ABOUT

The CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge is a nonprofit-focused short film competition that empowers early-career storytellers to step into creative leadership positions for a good cause. With a design centered around inclusion, this initiative merges social impact and leadership development by leveraging education, mentorship and filmmaking opportunities towards the shared goal of uplifting local nonprofits.

Timeline 2023

Application Period

January 11 – February 15

Education Period

March 24 – May 4

Production Period

June 7 - June 27

Judging & Awards Period

July - August

Watch the Films

Team Opica: In Tune


The mission of OPICA is to improve the lives of adults challenged by memory loss. Click here to make a donation directly to OPICA.

Durand Williams – Team Leader
Daryn Wakasa - Director
Rosa Lisbeth Navarrete – Writer
Deborah Alvarez – Casting Director
Oscar Loreto, Jr. – Editor
Ada Rannels – Associate Producer

Team My Friend's Place: Unaddressed


The mission of My Friend’s Place is to assist and inspire homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives. Click here to make a donation directly to My Friend's Place.

Gabriela Giancola – Team Leader
Samatha Sadoff – Director
Dawana Speights – Writer
Nathan Rodriguez – Editor
Natalie Jonah – Casting Director
Kelly Chang – 1st Assistant Director

Team Painted Brain: Colorful Minds


Painted Brain creates lasting community-based solutions to mental health challenges and the impact of social injustice through arts, advocacy, and enterprise. Click here to make a donation directly to Painted Brain.

Renee Amponin – Team Leader
Dorothy Xiao – Director
Catie Kovelman – Writer
Andrew Espindola - Editor
Kennedy Hocker – Associate Producer
Alaa Zabara – Gaffer
Farrah Su – Director of Photography

Team Friends of the LA River: Rewilding


FOLAR’s mission is to build capacity for communities, students, and future leaders to advocate for nature, climate, and equity on the Los Angeles River. Click here to make a donation directly to Friends of the LA River.

Brandon Estrella – Team Leader
Victoria Renee Bell – Director
Cierra Lockett – Writer
Dani Bowman – Editor
Sam Figueroa – Casting Director
Myra Vitela – Art Director

Team Feast: Serendipity


FEAST’s mission is to promote health and wellness in communities through the power of healthy foods and human connection. Click here to make a donation directly to Feast.

Gabriel Rojas – Team Leader
Desiree Marisol Carcamo – Director
Spike Morales-Westlake – Writer
Tal Anderson – Editor
Taelor Cage – Casting Director
Amanda McDonough – Script Supervisor
Moises Marquez – Camera PA
George Steeves – Craft Services

Team School on Wheels: To The Letter


School on Wheels volunteers provide free tutoring and mentoring to children from kindergarten through twelfth grade living in shelters, motels, vehicles, group foster homes, and the streets of Southern California. Since 1993, the mission of School on Wheels has never wavered: to enhance educational opportunities for children who are experiencing homelessness from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Their goal is to shrink the gaps in their learning and provide them with the highest level of education possible. The program serves as a consistent support system for our students during a time of great stress and fear. Click here to make a donation directly to Schools on Wheels

Maya Alvarez – Team Leader
Nirav Bhakta – Director
David Aguilar – Writer
Mario Torres Torres - Editor
Maddalena Zuppetta – Casting Director

Team Homeboy Industries: Hope Has An Address


Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men, women, and youth, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community. Click here to make a donation directly to Homeboy Industries

Joshua Walker – Team Leader
Jose Vicente Chavez – Director
Russell Carter – Writer
Shaina Ghuraya – Editor
Nicole Bunnell – Casting Director

Team SafeBAE: Unread


SafeBAE is a survivor-founded, student-led organization whose mission is to end sexual assault among middle and high school students. As the only national peer-to-peer organization of its kind, they help promote culture change by giving teens the tools to become activists and shift school culture through raising awareness about dating violence, sexual harassment and assault, enthusiastic consent, safe bystander intervention, survivor care, and their rights under Title IX. Click here to make a donation directly to SafeBAE

Hannah Davis – Team Leader
Alle Hsu – Director
Ethan Young – Writer
Kelsey Gumm – Editor
LaCreshia Griffin-Pope – Casting Director

TESTIMONIALS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

PIPELINE 2023 – APPLICATIONS OPEN FROM JANUARY 11TH – FEBRUARY 15TH!

Pipeline Snapshots 2022


Your story belongs here.


We would love to learn about nonprofit organizations in the Los Angeles area! If you wish to put an organization on our radar, please click here and be sure to include the website, mission and contact info.