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SF Film Commission
San Francisco Film Commission Film Space Grant
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, City Hall, Room 473
San Francisco, California
The San Francisco Film Commission is inviting applications for its Film Space grant program.
To help facilitate film production activities in San Francisco, grants of up to $48,000 will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that assist independent filmmakers with low-cost office and film production space in the city.
To be eligible, applicants must be considered tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and focus on the development and production of film in San Francisco through support for and the education of individual filmmakers. Applicants also must be based San Francisco and support filmmakers who are actively engaged in a film, video, television, or other moving image project in any genre and in any stage of production. At least one of the filmmakers supported by the organization must be working on a film that will have 55 percent of its shoot days in San Francisco.
Applicant organizations must have a three-year annual operating budget of at least $500,000 and demonstrate ownership or the lease of a facility suitable for ongoing use by two or more filmmakers for film office and production activities.
See the SFFC website for complete program guidelines and application instructions.
Download the application for more information, elgibility requirements and details here: 
San Francisco Film Commission Film Space Grant
San Francisco Film Commission Film Space GRANT
FY2017- 2019
San Francisco Film Commission Film Space (SFFCFS) grant is designed to provide financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that assist independent filmmakers by providing low cost office and film production space in San Francisco in order to facilitate film production activities in San Francisco.
Grant Amount: not to exceed $48,000. Final Grant amount shall be determined by the Film Commission.
Deadline: June 9, 2017
Award Announcement: June 26, 2017
Grant Period: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant's mission focuses on the development and production of film in San Francisco through support and education of individual filmmakers.
- Tax-exempt organization. All applicants must be tax exempt charitable organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code.
- The organization’s headquarters and primary operations must be in San Francisco.
- The filmmakers supported by the organization must be actively engaged in a film, video, television or other moving image project in any genre and in any stage of production -- from screenwriting to strategizing the project’s exhibition, distribution and outreach plan.
- At least one of the filmmakers supported by the organization must be working on a film which will shoot 55% of its shoot days in San Francisco.
- Continuing and stable presence in the community. The organization has a continuing existence and ongoing operations.
- Applicants must demonstrate that they own or are leasing a facility suitable for ongoing use by two or more filmmakers (the "subgrantee filmmakers") for film office and film production activities (“Qualified Film Space”) and that such ownership or lease will continue for at least two years.
- Applicants who receive a grant award (“Grantee”) must enter into a written grant agreement with the City that, in addition to the terms and conditions of such grant, requires the Grantee to acknowledge the receipt of Film Space funding by using the following phrase in all materials produced as a result of this award, and in any interviews or during events “This event/activity/program is supported by Film SF, the San Francisco Film Commission”. Grantee must also display the Film SF logo on all printed and electronic matter. Additionally, all subgrantee filmmakers are to expressly credit the San Francisco Film Commission on all film productions that used space funded in whole or in part by the grant. In addition, as a further condition of such grant, Grantee(s) shall maintain their occupancy in the same Qualified Film Space facility on a continuous basis during the grant term, unless otherwise approved in writing in advance by the Executive Director of the Film Commission. The Film Commission reserves the right to immediately withdraw grant funding or terminate the grant if a Grantee fails to maintain continuous occupancy in a Qualified Film Space during the term of the grant.
Operating Budget Eligibility
The three-year average annual operating budget (income or expense) must be at least $500,000.
FUNDING RESTRICTIONS
- City-owned Cultural Centers are ineligible for Creative Space funding.
- Nonprofit organizations already leasing space from the City are not eligible to apply.
- Programs of another City agency or department are not eligible to apply.
- Applicants cannot submit more than one application per grant term.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Please provide a budget narrative that will help panelists understand your organization’s financial position.
- Organizations with a reserve or operating surplus should provide a budget narrative that explains your reserve policy or plans for use of the surplus.
- Organizations with accumulated deficits must provide a budget narrative that details how the deficit developed and plans for the deficit reduction.
- Organizations that hold outstanding loans or have defaulted on loans must provide a budget narrative that details the terms of the loan repayment or circumstances of the default.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Organizations must meet the minimum qualifications listed above and be providing facilities or other forms of support to filmmakers with a significant tie to San Francisco, who are working on professional quality productions. Organizations must describe the activities and ways in which they serve the film community and individual filmmakers.
Applications will be reviewed by a three-member panel that includes the Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Commission. The review panel reserves the right to review applications and to decline to issue any grant where it does not receive qualified applications or for any other reason it its sole discretion.
SUBMITTING YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION PACKET
All applications must be received by the San Francisco Film office by 5pm the day of the deadline or postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service by the deadline date. We do not accept postmarks from office postage meters or applications sent via e-mail or fax. Proposals sent via mail carriers other than USPS (i.e., UPS, FedEx) are subject to the in-office deadline.
