The Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Through its programs, the Institute seeks to discover, support, and inspire independent film and media artists from the United States and around the world, and to introduce audiences to their new work.

Robert Redford founded the Institute in 1981 to foster independence, risk-taking, and new voices in film. That year, 10 emerging filmmakers were invited to the Sundance Resort in the mountains of Utah, where they worked with leading writers, directors, and actors to develop their original independent projects. Today, the Institute works year-round to offer labs and intensives, grants exceeding $3 million, and ongoing mentorships that nurture more than 1,500 artists each year, in addition to supporting thousands of more artists through Sundance Collab, a digital space to learn from filmmaking experts and build a global film community.

Each January, the Sundance Film Festival introduces a global audience to groundbreaking work and emerging talent in independent film. In addition to the Festival, the Sundance Institute hosts many public programs in the U.S. and worldwide to connect artists with audiences to present original voices, inspire new ideas, and create community around independent storytelling. As a champion and curator of independent stories, the nonprofit Sundance Institute provides and preserves the space for artists in film and episodic storytelling to create and thrive.

Jerome Foundation supports Sundance Institute’s Trans Possibilities Intensive program. Designed and led by Moi Santos, a trans woman who leads Sundance Institute’s internal and external-facing work in support of increasing the organization’s cultural competencies and accountability towards supporting trans people, the Trans Possibilities intensive is meeting a critical unmet need for artists and culture. Annually supporting six early-career filmmakers, the intensive provides a supportive environment for participating artists to hone their creative development skills, receive individualized feedback on projects and career advancement advice, develop community, and challenge the obstacles that continue to exclude transgender artists. With support from the Jerome Foundation, two early-career New York City and/or Minnesota-based filmmakers are selected. Participants also receive an unrestricted grant and a Sundance Collab Creator+ membership. The Institute’s goal is to ensure that the trans community has the resources to grow representation on screen, bringing visibility to the multitude of lived experiences and countering the harmful representations perpetuated in the film industry.