The Directors Guild Foundation (DGF) announced the creation of the DGF COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund to aid members facing financial crisis. With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to impact entertainment industry workers as film, television and commercial productions remain suspended indefinitely, the Trustees of the DGF voted unanimously to establish a separate COVID-19 relief fund. The new Fund will support members of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) affected by the shutdowns with $1,000 financial relief grants. The DGF COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund grants will exist alongside the Foundation’s longstanding interest-free loan program that offers aid to members experiencing financial hardships and emergencies.
The new Fund is initially seeded with a $200,000 commitment from the DGF, and a $100,000 donation from the DGA. The Guild’s longtime banker, City National Bank, has also made a contribution. The Foundation is, and will continue to be, seeking donations from members and the greater entertainment community.
The Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF) will administer the Fund on behalf of the DGF. The DGF, DGA and MPTF for decades have had a close relationship, with the Foundation and Guild providing longstanding financial support to MPTF–including millions of dollars of contributions to the general MPTF fund, and the direct backing of many programs such as a 10-year Alzheimer’s study benefiting the entertainment community.
DGF chair Todd Holland stated, “To our members: more help is on the way. As productions remain shut down for an undetermined length of time due to COVID-19, there are members starting to feel the financial strain. This new Fund will help ease some of that burden. We’ve also seen an outpouring of humanity from our DGA family asking how they can help. Giving to the Foundation is a way to help make an immediate impact. We thank the DGA and City National Bank for joining with the Foundation in seeding this Fund. We also extend our utmost gratitude to the MPTF and their experienced social workers who will administer this Fund, and who have supported DGA members and the greater entertainment community for nearly a century.”
MPTF CEO Bob Beitcher noted, “The Directors Guild Foundation, the DGA and the entire DGA family have been longstanding partners to the MPTF, supporting the workers who create the best film and television enjoyed the world over. They’ve always been there to lend a hand and give generously to help the greater community, making multi-millions of dollars of contributions to the MPTF through the decades. This new Fund will help address the needs of Guild members facing crisis. We stand ready to facilitate these critical grants as we continue our work to support entertainment industry workers during this unprecedented time.”
Thomas Schlamme, DGA president, added, “The Foundation has such a rich history of members helping members, and our Guild is so proud to support this important new Fund. In this time of crisis, the DGA is working on all fronts to aid our members–be it in our work with industry employers, with the government, or with the Foundation through this commitment. And in maintaining that tradition of members helping members, I encourage all DGA members who are fortunate enough to be able to help support the Foundation to donate.”
DGA members in good standing who were working on productions at the time of the suspension of production in March, or had a commitment to begin work on a production suspended at that time will be eligible to apply for a grant if:
- They have less than $10,000 in liquid assets (bank statements will be required);
- They have a demonstrated need.
Members can call MPTF on its hotline–(888) 356-0537–or contact them online here for more information and to apply. An experienced MPTF social worker will help members determine if they are eligible, and will walk them through an expedited application process.
Donations to the Foundation can be made by calling (310) 289-5306, or mailing a check to:
Directors Guild Foundation
7920 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Additional information is available on the Directors Guild Foundation page here.
