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If you are making a film, or planning an educational or community outreach campaign, and you wish to apply to receive grants or donations from foundations, organizations, government agencies, corporations, individuals or other philanthropic sources, you will need non-profit 501(c)(3) status. You or your company may not want to endure the difficulty and expense of applying to the IRS for non-profit status to receive grants on only a few of your projects. Instead, by applying for fiscal sponsorship through The Independent Production Fund (IPF), you can benefit from the legal steps we’ve taken to become a 501(c)(3) organization.
Why should I consider IPF for fiscal sponsorship?
The staff of IPF has been producing public issue, cultural, and health-related documentaries for over thirty years. IPF’s team is available as an experienced resource to assist you in planning your fundraising strategies and production plan. Since 1987, we’ve been the fiscal sponsor for many successful projects that have aired on public television.
Included in our fiscal sponsorship services are tools to assist in your search for funds and the production of your film such as a Proposal Review, a Fiscal Sponsorship Packet, and Quick Check Turnaround. For a small fee, exclusive “add-ons” are also available, such as E-mail Blasts, Production Consultation, Fundraising Consultation, Project Financial Management, and Executive Producing services.
There is no deadline for submission to IPF, and applicants generally receive a response to their application within three to four weeks.
What kinds of films does IPF fiscally sponsor?
IPF sponsors well-researched documentaries about a range of issues, from the familiar to the unusual. We are also experienced in outreach campaigns and can fiscally sponsor those as well.
Which films has IPF fiscally sponsored?
IPF has fiscally sponsored many films since its inception in 1987. Some of these films include: A Journey of Spirit; The Music Instinct: Science and Song; Media Matters; Quakers in America; Conversations; AIDS Doctors: Personal Stories From a Public Crisis; and several others.
Comments from filmmakers in our fiscal sponsorship program:
- “The IPF staff was immensely helpful in putting together the grant application. Elizabeth really worked with me above and beyond the call of duty. Without her help and attention to detail, the application itself might very well not have been successful.”
- Joe Dorman, Riverside Films
- “IPF has acted as fiscal sponsor on two of my documentary projects. It has been an excellent association which has well suited my needs over the years. The staff at IPF is always helpful, supportive, and quick to respond to my questions and requests. I highly recommend IPF’s services as fiscal sponsor.”
- Elena Mannes, Mannes Productions, Inc.
- “I wanted to thank you for all the support the Independent Production Fund has given us on the projects for which IPF has served as our fiscal sponsor. IPF has been terrifically efficient, helpful, and easy to work with. Moreover, your experience makes your business, administrative and editorial advice invaluable. Your perspective is always informed, reasonable, and balanced.” I have enthusiastically recommended IPF to colleagues looking for a fiscal sponsor, and I will continue to do so.”
- Daniel B. Polin, Great Projects Film Company, Inc.
What if I already have a finished film and am only seeking grants for my outreach efforts following the release of the film?
IPF can assist in this capacity as well. IPF also has over twenty years of experience coordinating outreach campaigns for our various films. If you are seeking funding from foundations, organizations, government agencies, corporations, individuals or other philanthropic sources for your educational or community outreach activities—which may even include a web site—look to IPF for fiscal sponsorship in that arena as well.
Even if you are only seeking outreach funds and don’t need funds for your film, you still need to apply to IPF’s fiscal sponsorship program. If you are accepted, all the standard fiscal sponsorship rules will apply.
Which funding organizations has IPF worked with in the past?
IPF has received grants from foundations, corporations, and individuals for fiscally-sponsored projects, as well as its own productions.
Our list includes: Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Commonwealth Fund, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Fetzer Institute, the Ford Foundation, Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Public Welfare Foundation, PBS, and others.
Will I retain creative control of my project?
You or your organization will retain all rights to the project, and you will hold the copyright to the film. It is important to remember, however, that whomever you apply to for a grant will be making that grant to IPF. Therefore, IPF maintains responsibility for your adherence to the budget and proposal you submitted to your funders. In that spirit, we reserve the right to screen the rough and fine cuts of the film.
What fees will I have to pay IPF for fiscal sponsorship services and when will I receive the funds I have raised?
Most fiscal sponsorship entities require that you become a member of their organization or retain an active membership for several years after your project has been completed. We at IPF do not have any membership requirements, and therefore charge a $50.00 non-refundable application fee.
Upon acceptance of your project into IPF’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program, IPF will calculate a fee based on a percentage of the total funds you raise for your project. This fee covers the administrative costs associated with the management of your project. For projects that raise less than $500,000, IPF will charge a 7% fee. For projects that raise more than$500,000, IPF will retain a 6% fee on the funds collected beyond the $500,000 mark. The more money you raise, the lower the percentage. For federal and state government grants of any amount (e.g., NEA, NEH, etc.), IPF will take a 9% fee for the extensive monitoring and reporting required.
When funds are received by IPF, they will be distributed quarterly, or as production requires, upon written request by the applicant.
How will I be notified if my applications for grants and other funding are accepted?
Most foundations will notify both IPF and the fiscally-sponsored applicant of a grant award. In addition, IPF will notify you immediately upon receipt of a successful grant award.
If I choose to use IPF’s web-based fundraising tool, how will I obtain my online fundraising totals?
We will program our online fundraising software to send you an e-mail notice every time a donation is made to your project.
When IPF fiscally sponsors my project, does my company become non-profit?
No. Only the IRS can grant non-profit, tax-exempt status. Your organization remains a for-profit enterprise unless you take steps to form a non-profit company.
However, the organizations or individuals donating to your project through IPF may consider those funds as tax deductible to the extent the law allows.
Will IPF help me raise money for my project?
In our basic fiscal sponsorship package, no. Filmmakers are responsible for raising their own funds from all the foundations and organizations they wish to approach. IPF does not take on any fundraising responsibilities.
However, several of our add-on options, including Online Fundraising and the Fundraising Consultation, are designed to help you develop and implement your fundraising strategy.
Will IPF maintain my financial records?
IPF’s basic fiscal sponsorship package does not include maintaining financial records. Filmmakers are required to keep their own detailed financial records and to submit an updated report of all project expenses to IPF with each quarterly check request. Also, at the end of your project, a final report is due to IPF and your funder that reflects all expenditures. The funder may also require an interim report; that varies, depending on the grantor.
Most funders have guidelines related to how funds may be spent, e.g., how much projections and actuals are over or under stated amounts in specific budget lines. IPF will review this and other details when the grant is approved.
If keeping track of your own finances doesn’t appeal to you, our Financial Management add-on might be a good fit for you. Contact us for more information on this service.
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