Deliver application packets to: Mail application packets to:
San Francisco Film Commission
City Hall, Room 473
San Francisco, CA 94102
In fairness to others, late and substantively incomplete applications will not be accepted.
FOR ASSISTANCE
You may contact the San Francisco Film Commission staff for further assistance. You may call 415-554-6241 or email film@sfgov.org with questions.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
Submit three (3) sets in the following order; copied, double-sided and three-hole-punched.
o Application Form
o IRS tax determination letter.
Provide a detailed budget, including income and expenses.
o Current Balance Sheet.
o Explanations of surplus/deficit.
o Key Project Personnel: For each, include a one-paragraph bio and description of roles, and indicate if the person is a regular staff member or specifically engaged for the project. If a key position(s) is
vacant, provide a list of the qualifications and describe the search process.
o List of Staff members with positions: Add a “V” next to the name of each volunteer and a “P” next to
the name of each person who will be paid.
o List of Board of Directors: Include their affiliation, length of time served and term expiration dates.
Describe the roles and responsibilities of the board, specifically for the proposed Initiative.
o For organizations with a three-year average annual operating budget of at least $500,000 state the percentage of Board members who are from the historically underserved community identified in your
mission statement.
o Your organization’s calendar of activities for the last completed program year, current year,
and proposed next 2 years. Not applicable to non-profit housing developers.
Promotional Materials. Submit three (3) labeled sets in separate envelopes.
o Up to three (3) samples of your organization’s promotional materials, such as brochures, fliers,
catalogues, etc. related to your film space/residents events. If you are submitting a more complicated or costly item, such as a book, you need only
submit two (2) sets.
Digital File of Application. Submit one (1) set.
o Digital File of Application on CD. Include application form and all attachments in digital form.
APPLICATION FORM
GRANT CATEGORY: Film Space Grant
GRANT APPLICANT:
LEGAL NAME, IF DIFFERENT
CONTACT PERSON + TITLE
CORPORATE ADDRESS
MAILING ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT
CHECK IF NEW ADDRESS CHECK IF NEW MAILING ADDRESS
DAY PHONE
MOBILE
FAX
WEBSITE
PROVIDE A VALID E-MAIL. PANEL NOTICES AND IMPORTANT GRANT INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO THIS E-MAIL.
NUMBER OF THE SUPERVISOR’S DISTRICT WHERE YOUR OFFICE IS:
NUMBER OF THE SUPERVISOR’S DISTRICT OF THE FACILITY ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT:
YOUR DISTRICT NUMBER CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP://GISPUBWEB.SFGOV.ORG/WEBSITE/NUVIEWER/MONSMAP.ASP
HAS YOUR ORGANIZATION APPLIED FOR OR RECEIVED FUNDS FROM GFTA THIS FISCAL YEAR? YES NO
IF YES, PLEASE INDICATE THE AMOUNT EXPECTED OR RECEIVED: $
IF YES WHAT PORTION OF THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR THIS PROJECT? $
ELIGIBILITY
INDICATE IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS A 501(C)(3) ARTS ORGANIZATION:
DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION’S MISSION STATEMENT INVOLVE MAINLY AND CLEARLY THE DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTION
OF FILM PRODUCTION? YES NO
YEAR FOUNDED:
YEAR INCORPORATED:
DO YOU HAVE A TWO-YEAR HISTORY OF SUPPORTING FILM PRODUCTION?
DATES & BRIEF ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION OF THIS WORK:
3-YEAR AVERAGE. INDICATE INCOME AND EXPENSE FOR THE LAST THREE COMPLETED FISCAL YEARS AND INDICATE WHETHER YOU ARE ON A FISCAL YEAR OR A CALENDAR YEAR AND WHICH YEARS THEY ARE.
CHECK
CY OR FY
YEAR:
YEAR:
YEAR:
3 YEAR AVERAGE
INCOME
EXPENSE
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)
ACCUMULATED
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT)
SIGNIFICANT IN-KIND
PROJECT INFORMATION
PROJECT SUMMARY. SUMMARIZE YOUR PROPOSED PROJECT IN 75 WORDS OR LESS. WORD OVERAGE WILL NOT BE READ.
