-stage funding for scripted short-form series. The organization operates four core programs: the Short Form Series Development Program (repayable, non-interest bearing advances), the Short Form Series Production Program (equity financing for digital drama), the Cogeco TV Production Program (equity investments in broadcast TV series for CRTC-licensed broadcasters), and the Industry Development Program (grants to non-profit industry organizations). It also maintains a Self-ID Data Collection Portal to support diversity and inclusion tracking of applicants.

IPF funds its operations through investment returns on an approximately $40 million endowment, supplemented by partner contributions (notably Cogeco's redirected annual EDR funding since 2018) and repayments of prior advances. Since inception it has invested over $95.3 million across 1,261 projects, including 143 short-form development projects, 190 short-form productions, 348 television productions, and over 580 industry development activities. The organization is headquartered in Toronto (14 Duncan St, Suite 202) with two Montreal offices serving Quebec-based and French-language producers, and is governed by an independent board of Canadian media industry representatives. CEO Jon Taylor and Chair of the Board Emilia King lead the organization, with Charles Ohayon serving as President and Andra Sheffer as Executive Director. Key partnerships include the Canada Media Fund, Cogeco, Bell Media, Whistler Film Festival Society, On Screen Manitoba, and Creative Saskatchewan.

Name

Independent Production Fund

Legal name

Fonds indépendant de production

Website

https://ipf.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Independent Production Fund is a Canadian private foundation established in 1991 that provides repayable advances, equity financing, and grants to Canadian independent producers creating dramatic television and short-form web series. It manages an approximately $40 million endowment and partners with Cogeco, the Canada Media Fund, and Bell Media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television and Film Production Financing

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Grant Funding & Public/Nonprofit Financing (MPADAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Independent film funding
• Short form series financing
• Canadian content production
• Television drama grants
• Drama development financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: IPF is a private foundation that manages an endowment fund evaluated at approximately $40 million. Annual operations and production investments are funded through interest generated by the endowment and returns on investments.
2. Cogeco Contributions: Since 2018, Cogeco redirected its annual EDR contributions to IPF, establishing the Cogeco TV Production Program under IPF's umbrella to support dramatic television series production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Independent Production Fund is a Canadian private foundation established in 1991 that provides financial support (repayable non-interest bearing advances, equity investments, and grants) to Canadian independent producers for the development and production of dramatic television series, mini-series, and original scripted short form series created for digital platforms. It also funds Canadian non-profit industry organizations through its Industry Development program to enhance the quality and availability of Canadian dramatic content.

Product overview

Independent Production Fund (IPF) is a Canadian private foundation established in 1991 that provides financial support for dramatic television and web content created by Canadian independent producers. The organization offers four main funding programs: the Short Form Series Development Program (providing repayable advances for scripted short form series), the Short Form Series Production Program (providing equity financing for digital drama series), the Cogeco TV Production Program (providing equity investments for drama television series and mini-series for CRTC-licensed broadcasters), and the Industry Development Program (providing grants to Canadian non-profit organizations). IPF also maintains the Self-ID Data Collection Portal to support diversity initiatives. Since 2010, IPF expanded to include web series financing, and in 2020 added support for scripted short-form series development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Short Form Series Development Program Provides repayable, non-interest bearing advances to assist independent producers in creating high-quality original scripted short form series, including French and English-language projects. Applicants submit through formal program deadlines; next application deadline is March 2027.
• Short Form Series Production Program Provides equity financing for content creators of original Canadian digital drama series created initially for the web. Funds are invested in production of short form drama series delivered to Canadian web platforms, with next deadline in October 2026.
• Cogeco TV Production Program Provides equity investments for the production of drama television series and mini-series for broadcast by CRTC-licensed broadcasters; funded through Cogeco redirected EDR contributions. The program was expanded in February 2026 to include 30-minute television series, with next application deadline in April 2026.
• Industry Development Program Provides grants for Canadian non-profit organizations and associations whose activities reflect the objective of the Fund and enhance the quality and availability of Canadian dramatic short form series. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97 projects funded through Cogeco Program totaling $15M since 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Whistler Film Festival Society (WFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025WFF serves as program facilitator and mentor for IPF's Pre-Application Training Programs for Northern and Prairie Producers. WFF's producer-in-residence provides individually tailored guidance and workshops led by industry professionals.
• On Screen ManitobamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Partners with IPF on Pre-Application Training Program for Prairie Producers, supporting Manitoba-based creators with professional development and mentorship to strengthen funding applications.
• Creative SaskatchewanmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Partners with IPF on Pre-Application Training Program for Prairie Producers, supporting Saskatchewan-based producers with training and mentorship for competitive series development applications.
• Fonds des médias du Canada (Canada Media Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020IPF partners with CMF on short form series development programs, including renewal of partnership in 2025 for the 'De l'idée au pitch' development program.
• Canada Media Fund (CMF/FMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPF and CMF partner on the Short Form Series Development Program, providing repayable advances for independent producers creating high quality original scripted short form series. The partnership was renewed in 2025.
• Films Nova ScotiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate partner in IPF's 2010 pilot web series funding program, providing additional funding for web series creators residing in Nova Scotia.
• Bell MediamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIPF administers the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, providing additional funding for Canadian television and digital content production.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harold Greenberg Fund: Private Canadian fund supporting dramatic television and feature film production through broadcaster-aligned equity investment. Closely comparable funding model (industry levies reinvested into productions) and recipient type (independent producers).
• Telefilm Canada: Federal Crown corporation funding Canadian feature films, television, and digital content. Comparable as a national-scale public funder of Canadian dramatic content, though broader in scope (includes features and theatrical).
• Bell Fund: Canadian broadcaster fund supporting television and digital media content. Notably administered by IPF itself, making it functionally a sibling entity with an overlapping mandate around Canadian digital content production.
• Canada Media Fund: Canada's largest content funding body supporting Canadian digital media and television production. CMF and IPF already partner directly on the Short Form Series Development Program, making them the closest mission-aligned peer with overlapping applicant pools.
• Shaw Rocket Fund: Private Canadian fund financing children's and youth digital media content. Operates with a similar private-foundation governance structure and is supported by broadcaster contributions, paralleling IPF's Cogeco-funded model.

Broad incumbents

• National Film Board of Canada: Federal producer and distributor of Canadian films and digital works. While NFB produces content directly rather than funding third parties, it operates in the same Canadian dramatic-content ecosystem and frequently distributes IPF-funded creators.
• CBC/Radio-Canada: Canada's public broadcaster and a major acquirer of IPF-funded dramatic content. Comparable as a Canadian-content ecosystem participant that intersects with IPF's funded-projects distribution pipeline.

Regional players

• SODEC: Quebec's Société de développement des entreprises culturelles funds French-language film, TV, and digital content. Highly comparable for IPF's Quebec/Montreal operations and bilingual mandate.
• Ontario Creates: Provincial agency funding Ontario-based film, television, and digital media producers. Directly comparable as a regional funding body serving many of the same independent producers IPF supports in Ontario.
• Creative BC: British Columbia's provincial funding body for film, television, and digital media. Comparable as a regional funder targeting the same independent-producer segment in a single Canadian province.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Independent Production Fund