Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program (TMIIIP)
Texas Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism / Texas Film Commission
5–31% of qualified TX spend
TX cash grants for film, TV, and games
Texas offers cash grants — not tax credits — of 5–25% on qualified Texas production expenditures for film, television, commercials, video games, animation, and visual effects. Awards are discretionary and scored via application review, not an entitlement. Productions enter a grant contract before shooting. The Texas Legislature allocated $300 million biennially for the program. Grants are paid after production completes and expenditures are verified.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount
- 5–25% base grant on qualified Texas expenditures, by production type and budget tier. Stackable additional awards: +1–2.5% for visual effects, +1–2.5% for eligible Texas resident spend, and other uplifts available. Effective maximum: approximately 31% with all stacks. Labor cap: $1,000,000 per person per project.
- Realistic amount
- A $5M Texas spend on a feature film earns approximately $500K–$1.25M depending on budget tier. Large productions ($40M+…
- Deadline
- Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Productions must apply and enter a grant contract BEFORE principal photography begins. Contact the Texas Film Commission to initiate.
- Status
- active
- States
- TX
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- For-profit production companies producing feature films, television series, commercials, reality TV, music videos, video games, animation, or visual effects in Texas
- Minimum qualified Texas spend: varies by production type and budget tier (minimum $250,000 for some categories)
- Feature films and TV series: tiered rates 5%/10%/22.5%/25% based on Texas spend amount
- Commercials and reality TV: 5–10% rates apply
- Video games and animation: 5–25% rates apply (matching film/TV tiers)
- Visual effects work performed in Texas: additional +1–2.5% uplift
- Production company must enter a Grant Contract with TNECD before principal photography begins
- Labor payments capped at $1,000,000 per person per project for grant calculation purposes
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Restricted to industry: film, television, commercial, video game, animation, or visual effects production
- Location restriction: Texas
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Texas resident payroll for pre-production, production, and post-production services performed in Texas
- Equipment rentals from Texas companies
- Location fees paid to Texas landowners
- Texas studio facility rental
- Production supplies and materials purchased from Texas vendors
- Post-production and visual effects work performed in Texas
- Music recording performed in Texas
Ineligible expenses
- Development costs, script acquisition, and story rights
- Costs incurred outside Texas
- Labor payments above $1,000,000 per person per project
- Marketing, distribution, and PR costs
- Non-qualifying production types (not film, TV, commercial, game, animation, or VFX)
How to apply
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1
Contact Texas Film Commission and submit inquiry
Reach out to the Texas Film Commission through the official portal. Submit initial project information including production type, budget, Texas shoot schedule, and estimated Texas expenditures.
-
2
Application review and grant contract
TNECD reviews the application. Approved projects enter a formal Grant Contract that specifies the grant percentage, qualifying expenditure categories, and reporting requirements. Contract must be signed before principal photography.
-
3
Complete production and track Texas expenditures
During production, maintain detailed records of all Texas-qualifying payroll, vendor payments, and facilities costs. Separate Texas-qualifying from out-of-state costs meticulously.
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4
Submit final cost report and receive grant
After production wraps, submit a verified final cost report to TNECD. Agency reviews and issues the grant payment based on verified Texas qualifying expenditures. Payment is issued upon completion of the review.
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 512110, 512120, 511210, 512191
Unlike tax credits, this is a cash grant paid after verified spend — no need to sell credits or have Texas tax liability. Discretionary approval means early application and strong projected Texas employment are critical. Contact the Film Commission early.
Deadline & timing
TMIIIP is funded from a biennial $300M legislative appropriation. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; awards are subject to available appropriation. Apply as early as possible — the biennial cap can be exhausted mid-cycle. Texas fiscal biennium runs September 1 through August 31.
Related programs
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.