Even if you're not primed to pick up a camera and set off to make your own film, you can contribute meaningfully to a documentary about a subject or issue that is of particular interest to you. Become a documentaries angel!

To find out how you can contribute your support to documentary projects in one or more effective ways, follow this ten step plan.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Immediate or long term

Here's How:

1. First, decide on subject matter or issues you'd like to see covered in a documentary film. You may be most interested in a public figure or celebrity, a challenging life situation such as illness, epidemic or natural disaster, an historical, cultural or sports event, or a political, social, human rights, econonomic or environmental issue that's effecting our way of life.
   The possibilites -- and investment opportunities -- are as far broad as your interests and imagination.
   
   Alternatively, you may admire the work of a certain filmmaker and decide to invest in her or his current project, regardless of its subject.
   
2. Once you've decided on the subject or issues that most interest you, search for documentaries-in-progress that fit your concerns. This search may be the most challenging and time consuming aspect of becoming an investor in documentary films.
   
   For starters:
   
   • Browse the Internet
   • Contact nonprofit organizations related to your subject of interest
   • Contact Film Schools with Documentary Programs
   • Keep tabs on documentary production by browsing film festival Websites, including IDFA, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs and others
   • Follow announcements on dedicated film news Websites such as indieWire.
   
   More specifically:
   

1. Search the Internet for 'crowdfunding' opportunities.
   You'll find funding campaigns in progress at:
   
   • Kickstarter
   • IndieGoGo
   These sites list documentaries with other types of projects, so dig deep to find the right film to back. In the process, you might discover another subject you like even better.
   With crowdfunding, pledge as little as $1 to get credit and other perks.
   
   Social media networks, including facebook and Twitter, feature groups like Film Funding Club and Independent Filmmakers Initiative with funding tips.
   
   But, blind Internet searches can yield a confusing array of sites, none listing projects seeking funding.
   
2. Contact filmmakers: Documentaries.About.com offers filmmakers opportunity to post project reports on two pages:
   • What Documentary Are You Working On?
   • What Subject Deserves A Documentary?
   
   While these pages neither solicit contributions nor offer platforms via which to make them, they do provide readers and potential investors with information about projects that might be seeking offers of support, and with their contact information.
   
   Notices about documentaries in production can also be posted and viewed on our Documentaries Forum.
   
   Also, find individual filmmaker and production company Websites via Internet search engines.
   
3. Contact Related Organizations: If your preferred topic is supported by a nonprofit organization -- Human Rights Watch, Alzheimer's Organization, or the ASPCA, are obvious examples -- or by an otherwise established community -- such as a school, library or church group -- contact that group to find out whether they know of any documentaries-in-progress that may be seeking donations.
   If you know of a documentary-in-progress that's relevant to an organization or group, bring it to their attention and ask about starting a support fund -- but only with expressed permission from the filmmaker or production company.
   
4. From start to finish: Decide which phase of documentary filmmaking you'd like to support. The choices are:
   • Early Research and Development - You can follow the project from its inception.
   • Production And Shooting - You get to see footage or a trailer before investing and, if the film is set near your location, you may get to meet the filmmaker and/or some of the cast.
   • Post-production and Completion - You'll have a better idea of the filmmaker's perspective on the subject and the film's narrative throughline.
   • Distribution - You've seen the film and are helping to present it in theatrical release, special screenings or DVD.
5. How much must you contribute? On sites such as Kickstarter, you can become part of the action by pledging as little as $1. Other support organizations, such as non-profits or dedicated funding groups, might have higher minimums.
   Most funding opportunities come with perks and/or privileges, and the more you contribute, the better you get in return. At the very least, expect to see your name in the film's credits.
   
   Unless you make special arrangements with the filmmaker and/or production company, consider the sum you contribute as a donation without any expectations about investment returns.
   
6. How do you contribute? It's usually as easy as clicking a PayPal button, or providing your credit card number as required on a secured Web page.
   If you prefer to write a check, you may have to make individual arrangements with the filmmaker and/or production company in order to do so.
   
   If you use Kickstarter or another crowdfunding program, keep tabs on the tote. If the campaign concludes at less than a specified amount, the project gets zip. You can top off your donation so the minimum amount is raised, and the project gets funded. If the campaign isn't successful, the amount you've contributed will be returned to you.
   
7. From soup to social media: If you don't have cash, but want to support a documentary, consider other contributions. Documentary productions may be looking for locations, location support (refreshments for crews, for example), use of equipment and technology, resources for archival documentation and/or footage, man hours for research, office or production work, organizing social media and community building campaigns and other in kind contributions. Contact filmmaker and/or production company via their Website to suggest your becoming engaged in in a way that draws upon your personal areas of expertise.
8. Caveat Emptor: You probably don't need these warnings, but here they are anyway:
   • Never invest more than you can afford to give away or lose.
   • Don't promise more than you can deliver.
   • Never make your donation as cash, and always get a formal receipt for the full amount you're contributing.
   It's a shame, but as with any other type of projects that solicit contributions, there are documentary film scams. So, do your research carefully, choose a legitimate project and keep tabs on your chosen documentary. All that said, here's to your happy, rewarding and much appreciated investing in documentary films!

What You Need:

• Interest in becoming involved with documentary film.
• Interest in a character, event, sport or political, social or cultural issue.
• Some spare cash to invest.
• Other items of interest and/or personal skills that you might contribute.
• A sense of adventure, community spirit, desire to make a difference.
• Enthusiasm for following a project, patience while waiting to see the results.