San Francisco Media Archive Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
San Francisco Media Archive is a non-profit institution dedicated to the preservation of and access to culturally and historically significant film and related media.
- Income
- $2,726
- Spending
- $2,145
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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, 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 (1)
- $1,344 spent. SFMA further researched ways to receive fundraising for preserving SFMAs collection,storing the films, keeping the database up to date and licensing SFMAs footage.Arranged to have lighting put in to highlight and feature the vintage 17 Reasons Sign that SFMA owns within the space where SFMAs films and tapes are stored.With the assistance of non-profit attorney, Alyssa Ziegenhorn from Bend Law, the SFMA board researched the City Business License and Fictitous Business Names files, and found that errors had been made in the past by SFMA that required correction to bring our registrations up to date. These were all brought up to date and a plan was put into place to prevent any omissions occurring in the future.SFMA provided watermarked and timecoded copies of a collections of family homemovies upon request of one of the original family members that made the contribution to SFMA some years ago. Seven hours of home movies files were successfully transferred, watermarked and sent to the family as digital files.SFMA further developed collections through researching history and content of thearchive and uploading files along with descriptions.SFMAs research and promotion of collection continued to bring in licensing revenue.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 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 August 2001.
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.