Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from an original version that incorrectly reported a tripling of film incentives in Minnesota this year. The state’s annual incentive pool did begin the year with $94 million, roughly three-times the state’s annual incentive pool allocation of $24.95 million. However, the larger amount was available due to rollover from previous years. The annual incentive pool is still capped at $24.95 million. If you came to this story from a search result citing the erroneous version of this story, please adjust your findings accordingly.
Explore Minnesota Film announced a new grant program for Minnesota filmmakers on April 22, the same day it released a promotional video pitching the state to producers. The video, “On the Case Again,” is inspired by the 30th anniversary of Fargo. It showcases Minnesota’s filmmakers, locations, communities and crews.
The 10,000 Stories Fund, created by FilmNorth in partnership with Explore Minnesota Film, supports film, television and digital media projects set in Minnesota. It will fund ten creative teams with a $10,000 development grant each, along with structured professional development as they draft scripts rooted in the state’s landscapes, history and communities. Participants will have opportunities to connect with Minnesota-based producers, location scouts, festival programmers and industry leaders.
(Update: On Aug. 18, Explore Minnesota Film and FilmNorth announced the fund’s first ten recipients, chosen from 84 applications by a panel of film and media professionals. The projects are Arrowhead, The Gichigami Gazette, Gunnar on the Grassland Sea, Menthols, Nice Fish, Nothing to Hide, Slaughterhouse, Soil, Spiral and an untitled roofer film. The cohort includes new work involving Ali Selim, director of Sweet Land and Marvel’s Secret Invasion.)
At $100,000 in total, the fund is small but is one more way Explore Minnesota is trying to increase film production here. It’s biggest toolbox is the state’s assignable 25 percent credit on eligible production costs, meaning a production can transfer it to another taxpayer. It requires at least $1 million in spending within 12 consecutive months.
The annual incentive pool remains capped at $24.95 million. But because unused credits roll over from previous years, the state had about $93 million in credits available at the start of 2026. (Update: Explore Minnesota Film’s website says $86 million was available to allocate as of Sept. 1.)
The credit program was created in 2021. In 2023 the Legislature raised the annual cap from $4.95 million to $24.95 million and extended the program through 2030 in hopes of attracting larger productions such as television series.
The state’s pitch to filmmakers has changed a lot since the 1990s. Grumpy Old Men (1993), Grumpier Old Men (1995), Jingle All the Way (1996) and Fargo (1996) were all made before the state’s first rebate program, known as Snowbate, began in 1997. Snowbate’s funding depended on the Legislature and stopped and started for years. It lost state funding in 2002, was reinstated in 2006, and had gone mostly dormant by 2017.