Fiscal Sponsorship

The WIFV Board of Directors is pleased to offer a fiscal sponsorship program to support the film and media projects of its members. WIFV believes this initiative to be a tremendous member benefit and that this program furthers our mission to provide resources for women in the film, television and media industry. The WIFV Fiscal Sponsorship Program is a financial and legal system where our 501(c)(3) public charity provides limited financial and legal oversight for a project initiated independently by a filmmaker. That project must be non-commercial in nature, i.e. not produced solely for financial gain Sponsored Projects are eligible to solicit and receive grants and tax-deductible contributions.

While many fiscal sponsorship programs exist for filmmakers, WIFV presents a known and trusted entity for its members. We further differentiate our program by offering a mentoring component with accomplished WIFV members, by providing access to the Executive Director and her knowledge of funding resources, and by bringing the power of our programming events and workshops to address key education needs. We look forward to the many successful film and media projects that WIFV will help usher into creation through our fiscal sponsorship program.

WIFV is currently serving as fiscal sponsor for the following women-made films:
SOLD: Fighting the New Global Slave Trade directed by Jody Hassett Sanchez;
Moosehead's Wicked Good Plan directed by Sarah Katz;
Breaking the Rules directed by Five Star Films;
Keter Betts directed by Ada Babino;
The Last Song Before the War directed by Kiley Kraskouskas;
Voices from Within directed by Joy Haynes and Ellie Walton;
Chinatown Documentary (working title) directed by Yi Chen;
Bamako Chic: Threads of Power, Color and Culture directed by Maureen Gosling and Maxine Downs;
Blue Ridge Barnum directed by Emma Mankey Hidem;
Ellington: Keeping the Dream Alive directed by Brainwave Productions;
Guardians of the Everglades produced by Connie Bransilver;
The Last Battlefront directed by Anna Reid Jhirad;
Doeville (working title) directed by Kathryn Pasternak;
Bill Mauldin Up Front directed by Sandy Northrop.

More info on these films is available here. All films are currently seeking additional contributions. Call Melissa Houghton (202-429-9438) for additional information or make your donation here.

Essakane Film is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Art Works.
Voices From Within is supported in part by a grant from the Humanities Council of Washington, DC

We have provided a brief overview below of the program, what types of projects are sponsored and how it works. If you don’t find the information you are looking for here or on the FAQ or Application links, please give us a call at the WIFV office 202-429-9438, and we will do our best to get you the information you need.

WIFV Fiscal Sponsorship Guidelines, Checklist and Application are here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the WIFV Fiscal Sponsorship are here.

Program Eligibility Requirements

Applications will be accepted from current WIFV members only. WIFV membership is open to men and women in the film, television and media industry.

WIFV supports fiscally sponsored projects that are consistent with our IRS-approved mission. Eligible projects for fiscal sponsorship must meet one or both of the following criteria:

Film and media projects that feature women in key, above-the-line roles (specifically: producer, director, writer, editor or director of photography); or
Film and media projects whose subject matter informs and features women’s experiences or points of view.

These projects must be non-commercial in nature, i.e. not produced solely for financial gain. A preference will be given to projects that do not have investors.

If a member's project is selected for fiscal sponsorship, they must remain a WIFV member in good standing for the duration of the project. Three letters of recommendation are required.

WIFV Provides a Nurturing Environment

As a sponsoring organization, WIFV will provide administrative support and oversight on your project’s financial contributions. We also bring the power of our programming and membership to the sponsored filmmaker by providing one of our accomplished members as a mentor for your project should you request one. We can tailor specific programs and events around the challenges or issues that may confront you along the way. We have a vast resource in the diversity and achievements of our membership at large, which provides access to technical information as it is required and insights into current industry trends. Our members can take comfort in working with a partner that is just as vested as they are in the success of their project.

WIFV office staff time is applied to the financial oversight and administration functions for each sponsored project. While the responsibility of identifying and targeting funding sources remains with the filmmaker, WIFV staff and WIFV members are an invaluable resource for navigating potential funding sources and providing knowledge about current film funding trends.

The Selection of Sponsored Projects

A WIFV Fiscal Sponsorship Selection Committee of 7 to 9 people will be responsible for evaluating applications and selecting the projects for which WIFV will provide fiscal sponsorship. This selection committee will be composed of WIFV and non-WIFV members. The Executive Director is a part of the committee as well as at least two sitting WIFV Board Members. Other Selection Committee members will be chosen from among WIFV executive members and non-WIFV professionals from national media associations or film-related companies. The identity of the selection committee members will not be revealed until selection decisions are distributed.

The Application and Selection Schedule

There are two calls for Fiscal Sponsorship Applications per calendar year; one in the spring and one in autumn. A non-refundable Application Fee of $50. is required at the time application.
The 2013 application deadline dates are:

April 29, 2013 - for the spring round; and
October 28, 2013 - for the fall round.

Upon the application deadline, new applications are reviewed by the WIFV Board of Directors for completeness and eligibility. Following approval of your application, it will be forwarded to the WIFV Fiscal Sponsorship Selection Committee. The Selection Committee will meet within 60 days of the application deadline and notification of the results will be forwarded to you within one week of that meeting.

A fiscal sponsor agreement/contract will be forwarded to the projects selected. Once selected, you can expect to be up-and-running within 2-3 weeks.

Please do not contact any WIFV staff or Board Member with an inquiry about your project’s status during the selection process. You will be notified as soon as the selection committee results are known.

Costs and Fees

There is a non-refundable Application Fee of $50. This fee must be submitted with your application on or before the application deadline date.

For sponsored projects, WIFV will charge a 7% administrative handling fee for all grants and charitable donations. This fee is competitive with other fiscal sponsorship programs.

Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement/Contract with Filmmaker

The Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement forms a binding contract and defines the relationship between WIFV and the filmmaker. Reporting requirements are set forth in that agreement. Statements that assert the filmmakers acknowledgement of avoiding copyright infringement and that indemnify WIFV against copyright infringement, producer’s actions in the field, and any legal actions that might arise, are also part of that Agreement.

The Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement also specifies actions WIFV can take if a project no longer complies with the definition of charitable or non-commercial purposes. In those circumstances, WIFV will be required to return funds to the donor(s).

Content of the project is the sole responsibility of the filmmaker. WIFV is not responsible for the application of “fair use” in materials used in the project. The filmmaker maintains full ownership of copyright in the project. WIFV will have no editorial input into the project, and WIFV materials, applications and promotional matter should include a disclaimer, as specified in the Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement.

WIFV will require appropriate credit, as specified in the Agreement, for serving as fiscal sponsor, and will also have the right to remove its name from any production.

Questions?

If you feel you need more information than what you learned here or on the FAQ or in the Application Guidelines, please give us a call at the WIFV office (202) 429-9438, and we will do our best to get you the information you need.