ITV's Diversity Commissioning Fund
ITV’s £80m Diversity Commissioning Fund was launched in 2022 to change how and who tells our stories and drive change towards racial and disability equity over three years. £20m of that £80m is reserved for content made by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent-led production companies. There is also an additional £500k Development Fund to develop ideas that qualify for the Diversity Commissioning Fund.
To qualify for the Diversity Commissioning Fund, companies must meet the first criteria or two of the remaining criteria (to qualify for the Development Fund, they must meet the first or second criteria.) If applying to the fund as a co-pro with one of the companies being People of Colour or Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent-led, the production will need to meet two of the criteria.
1. Diverse company ownership or leadership – senior individuals in company ownership or leadership roles (including through co-production partnerships) involved in shaping creative or operational strategy within the production company (e.g. Managing Director, Creative Director) must be a person of colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent.
2. Diverse creative leadership – at least two individuals in senior creative decision-making roles off-screen involved in shaping and making the programme (e.g. writer, producer, director) must be person of colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent.
3. Diverse stories and portrayal on-screen – subject matter and/or stories are from the perspective of a Person of Colour and/or from a Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent perspective, and/or starring on screen talent who are People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people in lead roles.
4. Diverse salary spend – at least 20% of total salary/fee spend off-screen on the production must be on creatives who are People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people.
Read the press release about the ITV Diversity Commissioning Fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access the Diversity Commissioning Fund and Development Fund?
Production companies can get in touch through the relevant Commissioning Team or Editor in the same way that the established commissioning and development process works. The relevant Commissioning Editor will then assess the idea and whether it fits the criteria for the Diversity Commissioning fund or Development fund. There’s more information on our website
Here are the relevant contact details:
Comedy – comedy.commissioning@itv.com
Current Affairs – currentaffairs.commissioning@itv.com or email tom.giles@itv.com
Daytime – daytime.commissioning@itv.com
Drama – drama.commissioning@itv.com
Entertainment – entertainment.commissioning@itv.com
Factual Entertainment – factual.commissioning@itv.com
Sport – For sports events and programming ideas, contact Niall Sloane, Director of Sport, at niall.sloane@itv.com
For more information about the Development fund, please contact Nahrein Kemp (nahrein.kemp@itv.com) or Sam Tatlow MBE (sam.tatlow@itv.com)
We held a webinar explaining the Fund in more detail, you can watch the recording for more information.
What sort of ideas are you looking for?
We want our audiences to see their broad range of experiences and perspectives reflected in our content. We are looking for content made by production companies led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people. We are looking for ideas that work for ITV’s stable of channels and/or ITV X.
Who is the Diversity Commissioning Fund open to?
The fund is open to anyone who meets the criteria. At least £20m is reserved for content made by production companies led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people. Other production companies can also access the Diversity Commissioning Fund if they meet two of the other criteria (Diverse creative leadership / Diverse stories and portrayal on-screen / Diverse salary spend). If applying to the fund as a co-pro with one of the companies being led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people, the production will need to meet two of the criteria listed above.
Who is the Development Fund open to?
The Development Fund is open to production companies led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people. Other production companies can also access the Development Fund if they meet the criteria of Diverse creative leadership – at least two individuals in senior creative decision-making roles off-screen involved in shaping and making the programme (e.g. writer, producer, director) must be a person of colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent.
How do you meet the criteria of being a production company led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people?
At least two* senior individuals in company ownership or leadership roles (including through co-production partnerships) involved in shaping creative or operational strategy within the production company must be a person of colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent.
Qualifying roles include:
President / Vice President
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Managing Director
Creative Director
Head of Production
Executive Producer
Head of Development
If applying to the fund as a co-pro with one of the companies being led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people, the production will need to meet two of the criteria (Diverse company ownership or leadership / Diverse creative leadership / Diverse stories and portrayal on-screen / Diverse salary spend).
*For smaller companies there is flexibility and this can be discussed with the relevant Commissioning Editor. For any queries, please contact Sam Tatlow (sam.tatlow@itv.com) and Nahrein Kemp (nahrein.kemp@itv.com).
How do you meet the criteria of Diverse creative leadership?
At least two individuals in senior creative decision-making roles off-screen involved in shaping and making the programme must be a person of colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent. Qualifying roles are listed below.
For scripted programmes the following roles qualify:
Executive Producer
Production Executive
Head of Production
Head of Development
Director
Writer
Producer
Line Producer
Script Editor
Editor
For unscripted programmes the following roles qualify:
Executive Producer
Production Executive
Head of Production
Head of Development
Series Producer
Line Producer
Director
Producer
Production Manager
Editor
Can individuals pitch ideas for this fund?
Ideas for the Diversity Commissioning Fund and development fund would need to come to the relevant Commissioning Editor via production companies rather than individuals, in the same way that ITV’s established commissioning process works.
How much is the fund?
£80m over the next three years (2022-24). Of this amount, at least £20m will be reserved for content made by production companies led by People of Colour and/or Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent people.
We have also created a new £500k Development Fund to develop ideas that will qualify for the Diversity Commissioning Fund.
Is this extra commissioning money?
The Diversity Commissioning Fund is reserving money from our existing content budget and it is a commitment by ITV to spend its commissioning budget in a different way. The Development Fund is additional money.
Why have you launched this fund?
We want to drive change towards racial equity and disability equity in whose stories get told and who gets opportunities in TV production. We want to play our part in changing the structure of the industry and speed up progress in a sustainable, long-term way.
What happens after 3 years?
We will assess and review the impact of the Fund annually. ITV has a long-term commitment to helping to create racial equity and disability equity in our industry.
For more information about the Diversity Commissioning Fund please contact Nahrein Kemp (nahrein.kemp@itv.com) and Sam Tatlow MBE (sam.tatlow@itv.com)