2023 pre-wga strike resources

Entertainment Community Fund

The Entertainment Community Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering resilience and stability for industry professionals through social and financial services.

ENTERTAINMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Purpose: The Entertainment Assistance Program offers resources, counseling, and emergency financial support to entertainment professionals.

Eligibility: To be eligible for financial assistance, applicants must have either of the following:

• Five years of documented professional performing arts and entertainment earnings out of the last seven years AND three of the five documented years of earnings must be a minimum of $6,500 per year.

• Twenty years of industry-paid employment with at least 10 years of industry earnings of $5,000 per year AND documented financial need.

green envelope grocery aid

WGA Virtual Mix (ran by Jelena Woehr & Joseph Mwamba) and Green Envelope Grocery Aid (ran by Joelle Garfinkel) have partnered up to provide $100 grocery funds directly to lower-level WGA Writers, Support Staffers, & PreWGA writers due to the lack of work during the WGA strike.

Eligibility: All applicants will be verified. Answer all questions in form accurately for the best chance to qualify.

go for pa’s alliance

Go For PA’s Alliance aims to provide aid to the Production Assistants (PAs) working in film and television in the form of immediate financial support during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes as well as any future unforeseen work stoppages out of their control.

Eligibility: Email contact@goforpasalliance.org with your Full Name, Phone Number, Mailing Address, Venmo or PayPal info, and the following proof: MUST INCLUDE a paystub from the second half of 2022 or from any time in 2023 (NEEDS TO INCLUDE your name, position and GROSS earnings (usually at the bottom), and a call sheet from 2022 or 2023 (front and back) showing your name and position.

Inevitable Foundation

The Inevitable Foundation’s mission is to break down systematic barriers in film and TV that prevent disabled screenwriters from reaching their full potential.

RELIEF FUND

Purpose: The Inevitable Foundation’s Relief Fund provides an emergency backstop to ensure talented creatives aren’t forced to leave the industry due to financial necessity during crises such as the current work stoppage. It’s long-term objective is to provide as-needed support to disabled screenwriters in times of crisis and career instability.

Eligibility: The Emergency Relief Fund is intended for writers who identify as disabled, including those with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental illnesses, blindness, low vision, deafness, neurodivergence, etc.

Prior to the strike, applicants for financial support should have been 1) “employed as a writer” (have an active contract for writing services and/or the development of literary material) or 2) “on the verge of securing employment as a writer” (in contract negotiations, completed final hiring meeting with showrunner or producer, had a signed contract but work had not started yet, in an if/come deal).

motion picture television fund

MPTF offers a variety of services that can provide emotional and financial relief to industry members and their families during times of need, whether the hardship is personal or the result of an entertainment industry-wide event.

Purpose: MPTF supports working and retired members of the entertainment community with a safety net of health and social services, including temporary financial assistance, case management, and residential living.

Eligibility: Eligibility for financial assistance programs is determined on a case-by-case evaluation, but generally requires a minimum of seven qualifying years of entertainment industry employment. You don’t have to be in a union or work on a set to be eligible. The definition of “qualifying” can be complicated so please contact MPTF.

pen america screenwriters emergency financial assistance fund

PEN America launched the Screenwriters Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, a new, short-term program of PEN America’s  U.S. Writers Aid Initiative.

Purpose: This emergency fund will serve early career screenwriters with one-time, rapid-response grants to help meet essential financial needs, such as housing, food, utilities, and health care. Grants in amounts of $500 or $1000 will be distributed on a first-come-first serve basis to eligible screenwriters. 

Eligibility: Eligible applicants must be early career and recently employed as a screenwriter. Applicants are also required to demonstrate financial need according to PEN America’s application assessment. Applications are accepted and will be funded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Applicants may only receive one grant in the initial six-month period of the Fund. Questions may be addressed to writersfund@pen.org. 

THE UNION SOLIDARITY COALITION

TUSC is a coalition founded by writers and directors who were inspired to connect with crew during the strike.

Purpose: The Union Solidarity Coalition offers direct financial support to crew members who have lost health insurance due to strike-related shutdowns.

Eligibility: The fund benefits Teamster or IATSE members who won’t qualify for healthcare this quarter.