Brattle Film Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
043540992
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Cambridge, MA, USA
Phone
6178768021
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Film, Video

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,351,590
Expenses
$1,309,885
Assets
$967,650
Liabilities
$830,178

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ROB LARSEN (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • EDWARD HINKLE (DIRECTOR): $70,815 total reported compensation
  • CHRISTELIVY MOYLAN (EXECUTIVE DI): $70,815 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The organization's mission is to celebrate film as a popular and fine art form with cultural and historical importance that excites, educates, and inspires community. As the premier destination for repertory film in greater boston, the brattle film foundation uses an international view of cinema to: enhance the movie-going experience through curated programming, community building, education, and the shared large-screen experience; recognize film as both popular and fine art with important cultural and historic value; show a diverse range of films that cannot and will not be shown anywhere else; ensure cinema is respected, viewed, and recognized alongside other great works of art; and enrich our audiences understanding of cinema through diverse film programming, education, and information in the theater and online.

What it reported doing in 2024

The brattle's tradition of repertory film programming dates back to its inception in the 1950s. The organization has the following annual events: -bugs bunny film festival during february school vacation week -new years day marx brothers marathon -oscar party -trailer treats, a summer celebration -valentines day screenings of casablanca at a time when art houses and independent theatres continue to be consumed by large conglomerates, the brattle theatre has remained successful and true to its roots as a venue to see innovative and essential films. Starting with the programming of cy harvey and bryant halliday in 1953, the brattle has been the unofficial film school for boston-area residents, showing everything from casablanca to breaking the waves, the works of buster keaton to wong kar-wai. Over the years, the brattles diverse programming has brought many films to view that might otherwise have been forgotten or missed.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 36
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 90.5%; rating input score 91
  • Program expense ratio: 77.8%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.24 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 92.3%; rating input score 92; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.1%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.74; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.86; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.8%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 90.5% of revenue deployed · 77.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 13 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $71K · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 14/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 45/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 34/100.