Directors Guild Foundation Launches Coronavirus Relief Fund

New fund will offer $1,000 checks to DGA members in need

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The Directors Guild Foundation announced on Wednesday that it will establish a relief fund in association with the Directors Guild of America and the Motion Picture and Television Fund, which will offer $1,000 relief grants to DGA members in serious financial need due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“To our members: more help is on the way,” said DGF Chairman Todd Holland. “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.”

The fund is being seeded by a $200,000 commitment from the DGF and a $100,000 donation from the DGA, along with a contribution from City National Bank. Applicants with liquid assets of less than $10,000 and a demonstrated need are invited to apply through the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s hotline at (888) 356-0537 or through the MPTF website, while those who can give are encouraged to donate through the Foundation’s website to allow the fund to continue providing aid.

“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,” DGA President Thomas Schlamme said in a statement. “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.”

“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,” added MPTF’s CEO Bob Beitcher. ” 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.”

Along with the fund, the DGF will continue its longstanding interest-free loan program that offers aid to members experiencing financial hardships and emergencies. The MPTF also has financial aid and case management services open to applicants, particularly Hollywood retirees. The new fund is one of several that have been launched to support workers in the entertainment industry during the global coronavirus crisis, with other funds and assistance programs being created by unions and organizations like IATSE and the Actors Fund.

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