Arkansas Cinema Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD A FILM COMMUNITY IN ARKANSAS WHERE FILM LOVERS CAN WATCH FILMS, SHARE IDEAS, CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND NURTURE THE NEW AND EXISTING FILM TALENT WITHIN OUR STATE THROUGH INCREASED EXPOSURE TO FILMMAKERS AND THEIR ART.
- Income
- $542,989
- Spending
- $577,522
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 82%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $108,440, 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
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2528 of 28 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $372,771 spent. FILMLAND - FILMLAND IS OUR ANNUAL CURATED CELEBRATION OF CINEMA. OVER 4 DAYS, THE FESTIVAL INCLUDES SCREENINGS OF CUTTING-EDGE FILMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR FILMMAKERS. FILMLAND: ARKANSAS GIVES ARKANSAS FILMMAKERS OR FILMS MADE IN ARKANSAS A VENUE TO SCREEN THEIR WORK. FILM SCREENINGS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR ORGANIZATION. THE MISSION OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL FILM GENRES AND FILMMAKERS TO CAST A WIDE NET AND ATTRACT A DIVERSE AUDIENCE. HAVING A FILMMAKER PRESENT FOR A MASTERCLASS-LIKE CONVERSATION AFTER THE SCREENING TRANSFORMS THE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE INTO MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENTIT CREATES AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO INSPIRE, INFORM, AND CONNECT THE AUDIENCE TO INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND EACH ANOTHER.
- $29,612 spent. FILMMAKING LAB FOR TEEN GIRLS - THIS IS A FREE HANDS-ON LAB WHERE FILM PROFESSIONALS MENTOR TEEN GIRLS AGED 16-18 THROUGH EVERY STAGE OF THE FILMMAKING PROCESS. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT SCREENWRITING, DIRECTING, PRODUCING, LIGHTING, CINEMATOGRAPHY, CASTING, EDITING, SCORING, AND SOUND DESIGN. ACS LAUNCHED THE FIRST LAB FOR TEEN GIRLS IN 2019 WITH 12 GIRLS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS ALL OVER CENTRAL ARKANSAS, SELECTED THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
- $8,699 spent. FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS - PROVIDING HANDS-ON EDUCATION FROM WORKING FILMMAKERS IN THE INDUSTRY TO DEMYSTIFY FILMMAKING FOR ASPIRING FILM AND TV VISUAL ARTISTS. OUR YOUTH FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS TEACH FUNDAMENTALS OF FILMMAKING TO STUDENTS AROUND THE STATE, EMPOWERING A DIVERSE NEXT GENERATION OF ARKANSAS STORYTELLERS.
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 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 December 2024.
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 February 2018.
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.
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.