Doc Society Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
461094197
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2013
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
3472040398
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Public Foundations

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,427,855
Expenses
$1,991,029
Assets
$3,535,897
Liabilities
$302,246

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MAXYNE FRANKLIN (SECY/TREASURER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • MEGHA AGRAWAL SOOD (BOARD MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • EDITH FINZI (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • MAXYNE FRANKLIN (SECY/TREASURER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $161,519 total reported compensation
  • MEGHA AGRAWAL SOOD (BOARD MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $147,729 total reported compensation
  • EDITH FINZI (VICE PRESIDENT): $109,344 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

We bring people together to unleash the transformational power of independent documentary film. We serve individual filmmakers and the growing network of partners who support them globally. We help build new models, aiming to innovate, share freely and innovate again.a commitment to anti-racism, economic equity and climate justice is embedded in and informs all we do to promote dignity and belonging.

What it reported doing in 2024

The organization supports documentary filmmakers worldwide by providing financial resources and strategic guidance to advance impactful storytelling. Our mission includes: - providing production financing and strategic support to independent filmmakers. - facilitating partnerships between filmmakers and other philanthropic funders to strengthen documentary projects with social impact. - organizing and leading labs and workshops to engage storytelling communities regionally, nationally, and internationally. - assisting filmmakers in developing impact strategies to reach broader audiences, including underserved communities and civil society organizations.through cultural strategy initiatives, the organization seeks to foster storytelling that contributes to more just, inclusive societies and sustainable futures. Our labs model has been successfully implemented and adapted across various regions, including the brazilian amazon, east and west africa, south asia, mena, and europe.beyond grantmaking and creative development, the organization is committed to strengthening independent voices, reaching underserved audiences, and facilitating critical public conversations that extend beyond mainstream media.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 92% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 64% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 69
  • Accountability: 87
  • Sustainability: 62
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 73.3%; rating input score 73
  • Program expense ratio: 89.4%; rating input score 89
  • Fundraising efficiency: $68.76 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Pass
    • Conducts field audits: Pass
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Pass
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.7%; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 76.9%; rating input score 77; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 18%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.78; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.8%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.2% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 17.5% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 73.3% of revenue deployed · 89.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 13 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $162K · 13 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 31 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 6 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 4 of 8 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Foreign grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.