Seriesfest is a year-round nonprofit organization and international television festival dedicated to supporting the art of episodic storytelling.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 20 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $124K a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$130K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.7 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $169K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$462K
229% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 229% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
20
of 21 voting members
Looks good: 20 of 21 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
+11% vs prior year
Spent
$1.9M
To programs
76%
Net assets
−$261K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$865K
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$1.9M
FY2025▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$950K
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.9M
Net assets
−$261K
FY2025▼ -625%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$397K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$698K
FY2023$214K
FY2024$50K
FY2025−$261K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2018.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $1.5M Management & general 13% · $241K Fundraising 11% · $217K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

22 people listed on the 990; $130K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
CEO/Co-Found
$129,677Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair of Gov
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director Eme
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Randi Kleiner’s $130K as CEO/Co-Found is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Randi Kleiner$129,677$133,625$134,344$129,721$119,607$93,016

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Seriesfest executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II4 listed

Programs and updates

Supports episodic storytelling through an international television festival and year-round programs.

Questions for Seriesfest

Tap to ask. Seriesfest sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Seriesfest answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $1.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Seriesfest champions and empowers artists at the forefront of episodic storytelling by providing year-round opportunities for creators and industry experts to connect, collaborate, and share stories which inspire and impact global audiences.

$1.5Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 9 funders →
Grants paid · 12 grants · $173K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$38,500
Brew Crew Productions LLCFY2023$8,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,750
Unitemized GrantFY2022$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$48,000
Oakland Theater ProjectCA · FY2021$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2020$11,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$382K
Other incomeLn 4–11$59K
Money outPt IX
$1.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.5M
Managementcol C$241K
Fundraisingcol D$217K
Owns and owesPt X
−$261K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$117K
Total assetsLn 16$201K
LiabilitiesLn 26$462K
PeoplePt VI, VII
22
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a21
IndependentVI 1b20
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$112K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$40K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$166K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$382K
Other incomeLn 4–11$59K
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$117K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$117K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$20K
Total assetsLn 16$201K
LiabilitiesLn 26$462K
Net assetsLn 32−$261K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13K$117K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$13K$20K
Total assetsLn 16$234K$201K
LiabilitiesLn 26$184K$462K
Net assetsLn 32$50K−$261K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1K$1K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$38K$38K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$5K$5K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$153K$93K$28K$32K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$307K$186K$56K$65K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$25K$16K$4K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$60K$39K$10K$11K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$56K$2K$55K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$72K$66K$1K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$32K$4K$24K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$13K$4K$9K
TravelLn 17$102K$99K$103$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$11K$786$221
InterestLn 20$16K$16K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$7K$7K$944
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$905K$788K$25K$92K
All other expensesLn 24e$109K$102K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.9M$1.5M$241K$217K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.6M$1.9M−$310K−$261K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$1.6M−$164K$50K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7M$2.2M−$484K$214K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.7M$2.2M−$491K$698K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.8M$1.0M$792K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $865K$950K−$85K$397K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,609,142 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,280,486$1,168,384
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $107,004$381,914
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $62,578$58,844
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,450,068$1,609,142
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $33,750$44,780
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $660,458$544,637
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $920,192$1,329,876
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,614,400$1,919,293
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$164,332−$310,151
Part VI · Governance 20 of 21 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body21
VI-1b Independent voting members20
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,609,142 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$166,382
VIII-1e Government grants$112,003
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$889,999
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$39,510
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,168,384
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $381,914$381,914
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $58,844$58,844
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $381,914 · Excluded from tax $58,844$1,609,142
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,919,293 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,000$1,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $38,500$38,500
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $5,280$5,280
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $93,414 · Management $27,947 · Fundraising $32,090$153,451
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $185,949 · Management $56,199 · Fundraising $64,632$306,780
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $15,914 · Management $4,101 · Fundraising $4,590$24,605
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $38,678 · Management $9,966 · Fundraising $11,157$59,801
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,569 · Management $54,580$56,149
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $66,146 · Management $1,100 · Fundraising $4,327$71,573
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,478 · Management $23,747 · Fundraising $4,223$32,448
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,312 · Management $8,631$12,943
IX-17 TravelPrograms $98,616 · Management $103 · Fundraising $3,226$101,945
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $10,665 · Management $786 · Fundraising $221$11,672
IX-20 InterestManagement $15,992$15,992
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $6,550 · Fundraising $944$7,494
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $5,611$5,611
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $787,752 · Management $25,297 · Fundraising $91,766$904,815
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $102,234 · Management $7,000$109,234
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,461,057 · Management $241,060 · Fundraising $217,176$1,919,293
Part X · Balance sheet $201,455 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $12,672$117,162
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $201,586$63,510
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,108$1,261
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $13,349$19,522
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $233,715$201,455
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $159,068$97,262
X-19 Deferred revenue$42,500
X-25 Other liabilities$4,835
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $184,068$461,959
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$149,402−$481,141
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $199,049$220,637
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $49,647−$260,504
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $233,715$201,455
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$260,504 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,609,142
XI-2 Total expenses$1,919,293
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$310,151
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$49,647
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$260,504

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.