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Film Independent Inc

EIN 95-3943485 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair62 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO CHAMPION CREATIVE INDEPENDENCE IN VISUAL STORYTELLING IN ALL ITS FORMS AND TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF INCLUSION. WE SUPPORT A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES WHO EMBODY DIVERSITY, INNOVATION, CURIOSITY AND UNIQUENESS OF VISION.

Income
$21.1 million
Spending
$20.8 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
1.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
84
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$340,609, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 62 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, 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

    30 of 30 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 September 30, 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. $10.3 million spent. ARTIST DEVELOPMENTFILM INDEPENDENT'S ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS ARE INCUBATORS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF BOLD, ORIGINAL VISUAL STORYTELLERS WORKING IN FILM AND TELEVISION, FICTION AND NON-FICTION. AMONG THE PROGRAMS WE OFFER:-PROJECT INVOLVE IS A HANDS-ON PROGRAM THAT HAS SUPPORTED OVER 1,000 FILMMAKERS OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS, THROUGH MENTORSHIP, MASTERCLASSES AND SHORT FILM PRODUCTION. AT LEAST 34 FILMMAKERS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM IN FY24.-THE FILMMAKER LABS PRODUCING, SCREENWRITING, EPISODIC, DOCUMENTARY PROVIDE MENTORSHIP AND TRAINING ON THE BUSINESS OF FILMMAKING, AS WELL AS ROBUST FEEDBACK ON FILMMAKERS' CURRENT PROJECTS.-FAST TRACK IS A HIGHLY CURATED FILM FINANCE MARKET, DESIGNED TO HELP PRODUCER-DIRECTOR TEAMS ADVANCE THEIR PROJECTS. FILM INDEPENDENT FACILITATES UP TO 60 MEETINGS FOR FELLOWS WITH TOP EXECUTIVES, FINANCIERS, PACKAGING AGENTS, DISTRIBUTORS, PRODUCTION COMPANIES AND OTHERS. -FISCAL SPONSORSHIP ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO UTILIZE THE NON-PROFIT STATUS OF FILM INDEPENDENT TO ACCESS GRANTS FROM FOUNDATIONS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND GOVERNMENT FUNDING. AT THE END OF FY24, FISCAL SPONSORSHIP HAD APPROXIMATELY 466 ACTIVE PROJECTS, WITH 116 OF THOSE JOINING THE PROGRAM BETWEEN OCTOBER 1, 2023 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.
  2. $4.6 million spent. MEMBERSHIP, EDUCATION AND PROGRAMMING SERVICES FILM INDEPENDENT IS AN OPEN-ACCESS MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH 8,176 MEMBERS IN FY24, FROM 49 STATES AND 63 COUNTRIES. TO OUR MEMBERS WE OFFER ROBUST EDUCATIONAL AND FILM PROGRAMMING.-FILM INDEPENDENT PRESENTS SCREENING SERIES (158 UNIQUE EVENTS, AUDIENCE OF 16,347)-THE DIRECTORS CLOSE-UP (CONVERSATIONS ON THE ART OF DIRECTING WITH THE YEAR'S TOP FILMMAKERS (ONLINE)-FILM INDEPENDENT FORUM (CONFERENCE FOR WORKING INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS ON THE BUSINESS OF FILMMAKING (IN PERSON). -GLOBAL MEDIA MAKERS IS A ROBUST PROGRAM SERVING MID-CAREER FILMMAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, PROVIDING MENTORSHIP, MASTERCLASSES AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. EACH YEAR A GROUP OF 20-30 FILMMAKERS TRAVEL TO LOS ANGELES FOR A 5-6 WEEK RESIDENCY, AND FILM INDEPENDENT STAFF AND MENTORS ALSO TRAVEL ABROAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, ENGAGING WITH EMERGING FILMMAKING COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.-YEAR-ROUND WORKSHOPS ON SPECIFIC TOPICS OF INTEREST TO FILMMAKERS AND FILM LOVERS ALIKE (IN PERSON AND ONLINE)
  3. $3.3 million spent. 2023 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDSTHE PREMIERE AWARDS SHOW CELEBRATING THE BEST OF INDEPENDENT FILM AND TELEVISION, THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS SHINES A LIGHT ON FILMMAKERS WHOSE WORK EMBODIES UNIQUENESS OF VISION, ORIGINAL, PROVOCATIVE SUBJECT MATTER, DIVERSITY, AND ECONOMY OF MEANS. FOR OVER 40 YEARS THIS SHOW HAS DONE MORE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE EVENT TO PUT INDEPENDENT FILM ON THE CULTURAL MAP AND IN THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS. THE SPIRIT AWARDS EXEMPLIFIES THE WORK OF TALENTED EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED TALENT, SUPPORTS DEIA IN THE AWARDS SPACE, AND CELEBRATES THE BEST OF FICTION AND NON-FICTION WORK IN BOTH FILM AND TELEVISION.- ONLINE SCREENING OF NOMINATED FILMS AND SHOWS FOR MEMBERS (@ 65 TITLES)- VOTING MEMBERS OF FILM INDEPENDENT: 8,176- IN-PERSON AWARD SHOW: 1,200 ATTENDEES

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1986.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.