CNY Film Fund Theatrical Release

What is a Qualified Expenditure?

IGCNYA Funding

Approved productions may be eligible for up to – but no more than – $1,000,000 in funding on the basis of demonstrated Qualified Expenditures.

The anticipated award amount will be outlined in the final Funding Agreement. This amount is calculated by applying the incentive rate (20%) to the anticipated total Qualified Expenditures as indicated on the CNY SMCOE.

The CNY Film Fund DOES NOT provide funding for ``above the line`` items:
  • Payments for a story, script, or scenario to be used for a Qualified Film.
  • The cost of licensing or rights related to the production of a Qualified Film.
  • Wages, salaries, or other compensation for writers, directors (including music directors), producers, actors (except background actors with no scripted lines), and qualified public accountants.
Qualified Expenditures DO include:
The CNY Film Fund DOES provide funding for “below-the-line” production-related costs incurred within the five-county Central New York Region.
  • For non-labor, this is defined as:
    • Qualified Non-Labor expenses incurred from doing business with a company, organization, or individual entity registered with NYS for tax filing purposes which is physically located in the Central New York Region and has a Central New York address.
    • To be considered for funding, such expenditures must be proven by receipt or invoice documentation indicating the Central New York  Region vendor with whom the transaction was made.
  • For labor, this is defined as:
    • Qualified Labor expenses are those incurred by the hiring and/or employment of Central New York  residents. These must be persons having a home address in the Central New York Region.
    • To be considered for funding, tax-filing documentation for local labor hires is a required deliverable.
Summary: Qualified Expenditures
The CNY Film Fund can only provided funding for demonstrated, Qualified Expenditures. A Qualified Expenditure is generally any below-the-line
production-related cost attributable to the employment of a Central New York Region resident or transaction made with a vendor within the 5-county incentive jurisdiction.

Receipts, invoices, tax-filing documentation for labor hires, and payroll reports are all reporting deliverables REQUIRED from production to demonstrate that claimed Qualified Expenditures are bona fide.

Central New York Schedule of Minimum Commitment of Expenditure (CNY SMCOE)

A complete and accurate Central New York Schedule of Minimum Commitment of Expenditures must be included in the application (See Documents and Forms Tab).

  • The CNY SMCOE is a critical part of the application process, as it represents the benefits of the project to the Central New York economy. This includes:
    • Projected expenditures within the 5-county Central New York Region.
    • Total projected number of weeks of employment for Central New York residents.
  • Total forecasted Qualified Expenditures as indicated on the CNY SMCOE which is required to calculate a production’s potential funding.

Please ensure that the information provided on the CNY SMCOE is accurate. This has significant weight in the assessment of your project application.

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