American Cinematheque FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 1981Arts & CultureEIN 95-3902004

The american cinematheque believes that cinema is a communal experience with the power to entertain, enlighten and inspire. We build a diverse and engaged film community through immersive film curation, conversation, and presentation. We bridge the filmmaker to the audience and film history to its future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
64¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.4M a year · 31% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
64%
of spending
Worth a look: 64% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
80 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 79.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $57K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$16.7M
61% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 61% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$13.4M
Spent
$4.1M
To programs
64%
Net assets
$10.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$13.4M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$13.4M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$5.2M
FY2023$5.9M
FY2024$11.1M
FY2024$9.1M
Expenses
$4.1M
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$3.6M
FY2022$5.4M
FY2023$6.4M
FY2024$7.1M
FY2024$9.5M
Net assets
$10.7M
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.7M
FY2021$9.9M
FY2022$8.3M
FY2023$8.3M
FY2024$13.5M
FY2024$13.8M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending September 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 1984.

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

Where the money goes

64 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 64% · $2.6M Management & general 24% · $972K Fundraising 12% · $476K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

27 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kenneth Scherer’s $165K as Executive Director is at the 73rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Kenneth Scherer$165,096$106,827———
Grant Moninger$132,769————
Ken Scherer——$96,420$104,250$100,589

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 American Cinematheque executive salaries →

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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

Programs and updates

Presents and discusses films to build a diverse, engaged community.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $2.6M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

The cinematheque ensures public access to local, national and international films otherwise unavailable and of historic, cultural or educational importance. Programs include classics of american and international cinema, new independent and world film,including rare nitrate & archival prints, 70MM, digital laser projection, etc.

$2.1Mprogram expense
02

Golden globe foreign-language nominees series 2020PRESENTED by the hollywood foreign press association and the american cinemathequediscover the best of foreign-language cinema during our week of special screenings, DEC.29,2019 - JAN.4, 2020, at the aero theatre.

$390Kprogram expense
03

Beyond fest festivalbeyond fest is the highest attended genre film festival in the U.S. And exists to serve the genre community in los angeles. Beyond fest is built in partnership with american cinematheque and death waltz recording co.

$104Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$57K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $78K · 2024–2024
California Fire FoundationCA · FY2024$38,785

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$13.4M
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$10.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Money outPt IX
$4.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$972K
Fundraisingcol D$476K
Owns and owesPt X
$10.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$26.9M
Total assetsLn 16$27.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$16.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
27
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$30K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$736K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$10.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$457K
Gains on assetsLn 7$10.4M
Total revenueLn 12$13.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.3M
SavingsLn 2$23.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$26.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$112K
Other assetsLn 15$230K
Total assetsLn 16$27.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$16.7M
Net assetsLn 32$10.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 568
VolunteersI 6316
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$772K$26.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.4M$112K
Total assetsLn 16$5.4M$27.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.1M$16.7M
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M$10.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.1M$725K$293K$86K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$79K$52K$21K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$151K$92K$49K$10K
Management feesLn 11a$118K$118K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$164K$164K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$369K$143K$165K$61K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$507K$230K$277K
Office expensesLn 13$145K$99K$26K$20K
Information technologyLn 14$78K$34K$40K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$514K$468K$38K$9K
TravelLn 17$16K$14K$2K
InterestLn 20$58K$58K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$355K$355K
InsuranceLn 23$109K$83K$26K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$285K$258K$27K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.1M$2.6M$972K$476K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $11.1M$7.1M$4.0M$13.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.9M$6.4M−$433K$8.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.2M$5.4M−$207K$8.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.8M$3.6M−$721K$9.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $13.4M$4.1M$9.4M$10.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $13,440,081 across 12 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $213,653 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$239,403
VIII-1c Fundraising events$736,432
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$537,571
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$29,628
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,513,406
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,114,648$1,114,648
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,421$2,421
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $128,167$128,167
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $10,352,769$10,352,769
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$23,982−$23,982
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $12,500 · Excluded from tax $126,499$138,999
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,127,148 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $10,799,527$13,440,081
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,058,156 across 16 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $725,064 · Management $293,347 · Fundraising $86,013$1,104,424
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $51,852 · Management $20,978 · Fundraising $6,151$78,981
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $92,043 · Management $49,397 · Fundraising $10,057$151,497
IX-11a Management feesManagement $118,000$118,000
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $4,163$4,163
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $163,877$163,877
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $142,940 · Management $165,396 · Fundraising $61,104$369,440
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $229,892 · Fundraising $276,793$506,685
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $98,856 · Management $26,405 · Fundraising $19,797$145,058
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $33,517 · Management $39,588 · Fundraising $5,131$78,236
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $467,627 · Management $37,520 · Fundraising $9,325$514,472
IX-17 TravelPrograms $14,367 · Fundraising $1,750$16,117
IX-20 InterestPrograms $58,018$58,018
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $354,553$354,553
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $83,366 · Management $26,056$109,422
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $258,213 · Management $27,000$285,213
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,610,308 · Management $971,727 · Fundraising $476,121$4,058,156
Part X · Balance sheet $27,393,701 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $653,440$3,320,023
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $118,969$23,584,974
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $152,952$18,178
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $87,046$74,013
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,387,805$111,804
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $24,397$54,301
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $12,085$230,408
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,436,694$27,393,701
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $346,514$444,455
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $525,344$88,632
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$295,300
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $316,913$316,913
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,105,205$16,726,300
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,286,489$10,617,401
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $45,000$50,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,331,489$10,667,401
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,436,694$27,393,701
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $10,667,401 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$13,440,081
XI-2 Total expenses$4,058,156
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$9,381,925
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,331,489
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$46,013
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$10,667,401

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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