Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Denver Film Society

EIN 84-0771070 · Denver, CO

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE DENVER FILM SOCIETY IS TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE AUDIENCES TO DISCOVER FILM THROUGH CREATIVE, THOUGHT-PROVOKING EXPERIENCES. WE STRIVE TO CULTIVATE AND CELEBRATE FILM AS AN ART FORM; TO ENRICH AND EXPAND THE FILM-GOING EXPERIENCE FOR REGIONAL AUDIENCES; TO PROVIDE A SHOWCASE FOR INTERNATIONAL CINEMA THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE SEEN IN DENVER; TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR COLORADO AND U.S. INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS; TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE ABOUT FILM ARTISTS AND THE PUBLIC; AND TO PROVIDE UNIQUE PROGRAMMING FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCES. DENVER FILM OFFERS YEAR- ROUND CINEMATIC PROGRAMMING, SPECIAL EVENTS, MINI FESTIVALS AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO ITS MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SERVING MORE THAN 200,000 FILM LOVERS ANNUALLY.

Income
$17.0 million
Spending
$9.2 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
-2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
82
Volunteers
393
Highest pay
$167,706, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending January 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 46% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 29% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending January 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending January 31, 2026, 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)
  1. $3.9 million spent. OTHER FILM PROGRAMS: OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE A DIVERSE SLATE OF CINEMATIC CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR. DENVER FILM OFFERINGS THROUGH THE YEAR INCLUDE THE WOMEN+FILM FESTIVAL, A SIX-DAY SHOWCASE OF DOCUMENTARIES, NARRATIVES, AND SHORT FILMS CELEBRATING THE BEST IN WOMEN-CENTRIC PROGRAMMING, THE CINEMAQ FESTIVAL, THE LEADING COLORADO BRAND IN LBGTQ+ FILM, AND COLORADO DRAGON FILM FESTIVAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DRAGON 5280, A FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATING ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN CINEMA. IN 2020, DENVER FILM ADDED VIRTUAL CINEMA PROGRAMMING, WHICH AUDIENCES CAN ACCESS FROM THEIR HOMES, TO ADDRESS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY. VIRTUAL CINEMA CONTENT INCLUDES FILMS, FILMMAKER Q AND A'S, AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS. OTHER FILM PROGRAMS: OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE A DIVERSE SLATE OF CINEMATIC CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR. DENVER FILM OFFERINGS THROUGH THE YEAR INCLUDE THE WOMEN+FILM FESTIVAL, A SIX-DAY SHOWCASE OF DOCUMENTARIES, NARRATIVES, AND SHORT FILMS CELEBRATING THE BEST IN WOMEN-CENTRIC PROGRAMMING, THE CINEMAQ FESTIVAL, THE LEADING COLORADO BRAND IN LBGTQ+ FILM, AND COLORADO DRAGON FILM FESTIVAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DRAGON 5280, A FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATING ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN CINEMA. IN 2020, DENVER FILM ADDED VIRTUAL CINEMA PROGRAMMING, WHICH AUDIENCES CAN ACCESS FROM THEIR HOMES, TO ADDRESS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY. VIRTUAL CINEMA CONTENT INCLUDES FILMS, FILMMAKER Q AND A'S, AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS.
  2. $832,033 spent. FILM ON THE ROCKS: IN THE SUMMER, DENVER FILM SOCIETY PRESENTS FILM ON THE ROCKS, A SERIES OF CLASSIC FILMS THAT SCREEN AT RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER. SCREENINGS PAIR POPULAR FILMS WITH LOCAL PERFORMERS AND BANDS.
  3. $2.2 million spent. THE DENVER FILM SOCIETY IS A YEAR-ROUND, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SERVING MORE THAN 200,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ANNUALLY. THE DENVER FILM SOCIETY HOSTS REGULAR PROGRAM SERIES, FESTIVALS, AND OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS, BRINGING FILM-GOERS AND FILMMAKERS TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE FILM. IN 2019, DENVER FILM SOCIETY BEGAN TO DO BUSINESS AS DENVER FILM TO EMPHASIZE INCLUSIVITY.
  4. $1.4 million spent. DENVER FILM FESTIVAL AND MINI-FESTIVALS: THE DENVER FILM FESTIVAL IS A TWO-WEEK FESTIVAL IN EARLY NOVEMBER WHICH SCREENS APPROXIMATELY 260 INTERNATIONAL FILMS, HOSTS ABOUT 150 FILMMAKER GUESTS, AND TAKES PLACE AT VENUES AROUND THE DENVER METRO AREA. FOCUSES WITHIN THE DENVER FILM FESTIVAL INCLUDE WOMEN+FILM, CINEMAQ, CINELATINX, J'ADORE, THE ITALIAN SHOWCASE, AND THE SHEILA K O'BRIEN SPOTLIGHT ON UK CINEMA. ALSO INCLUDED AS PART OF DFF ARE PANEL DISCUSSIONS, VIRTUAL REALITY, AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES. EACH YEAR, THE DENVER FILM SOCIETY HOSTS MINI-FESTIVALS WOMEN+FILM, CINEMAQ, AND THE COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FILM FESTIVAL (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO DRAGON BOAT), WHICH ARE FILM FESTIVALS DEDICATED TO THE FILM OF FEMALES, THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, RESPECTIVELY. OTHER PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE THE DENVER SILENT FILM FESTIAL, THE SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL, FILM ON THE ROCKS, AND SUNSET CINEMA.
  5. DENVER FILM FESTIVAL AND MINI-FESTIVALS: THE DENVER FILM FESTIVAL IS A TWO-WEEK FESTIVAL IN EARLY NOVEMBER WHICH SCREENS APPROXIMATELY 260 INTERNATIONAL FILMS, HOSTS ABOUT 150 FILMMAKER GUESTS, AND TAKES PLACE AT VENUES AROUND THE DENVER METRO AREA. FOCUSES WITHIN THE DENVER FILM FESTIVAL INCLUDE WOMEN+FILM, CINEMAQ, CINELATINX, J'ADORE, THE ITALIAN SHOWCASE, AND THE SHEILA K O'BRIEN SPOTLIGHT ON UK CINEMA. ALSO INCLUDED AS PART OF DFF ARE PANEL DISCUSSIONS, VIRTUAL REALITY, AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES. EACH YEAR, THE DENVER FILM SOCIETY HOSTS MINI-FESTIVALS WOMEN+FILM, CINEMAQ, AND THE COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FILM FESTIVAL (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COLORADO DRAGON BOAT), WHICH ARE FILM FESTIVALS DEDICATED TO THE FILM OF FEMALES, THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, RESPECTIVELY. OTHER PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE THE DENVER SILENT FILM FESTIAL, THE SCI-FI FILM FESTIVAL, FILM ON THE ROCKS, AND SUNSET CINEMA.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending January 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending January 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1978.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.