Bryn Mawr Theater Film Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BRYN MAWR FILM INSTITUTE (BMFI) IS A NONPROFIT, MEMBER-SUPPORTED MOTION PICTURE THEATER AND FILM EDUCATION CENTER LOCATED IN BRYN MAWR, PENNSYLVANIA, IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS OF PHILADELPHIA. BMFI IS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING SHARED EXPERIENCES...CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O THAT ENTERTAIN, ENGAGE, AND EDUCATE AUDIENCES THROUGH A DIVERSE RANGE OF INDEPENDENT-MINDED FILMS, A FULL CURRICULUM OF COURSES, AND AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF SPECIAL EVENTS. BMFI BUILDS COMMUNITY THROUGH FILM CULTURE, WHILE MAINTAINING STRONG CONNECTIONS TO ITS HISTORIC VENUE'S CINEMATIC PAST.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 20.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 45%
- Employees
- 57
- Volunteers
- 27
- Highest pay
- $173,826, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 20.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
- $2.4 million spent. BMFI ENJOYED A ROBUST 2024, BRINGING WONDERFUL FILM AND FILM EDUCATION TO OUR PATRONS, MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, AND HOSTING A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY EVENTS. IN 2024, BMFI EXHIBITED 233 UNIQUE TITLES, INCLUDING 155 SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND REPERTORY TITLES FOR MORE THAN 16,900 ATTENDEES, AND 78 MAIN ATTRACTION FILMS FOR MORE THAN 96,600 MOVIEGOERS. BMFI PRESENTED 35 EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ART ORGANIZATIONS. COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENJOYED SPECIAL LIVE TRADITIONS, INCLUDING AN INTERACTIVE EVERYBODY SING!: SOUND OF MUSIC. BMFI ALSO HELD THE ANNUAL SUMMER FILMMAKING WORKSHOP, IN WHICH 12 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CONCEIVED OF, WROTE, SHOT, AND EDITED THEIR OWN ORIGINAL SHORT FILM, WHICH MADE ITS DEBUT ON BMFI'S BIG SCREEN IN DECEMBER. BMFI HOLDS MONTHLY OPEN SCREEN MONDAYS FOR FILMMAKERS TO SCREEN WORKS-IN-PROGRESS ON THE BIG SCREEN AND TO ENGAGE IN PEER CRITIQUES FREE OF CHARGE, SERVING SOME 300 FILMMAKERS EACH YEAR. BMFI OFFERED 40 DISTINCT FILM STUDIES CLASSES, DURING WHICH 1,800 ADULTS GATHERED IN PERSON TO LEARN ABOUT, WATCH, AND DISCUSS STANDOUT WORKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IN ADDITION, BMFI'S SEE HEAR FEEL FILM THIRD-GRADE VISUAL LITERACY PROGRAM WAS CONDUCTED FOR 651 STUDENTS IN 33 CLASSES FROM 10 SCHOOLS IN THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. IN TOTAL, BMFI PROVIDED PROGRAMS FOR 116,325 ON-SITE PATRONS, STUDENTS, AND FILMMAKERS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, 6,015 PEOPLE WERE ACTIVE BMFI MEMBERS AND 290 PEOPLE MADE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO BMFI.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 21, 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.