Career Catalyst Non-profit Internship Fund

Connecting students to paid internships in the film industry.

The Foundation for California Community Colleges is partnering with the California Film Commission to connect current and prospective students with employers for paid career-based learning in the film industry–helping to build the next generation of working professionals for California’s world-renowned entertainment industry.  

The California Film Commission’s tax credit program (Film & Television Tax Credit Program 3.0) provides tax credits of up to 25% for eligible productions that are produced in California and that also support career-based learning and training programs. Production companies can meet the career readiness criteria by contributing to the Foundation’s non-profit internship fund–a fund that supports paid career-learning experience for community college students through FoundationCCC’s Career Catalyst program.

Since 2017, 53 students have been hired as paid interns across 11 productions through contributions to the fund, affording students first-hand experience in art, camera, grip, wardrobe, and production. 

Support Career Readiness

Production companies applying for the Tax Credit Program can support career readiness by selecting the Foundation’s Career Catalyst non-profit internship fund as the recipient of their financial contribution. 

1. Apply for the California Film Commission’s tax credit program.
2. Select a financial contribution to the Foundation for California Community Colleges’s Career Catalyst non-profit internship fund to meet the career readiness criteria. Financial contributions are based on .25% of the estimated tax credit reservation, with a minimum of $5,000. 

Make check payable to:

Foundation for California Community Colleges
Attention: Career Catalyst
1102 Q Street, Suite 4800
Sacramento, CA 95811

Please add “Career Catalyst Nonprofit Internship Fund” in the memo line. The Foundation will provide a receipt.

1. Submit your receipt, along with the verification form, to incentiveprogram3@film.ca.gov.

Host an Intern

Production companies willing to host career-based learning opportunities can participate as a work site. Due to high levels of interest, we have started a waitlist. Please fill out the Career Catalyst Service Estimator and describe how the position supports career readiness in the film industry.