Macon Film Festival Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SURROUNDED BY A RICH MUSICAL AND SOUTHERN CULTURE, THE MACON FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES INDEPENDENT FILM WHILE PROMOTING FILMMAKING FOR ENTERTAINMENT, INSPIRATION, EDUCATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THROUGH THE WORK OF THE MACON FILM FESTIVAL, IT IS OUR VISION FOR CENTRAL GEORGIA TO BECOME A DESTINATION FOR FILM.
- Income
- $69,007
- Spending
- $109,736
- Reserves
- 2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 17 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 75% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 59% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 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)
- $109,736 spent. IN AUGUST OF 2024 THE MACON FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATED 19 YEARS OF SHOWCASING INDEPENDENT FILMS AND FILMMAKERS IN MACON, GEORGIA. THE FESTIVAL PARTNERED WITH THE FIRE STARTERS FILM FESTIVAL TO KICK OFF THE FESTIVAL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE SCREENING OF THE GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY, RED FEVER, DIRECTED BY CATHERINE BAINBRIDGE AND NEIL DIAMOND AT THE DOUGLASS THEATRE WITH SPECIAL GUEST DIRECTOR NEIL DIAMOND IN ATTENDANCE. ALSO BASED IN MACON, THE FIRE STARTERS FILM FESTIVAL FOCUSES ON SHOWCASING FILM AND VISUAL ART MADE BY INDIGENOUS FILMMAKERS, WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON THE MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION EXPERIENCE. THE FESTIVAL'S OFFICIAL SELECTION SCREENINGS BEGAN FRIDAY MORNING AT THE DOUGLASS THEATRE, THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, AND THE GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME, WITH THEATRE MACON AS AN ADDITIONAL SCREENING VENUE THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL WEEKEND. THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE SERVED AS FESTIVAL HQ AND THE LOCATION OF FILMMAKER AND FREE-TO-THE-PUBLIC WORKSHOPS WITH MERCER MUSIC AT CAPRICORN AS AN ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN, MACON. THE PLANETARIUM AT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES SERVED AS THE LOCATION OF FRIDAY'S SPECIAL FULLDOME SCREENING EVENT; COMPLETE WITH AN OPEN BAR AND FOOD. THE FESTIVAL PARTNERED WITH THE MUSEUM TO HOST THE NIGHT OF IMMERSIVE SHOWCASE IN THEIR NEWLY RENOVATED PLANETARIUM. SATURDAY EVENING FEATURED A SPECIAL SCREENING OF THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION'S AWARD WINNING 90'S HIP-HOP DOCUMENTARY THE SOUTH GOT SOMETHING TO SAY AT THE DOUGLASS THEATRE WITH THE DOCUMENTARY'S DIRECTOR, RYON HORNE, AND THE FILM'S WRITER, BYRON HORNE, IN ATTENDANCE AT THE SCREENING AND FOR A Q&A FOLLOWING THE FILM. THE HORNE BROTHERS WERE JOINED BY A PANEL OF AJC CONTRIBUTORS INCLUDING THE NEWS OUTLETS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LEROY CHAPMAN JR. THE FESTIVAL CLOSED WITH A SPECIAL SCREENING OF THE FIRST TWO EPISODES FROM THE ACCLAIMED HBO MAX SERIES STAX: SOULSVILLE, U.S.A., DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY JAMILA WIGNOT, WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL. FOLLOWING THE FESTIVAL DATES IN AUGUST, MACON FILM FESTIVAL PARTERENED WITH NEWTOWN MACON TO HOST SEVERAL OUTDOOR SCREENINGS IN AN ONGOING SERIES, CLASSICS AT THE BIBB, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE DOWNTOWN CHALLENGE FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF CENTRAL GEORGIA, PEYTON ANDERSON FOUNDATION, AND KNIGHT FOUNDATION. THIS FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING SERIES WILL RETURN IN FALL 2025. THE FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS WERE EXCITED TO ONCE AGAIN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE FESTIVAL SCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS, NETWORKING SESSIONS AND PARTIES IN MULTIPLE VENUES THROUGHOUT MACON. JUST UNDER 100 INDEPENDENT FILMS WERE FEATURED THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL WEEKEND AND CLOSE TO THIRTY FILMS WERE REPRESENTED BY VISITING FILMMAKERS DURING THE FESTIVAL. MANY FILMS FEATURED HAD BETWEEN 1 - 4 REPRESENTATIVES WHO MADE THE TRIP TO MACON. FESTIVAL ATTENDANCE NUMBERS ARE ESTIMATED AT 1,011 AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending September 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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