The Canada Media Fund on Thursday announced it is launching a $1 million English-language regional pre-development program.

“The CMF recognizes that opportunities to build relationships between producers and broadcasters exist at the very early stages of development and we need to capitalize on them. The objective of this initiative is to stimulate regional activity encouraging diversity of voices coming from all areas of this country,” said CMF president and CEO Valerie Creighton in a statement.

The program is a supplement to the fund’s existing development program.

The CMF will contribute up to 75% of eligible costs in pre-development, or $15,000 (whichever is less) to the regional projects selected for the program.

The funding will support English-language regional programming in pre-development that does not have development funding from a broadcaster.

For example, it will support producers in the eligible costs of preparing documents, like preliminary synopses or treatments, to present to broadcasters at the early stages of development.

Eligible producers can apply to the program on a first-come, first-served basis starting Dec. 13.

The program is not open to returning series. Affiliated programming and in-house programming are also not eligible.

Applications must also include a letter of interest from a Canadian broadcaster.

Also new this year, the CMF has changed its regional definition in development to include Vancouver as a region.

More information is available via the CMF website.