OMNI Television has launched a new fund called the British Columbia and Manitoba Independent Producers’ Initiative to benefit independent producers of religious or faith-based documentary programs in the provinces.

The announcement comes after the Rogers-owned station group’s successful acquisition of channels in B.C. and Manitoba, on which the funded programs will appear. The fund will dispense $950,000 over seven years, with a maximum of $250,000 spent annually.

OMNI bought NOWTV, based in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, and CIIT in Winnipeg last year, and is required by CRTC regulations to put 10% of the purchase price into a producers fund.

Applications for the fund, which will both license and produce the programs, will be reviewed twice a year – from Jan. 1 to March 1, and Sept. 1 to Nov. 15. The goal of the fund, according to an OMNI release, is to develop ‘multi-faith stories, biographies and documentaries reflecting religious, spiritual, ethical and/or moral values,’ that are either 30- or 60-minutes in length. Both stations carry mainly religious programming and are now known as OMNI BC TV and OMNI TV Manitoba.

In 2002, OMNI launched the Ontario Independent Producers’ Initiative, which earmarked $32.5 million to fund ethnic or third-language documentaries and dramas over seven years.

Applicants can review fund info and guidelines at www.omnibc.ca/info/funds.