Silicon Valley African Film Festival
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) is to promote an understanding and appreciation of Africa and Africans through moving images. The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are: 1.) Curate a world-class festival of African films and provide audiences access to the richness, diversity and vitality of Africa's creative expressions. 2.) Promote cultural literacy by hosting community forums, events and programs that provide our community an opportunity to engage and interact with Africa's content creators on issues of personal, local and global significance. 3.) Promote ideas exchange and collaborations between African, African diaspora and global content creators and allied services practitioners.
- Income
- $177,760
- Spending
- $177,760
- Reserves
- 1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 58%
- Highest pay
- $9,000, executive director
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 December 31, 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 (3)
- $144,000 spent. The Silicon Valley African Film Festival exclusively focuses on films made by African and African diaspora filmmakers and, crucially, provides audiences with exquisite lenses to the real Africa. We have built a substantial following and have become an annual destination film event in Silicon Valley that draws out of state and international guests. Programs of the film festival include: our flagship weekend showcase in October, the year-round African Cinema Cafe Series and Africa in the Classroom Film Series. 1.) The Film Festival Weekend was held on October 9-12, 2025. The festival screened 95 films from 32 countries with 28 filmmakers in attendance. About 1500 people attended the program to watch the films, enjoy live performances and participate in the several panel discussions and workshops we offered. Over 50% of the films screened at SVAFF 2025 were World / North America premieres and by female directors.
- $23,260 spent. African Cinema Cafe Series: Year round community screenings of select films in community spaces. Our cafe series is our community outreach, partnership and audience development program. It offers us the opportunity to take films to the people in more intimate settings with the flexibility to present films that speak to specific audiences on their own turf. The scope and scale of our Cinema Cafe has expanded in geometric proportions over the years we began delivering the program as a virtual program. We have positioned our Cinema Cafe as a pathway to community courageous conversations. We continued to hold our Cinema Cafe as a monthly virtual program throughout 2025 and had a lot of success. Our films continue to provoke and stimulate conversations on issues of race, gender, identity were screened and filmmakers, invited panelists and community members engaged in very fruitful conversations.
- $10,500 spent. Africa in the Classroom Film Series: Our school engagement initiative brings curriculum related films to local elementary, middle and high schools for use in classrooms. SVAFF sends facilitators to present the films and engage students in conversations. Some schools sometimes opt for a more elaborate assembly style presentation that includes our African drumming and dance ensemble. We served 8 schools in 2025, including a 1st grade classroom.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 November 2017.
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.