Filmnorth
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FILMNORTH INSPIRES AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL FILMMAKERS AND MEDIA ARTISTS IN THE NORTH TO THRIVE, WITH A COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATE DISPARITIES FOR THOSE FROM COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE FILM INDUSTRY.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 10.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $80,000, 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
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.4 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 54% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 2519 of 19 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 (5)
- $198,000 spent. CAREER DEVELOPMENT - FILMNORTH SUPPORTS INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR CAREERS. THROUGH ARTISTIC FELLOWSHIPS, FILMNORTH RE-GRANTS OVER $100,000 ANNUALLY TO MID-CAREER ARTISTS. BETWEEN 70-120 PEOPLE CURRENTLY APPLY EACH YEAR FOR FELLOWSHIPS. MANY MORE ATTEND WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE FILM INDUSTRY (I.E. THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY, UNDOCUMENTED, RURAL, LOW-INCOME, AND LGBTQIA2+ PEOPLE, FEMALES, AND THOSE EMBODYING INTERSECTIONS OF THESE IDENTITIES). FILMNORTH IS ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING OTHER CAREER DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT.
- $257,257 spent. EDUCATION - FILMNORTH HAS A UNIQUE, PRIMARY FOCUS ON EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY, PROVIDING INDEPENDENT MEDIA ARTISTS THE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDED TO THRIVE IN THE INDUSTRY. FILMNORTH ALSO OFFERS UNIQUE COHORTS, SUCH AS THE INCLUSIVE AND SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS FILM LAB, FREE TO PARTICIPANTS AND INCLUSIVE OF A MENTORSHIP COMPONENT. FILMNORTH OFFERS OVER 100 COURSES EACH YEAR ON A QUARTERLY BASIS TO TEACH THE ART, BUSINESS, AND TECHNOLOGY OF MEDIA MAKING. FILMNORTH'S ANNUAL FORUM AND MASTER CLASSES CONNECT MEDIA ARTISTS TO INDUSTRY LEADERS AND INNOVATORS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. ALL TEACHING ARTISTS, PANELISTS, AND GUEST SPEAKERS ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(CONTINUED FROM PART III)TOPICS INCLUDE SCREENWRITING, EDITING, CINEMATOGRAPHY, PRODUCTION, DIRECTION, AND PHOTOGRAPHY. STUDENTS RANGE FROM EMERGING ARTISTS TO SEASONED PROFESSIONALS. SCHOLARSHIPS ARE PROVIDED FOR ALL PAID PROGRAMS. OVER 2,000 SERVED ANNUALLY, WHICH INCLUDES IN-PERSON AND SOME ONLINE CLASSES.
- $121,122 spent. YOUTH MEDIA EDUCATION - FILMNORTH'S YOUTH MEDIA PROGRAMS WORK WITH YOUTH, BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS. THE MISSION IS TO TEACH FILMMAKING AS A MEANS OF ENGAGING YOUTH IN THEIR EDUCATION - DEVELOPING ARTISTIC, CRITICAL THINKING, AND CAREER SKILLS WHILE EXAMINING ISSUES IN THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENTS. THIS PROGRAM SCAFFOLDING PROVIDES YOUTH WITH VARIOUS ENTRY POINTS TO FILMMAKING AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, EMPLOY THEIR TALENT, AND INTERACT WITH PROFESSIONAL FILMMAKERS. ALL PROGRAMS EMPLOY TEACHING ARTISTS WHO ILLUMINATE THE ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND BUSINESS OF MEDIA ARTS, AND OFFER POST-CLASS MENTORSHIPS AND OTHER ACCESS TO FILMNORTH PROGRAMMING. STUDIO 13 OFFERS AN INTENSIVE EXPERINCE TO HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH EACH FALL, CULMINATING IN A SHORT FILM. FILMNORTH ALSO OFFERS A ROBUST SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REACH BOTH ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
- $1.2 million spent. FISCAL SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT - FILMNORTH CONSULTS WITH MORE THAN 50 FILM PROJECTS ANNUALLY TO HELP THEM PRODUCE NEW WORK AND RAISE PROJECT FUNDS. FILMNORTH STAFF CONSULTS WITH PROJECTS ON ALL ELEMENTS OF FILM AND MEDIA PRODUCTION, INCLUDING PROJECTS, CAREERS, DISTRIBUTION, FUNDING, AND PRODUCTION. A BOARD COMMITTEE REVIEWS ALL APPLICATIONS, AND THE FULL BOARD VOTES TO ACCEPT OR DENY EACH APPLICATION.
- $325,523 spent. ACCESS AND FACILITIES - FILMNORTH HELPS FILMMAKERS GET THEIR FILMS MADE WITH LOW-COST ACCESS TO EDITING SUITES, CLASSROOMS, MEETING SPACE AND FILMMAKING EQUIPMENT. THE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT ARE INTEGRAL TO THE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR STUDENT FIELD WORK AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE. APPROXIMATELY 250 SERVED.EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS - FILMNORTH INCREASES AUDIENCES FOR FILMMAKERS WITH OVER 40 OPPORTUNITIES TO SCREEN AND EXHIBIT NEW WORK ACROSS THE STATE, INCLUDING THE MONTHLY CINEMA LOUNGE SERIES, INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD SCREENINGS, AND OTHER SCREENINGS. OVER 3,600 SERVED ANNUALLY, INCLUDING ONLINE.MEMBERSHIPS - FILMNORTH MEMBERSHIP AFFORDS FILMMAKERS REFERRALS, DISCOUNTS ON CLASSES AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, AND CONSULTING. OVER 200 ACTIVE MEMBERS.
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 November 6, 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 June 1988.
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 November 4, 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.