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National Center for Jewish Film Inc

EIN 04-2764044 · Waltham, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceWeak48 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH FILM IS A UNIQUE, INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT MOTION PICTURE ARCHIVE, DISTRIBUTOR, RESOURCE CENTER AND EXHIBITOR. NCJF'S ONGOING MISSION IS THE COLLECTION, PRESERVATION AND EXHIBITION OF FILMS WITH ARTISTIC AND EDUCATIONAL VALUE RELEVANT TO THE JEWISH EXPERIANCE AND THE DISSEMINATION OF THESE MATERIALS TO THE WIDEAST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE. NCJF EXCLUSIVELY OWNS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF JEWISH CONTENT FILM IN THE WORLD, OUTSIDE ISRAEL. THE CENTER'S 15,000 REELS OF FEATURE FILMS, DOCUMENTARIES, NEWSREELS,HOME MOVIES AND INSTUTIONAL FILMS DATE FROM 1903 TO PRESENT.

Income
$263,296
Spending
$289,515
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
10.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
3
Highest pay
$95,000, co director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 33% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 25% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (2)
  1. $213,892 spent. THE CENTER PROVIDED SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH FILMS RELATED TO THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE THROUGH THEIR DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. IN THE SCOPE OF ITS COLLECTIONS AND THE RANGE OF ITS ACTIVITIES, NCJF IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OF ITS KIND. AS THE LARGEST AND OLDEST RESOURCE CENTER FOR PROGRAMMING JEWISH CONTENT FILM MATERIALS, NCJF IS THE WORLD'S PREMIERE RESOURCE FOR AND ABOUT JEWISH FILM. EACH YEAR, NCJF PROVIDES PROGRAMMING CONSULTATION AND RESEARCH ASSISTANCE TO 7,000 FILMMAKERS, ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, CURATORS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE CENTER HELPED LAUNCH THE NOW DE RIGUEUR PROGRAMMING OF JEWISH FILM FESTIVALS AND IS RESPONSIBLE, IN PART, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF JEWISH AND ETHNIC THE CENTER SPONSORED VARIOUS FILMAKERS PRODUCING FILMS RELATED TO JEWISH HISTORY, CULTURE, AND THE JUDAIC EXPERIENCE. THE CENTER PROVIDED SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH FILMS RELATED TO THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE THROUGH THEIR DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS. IN THE SCOPE OF ITS COLLECTIONS AND THE RANGE OF ITS ACTIVITIES, NCJF IS THE ONLY ORGANIZATION OF ITS KIND. AS THE LARGEST AND OLDEST RESOURCE CENTER FOR PROGRAMMING JEWISH CONTENT FILM MATERIALS, NCJF IS THE WORLD'S PREMIERE RESOURCE FOR AND ABOUT JEWISH FILM. EACH YEAR, NCJF PROVIDES PROGRAMMING CONSULTATION AND RESEARCH ASSISTANCE TO 7,000 FILMMAKERS, ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, CURATORS AND ORGANIZATIONS. THE CENTER HELPED LAUNCH THE NOW DE RIGUEUR PROGRAMMING OF JEWISH FILM FESTIVALS AND IS RESPONSIBLE, IN PART, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF JEWISH AND ETHNIC THE CENTER SPONSORED VARIOUS FILMAKERS PRODUCING FILMS RELATED TO JEWISH HISTORY, CULTURE, AND THE JUDAIC EXPERIENCE.
  2. THE CENTER SPONSORED VARIOUS FILMAKERS PRODUCING FILMS RELATED TO JEWISH HISTORY, CULTURE, AND THE JUDAIC EXPERIENCE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1982.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.