Fiscal Sponsorship with FCSF
FCSF is a media nonprofit that provides a supportive fiscal sponsorship program for independent filmmakers so they can solicit donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other grant sources. In turn, funders can receive tax benefits for their donations.
We seek visual storytellers who have projects that align with our mission to create media that engages audiences in matters of social, cultural, and environmental significance for public benefit. All creative control lies with the filmmaker, who operates as a separate entity with responsibility for their own project development, fundraising, and financial operations.
FCSF sees itself as more than simply a fiscal “pass through,” but rather as a partner to help filmmakers get their projects finished and distributed. Our responsive staff strives to provide timely advice and assistance while building an ongoing relationship with filmmakers, their projects, and those funding them.
As the fiduciary entity responsible to donors and grantors, we monitor progress, provide advice, help ensure that grant funds are spent in accordance with funder requirements, and generally serve as a liaison between donors and filmmakers. We do our best to support our filmmakers and connect them with a community of funders that are looking to support their projects.
We are based in the Bay Area and serve local filmmakers as well as filmmakers from across the country - and even internationally. We provide fiscal sponsorship for narrative, hybrid, and documentary films, including shorts and features, and we have experience in all these genres.
Our fiscal sponsorship fee has been updated to simplify the fee structure and cover our growing administrative costs to run the program.
For new projects, we are now charging a flat 7% fee for donations. This excludes credit card and bank processing fees. We are committed to keeping our fees low, while providing exceptional services for our filmmakers.
Benefits of fiscal sponsorship with FCSF include:
One-on-one meetings to help build your strategies
A meeting to discuss the fundraising strategy once a project is accepted.
Annual check-in meetings.
A meeting to discuss distribution strategy in advance of release.
Individual project page on our website with a dedicated donate button.
Access to funding databases.
Feedback on proposals and rough cut reviews if requested.
Discounts on production insurance.
Referrals for professional services such as attorneys, accountants, bookkeepers, etc.
Plus, as an FCSF member, you receive all our member benefits:
Free access to live and recorded workshops and webinars.
A virtual monthly drop-in that covers a variety of topics to help filmmakers make progress on their projects and build community.
Invitations to mixers, screenings, and other events.
Access to the screening room at our facility at the 9th Street Film Center in San Francisco (restrictions and some costs may apply). Ideal for work-in-progress screenings.
Low cost access to production equipment.
Access to contract and agreement templates.
For more significant assistance, we offer a low cost consulting package of $300 for 4 hours that can be spread out over time. We can help with fundraising strategies, proposal writing, story structure, and distribution strategies by matching your project with experienced filmmakers and specialists.
Eligibility
All projects must be original and not work for hire.
The film/media - makers must have creative control.
If required, story rights must be in place, or at least in process, prior to submitting an application.
To Apply
Optional informational call
If you are interested in scheduling an informational call to learn about the fiscal sponsorship program, please contact us with a brief description of your project and your availability.
Log in to your FCSF membership
If you are not a member, visit this page to sign up. An active membership is required to apply and to maintain fiscal sponsorship.
Submit the application
Go to the Fiscal Sponsorship page on the member portal. Submit your application via the Google Form link.
You can preview the application prompts here: Fiscal Sponsorship Application Elements (PDF). These prompts have been adapted from the Documentary Core Application.
Applications are reviewed within 1-2 weeks. If we have follow up questions, we will reach out via email.
FAQ
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Fiscal sponsors allow filmmakers to establish a fiduciary relationship with a non-profit organization. This allows donations to be tax-exempt for the donor because the donations are directed to the non-profit organization. These funds are then passed on to the filmmaker/fiscal sponsee less fees. Filmmakers get the advantage of soliciting tax-exempt donations without having to create their own non-profit.
Fiscal sponsorship can also play an important role for soliciting donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other grant sources. Many foundations and grant applications require a fiscal sponsor so the grantmaker can administer funds to a non-profit organization.
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As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and fiscal sponsor, donations are tax deductible as allowed by federal and state regulations.
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Online donations via credit card can be made on our website through individual project pages. We also accept many other donation methods including check, direct deposit, Zelle, and stock donations.
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We charge a 7% fiscal sponsorship fee on all funds donated through us.
The fee does not include credit card or bank fees, which are applied before the 7% fee is applied. Credit card processing fees are usually around 2.7%, depending on the credit card company. This fee can be avoided if the donation is by check, Zelle, or ACH direct deposit.
FCSF annual membership is also required to apply and to maintain fiscal sponsorship.
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Funds are dispersed monthly no later than 10 business days after the close of the month. Occasionally filmmakers may ask us to hold on to funds, which we can do for projects upon request.
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Yes. A 1099 NEC statement of income will be issued to the payee identified on the W9 form reporting the sum of distributions made in the calendar year.
We understand in some cases filmmakers may not be ready to use the funds, and are concerned about tax consequences. We can hold funds for projects upon request.
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Yes, we fiscally sponsor project campaigns on Kickstarter, Seed&Spark, GoFundMe, and IndieGoGo. If you want to give a tax deductible option for your crowdfunding campaign donors, the fiscal sponsor must be the recipient of the funds. Once received, the funds are then processed and disbursed to the filmmaker following our fund distribution protocol.
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No, all creative control for a project lies with the filmmaker. However, we do monitor project progress and help ensure that funds are being spent as specified in the application, and in accordance with funder requirements.
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We are a collaborative of experienced filmmakers and understand the challenges of getting a film made! We see ourselves as partners with our filmmakers, and we do our best to support them in the filmmaking process.
In addition to fiscal sponsorship, we provide advice about fundraising and distribution, feedback on proposals, rough cut reviews, low cost consulting, work-in-progress screenings, monthly drop-ins, and many other member benefits.
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We look for projects with public benefit addressing topics of social, environmental, and cultural significance. Our fiscally sponsored projects include documentaries, narratives, hybrid films, shorts and features. We have filmmakers from across the country, even international. Filmmakers do not need to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area to receive fiscal sponsorship.
CONTACT
Email: kevin at filmmakerscollaborative dot org
Phone: 415-546-0155
If you have questions about the program or would like to schedule an informational call, feel free to contact us!
We encourage you to ask questions before preparing your application or anytime during the application process.