The Film Society of Minneapolis St Paul

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
411802905
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6123317563
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Film, Video

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,113,126
Expenses
$3,066,638
Assets
$4,068,276
Liabilities
$3,576,314

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

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SUSAN SMOLUCHOWSKI (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • SUSAN SMOLUCHOWSKI (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $141,156 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 mission of the film society of minneapolis st. Paul is to foster a knowledgeable and vibrant appreciation of the art of film and its power to inform and transform individuals and communities. Our mission is accomplished thorugh commitment to exhibiting the very best of new and classic local, domestic and international independent cinema. These notable award-winning films represent many perspectives and experiences and are, for the most part, simply not otherwise available to audiences in the region. And so, through the power of great cinema, we expose our audiences, in a unique way, to a rare mix of cultures, ideas, current affairs and notable filmmaking from around the world. Our mission is carried out through the annual minneapolis st. Paul international film festival, regular special themed series, and daily screenings of new releases and classics from around the globe.

What it reported doing in 2024

The vision of the film society of minneapolis st. Paul is to present the best in international independent cinema, screening more than 600 independent new and historic, national and international documentary and narrative films to a growing audience of over 165,000 annually. The film society exhibits year-round on a daily basis, presents a number of multi-day film series and, each april, produces and presents its centerpiece, the annual two week minneapolis st. Paul international film festival, one of the largest cultural events in the region, now drawing nearly 50,000 attendees each year.programming includes many first-run premieres of international, art house and independent feature films. These award winning films from around the globe have great artistic and cultural value, represent many perspectives and experiences, are rarely available on other regional screens and play to avid, diverse and growing audiences who would not otherwise have the opportunity to see them. So, through the power of great cinema, we expose our audiences, in a unique way, to a rare mix of cultures, ideas, current affairs and notable filmmaking from around the world.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 68% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 86
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.2%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 81.4%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.8 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th 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: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.5%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.33; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.88; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 4.6%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 13.5% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 8.4% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 24.4% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.2% of revenue deployed · 81.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 14 of 15 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $141K · 15 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 39/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 47/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 56/100.