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Bay Area Video Coalition Inc

EIN 94-2403876 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak22 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Bay Area Video Coalition, "BAVC Media", inspires social change by enabling the sharing of diverse stories through art, education and technology.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$4.5 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
-1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 60%
Employees
39
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$165,119, executive dir.

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

Weak: 22 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 86% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 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)
  1. $1.7 million spent. Preservation & Technology: Hundreds of hours of rare and unique audio and video material preserved; free and open source software designed for the audio/visual archiving community; development of an educational platform to assist with prioritizing audio/visual collections; in-depth collection assessments preformed for organizations in need. In keeping with general trajectory of the department, Fee-for-service work was balanced by a range of exciting grant-funded endeavors. BAVC preservation was supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts (The Preservation Access Program). Throughout the year, staff members participated in numerous conferences and events including the American Moving Image Archivists (AMIA), American Library Association (ALA), the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works (AIC), extending the departments reputation for educational leadership and advocacy in the field. Just as BAVC as an organization has transcended its video origins, BAVCs Preservation department has adapted to the needs of the digital world while staying true to its core mission: To democratize access to tools of media making and media preserving.
  2. $1.2 million spent. Training & Resources: BAVCs training programs provide industry-recognized certifications in video, digital audio, web design and multimedia training to more than 2,000 students per year. BAVC offers free or subsidized training to over 250 individuals per year. BAVC also offers career counseling, soft-skill development workshops and job and internship placement services. For over 40 years, BAVC, has trained a diverse mix of artists, experienced media professionals, educators, low-income adults, nonprofit and community based organizations and industry partners in various multimedia technologies. BAVC is also a training partner for the City of San Franciscos TechSF Apprenticeship Initiative.
  3. $762,263 spent. Youth & Emerging Media Maker Program: BAVCs Youth and Emerging Media Maker (YEMM) programs provide comprehensive free and fee-for-service year-long digital media storytelling training to over a hundred Bay Area Youth per year. BAVCs Next Gen program includes the digital pathway program, which provides a comprehensive model of industry-standard digital medial youth training and artistic development, offering training in video and audio production and creative open source software programming in a supportive, artist-led environment, aiming to diversify the pool of skilled artist, digital media producers and innovators in the field. The program bridges a pathway to higher education and the workforce for youth facing multiple barriers to education and employment. Over the last several years, BAVCs youth programs have offered opportunities for creative expression, self-discovery and leadership in over 130 youth. Next Generation programs also include professional development programs for educators, including the Adobe Youth Voices program, providing training and support to educators to help them integrate digital media into their classrooms. After a merger with Reel Stories in 2021, BAVC continued expanding its youth programming in free and fee-for-service after school classes and summer camps in East Bay and for youth who identify as female or nonbinary.

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

  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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 June 1977.

    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 October 21, 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.