Avon Theatre Film Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESERVE AND OPERATE THE HISTORIC AVON THEATRE BY PROVIDING A CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FILM, EDUCATIONAL AND PROGRAMMATIC PALETTE, WHICH DRAWS PATRONS FROM THE GREATER STAMFORD REGION.
- Income
- $6.7 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- -3.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 75
- Highest pay
- $196,280, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 74% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, 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 March 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 (1)
- $1.1 million spent. MANY PEOPLE VIEW THE CINEMA AS A SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT; HOWEVER, THE AVON IS DRIVEN BY ITS MISSION TO EXPAND THIS ROLE BY SHOWING FILMS THAT ARE ARTISTICALLY AND/OR SOCIALLY MEANINGFUL, AND BY USING CINEMA AS A MEANS OF EDUCATING, INSPIRING, AND/OR ENGAGING THE GREATER COMMUNITY. THESE GOALS ARE ALWAYS A TOP PRIORITY WHEN THE AVON DESIGNS ITS PROGRAMMING, ONLY A PORTION OF WHICH IS DESCRIBED HERE. THIS YEAR WE SAW, AS IN THE PRE-PANDEMIC PERIOD, SEVERAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COLLABORATED WITH THE AVON TO PRESENT FILMS HIGHLIGHTING MAJOR SOCIETAL ISSUES, INCLUDING IMMIGRATION, GUN VIOLENCE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THESE PROGRAMS, EACH FEATURING A SPECIAL SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A PANEL DISCUSSION, ATTRACTED WELL OVER 1,000 ATTENDEES. OUR SERIES, "MOVIES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY!," NOW IN ITS SECOND SEASON, PRESENTS FILMS FOCUSING ON SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY-RELATED ISSUES. THIS SPECIAL SERIES, UNIQUE TO THE AVON AND FREE OF CHARGE FOR ITS AUDIENCES, EDUCATES AND INSPIRES BOTH LARGER AND NEW CROWDS. THE AVON'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR. THE AVON ALSO CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FREE MEMBERSHIPS TO TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, WITH THE GOAL OF ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS TO USE QUALITY CINEMA AS A TOOL FOR ENHANCING CLASSROOM LEARNING. APPROXIMATELY 185 EDUCATORS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS OFFERING, WITH MANY ENCOURAGING THEIR STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCREENINGS AT THE AVON THAT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THEIR CURRICULA. THE AVON'S COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARDED $8,500 THIS YEAR TO 11 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO SUBMITTED ESSAYS ON WHY FILM MATTERS. THE VARIETY OF FILMS DISCUSSED, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND TOWNS REPRESENTED, CONTINUES TO GROW EACH YEAR, WHILE THE QUALITY OF THE SUBMISSIONS CONSISTENTLY IMPRESSES OUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGES. THE AVON IS STRONGLY COMMITTED TO ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CONTINUES TO BUILD UPON ITS PROFESSIONALLY CURATED BLACK LENS SERIES UNDER THE "MOVIES THAT BUILD COMMUNITY!" UMBRELLA, HIGHLIGHTING FILMS MADE BY BLACK FILMMAKERS AND/OR FILMS THAT EXPLORE THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA. ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR, THESE FEATURES WERE WELL RECEIVED AND WERE FOLLOWED BY PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE FILMMAKERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 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 July 2003.
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.