GRANT REQUEST AMOUNT
TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET
PERCENTAGE OF GRANT REQUEST OF TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET
PROJECT START DATE
PROJECT END DATE
PROJECTED NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE SERVED/IMPACTED BY THIS PROJECT THIS YEAR:
PROJECTED NUMBER OF FILMMAKERS TO BE SERVED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION THIS YEAR:
PROJECTED AUDIENCE NUMBER TO BE SERVED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION THIS YEAR:
PROJECTED AUDIENCE NUMBER TO BE REACHED BY THE WEB:
TOTAL AUDIENCE NUMBER SERVED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION LAST YEAR:
CERTIFICATION
I CERTIFY THAT, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THE APPLICANT FULLY MEETS ALL THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FY2017-2019 SFFC FILM SPACE GRANTS AND THE DATA IN THIS APPLICATION AND ANY ATTACHMENTS IS TRUE AND CORRECT. I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY MISREPRESENTATIONS OF INFORMATION WILL AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFY THIS APPLICATION, AND RENDER THE APPLICANT INELIGIBLE TO APPLY
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT _____________________________________________________________
DATE_______________________________________________________________________________________________
PRINT NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING THIS FORM____________________________________________________________________
SFFC FILM SPACE
FACILITY OVERVIEW
ADDRESS OF FACILITY (AND CROSS-STREETS):
SQUARE FOOTAGE OF FACILITY IN GRANT PROPOSAL:
NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE FACILITY:
TOTAL CAPACITY OF FACILITY
SUMMARY OF HOW FACILITY IS CURRENTLY USED.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE FACILITY:
CURRENTLY OWN CURRENTLY LEASE PLAN TO LEASE PLAN TO OWN
IF YOU LEASE, OR PLAN TO LEASE THE FACILITY:
NAME OF LANDLORD:
NUMBER OF YEARS REMAINING ON LEASE:
ALL APPLICANTS:
ESTIMATED CURRENT MAINTENANCE BUDGET:
IF THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN OR SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS
INDICATE THE OVERALL PROJECT BUDGET:
SUMMARY OF CURRENT FACILITY MAINTENANCE PLAN AND SCHEDULE, INCLUDING PERSONNEL IF APPLICABLE:
SUMMARY OF PAST IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO THE FACILITY BY YOUR ORGANIZATION:
SUMMARY OF ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS BEYOND THIS PROJECT:
YOUR ORGANIZATION & YOUR COMMUNITY/AUDIENCE
Provide your mission and vision statements, an overview of your organization's evolution, and programmatic activities. Describe your community and/or audience, and how your organization engages them. Limit this response to 2 pages or less.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT
- Describe the proposed project in detail. Explain why the project is necessary/important.
- Describe how the project will impact your ability to provide programs and/or services to your filmmakers.
- Describe how the staff leadership and Board of Directors (and community members, if appropriate) are involved in the project; and the decision making process.
Required Documentation
Grantees must submit the following to set up their grant and show they are in compliance with the City of San Francisco’s guidelines. These requirements are subject to change and applicable to any and all
active grants.
Grant Agreements
Grantees must sign a standard contract with the City & County of San Francisco. This is
required of all entities contracting with the City.
Compliance Documentation
If you have not received funding from the City of San Francisco in the past, you will have to establish
a record with the City through the submission of the following forms:
W-9 Taxpayer Identification Form
If this is your first time doing business with the city, you must complete and sign this form in order to
receive any payments from the city and to establish a vendor record. Official updates to your
address must also be made by W9. Grant payments will not be made without a current address on
file.
Human Rights Commission Non-Discrimination Documentation Form
Grantees must be certified as meeting the legally mandated non-discrimination and equal benefits
requirements of the City of San Francisco. Please note that this is a one-time process but it is
extensive and can take several months. If you have employees to whom you provide benefits, you
will have to prove that these benefits are extended equally to employees with domestic partners and
employees with spouses. All decisions are at the sole discretion of the Human Rights Commission.
Business Tax Registration Form
If your business is a non-profit organization, it is exempt from the Business Tax Certificate
registration fee and San Francisco payroll taxes. However, tax-exempt organizations must still
register with the Tax Collector and are required to provide proof of their non-profit status in order to
receive an exemption. You must provide a copy of the statement from the Internal Revenue Service
verifying exempt status. If you have not registered, please contact the Tax Collector’s office directly:
Insurance and Waiver Requests
The City & County of San Francisco requires three forms of insurance coverage from grantees:
General Liability, Workers’ Compensation and Commercial Automobile Insurance. Certificates
demonstrating adequate coverage must be provided.
General Liability coverage must be maintained at a minimum of $1 million each occurrence and
$2 million aggregate. Workers’ Compensation insurance coverage must be a minimum of $1 million.
Automobile Insurance coverage must be at a minimum of $1 million. For both the General and Auto liability, the City requires an endorsement naming the “City & County of San Francisco, its officers, agents and employees” as additional insured and the San Francisco Film Commission must be named as the certificate holder.
If you do not have the required insurance or do not have coverage at the required levels, you will
have to submit a waiver request. Please note that all waiver requests are subject to approval by the
City Risk Manager’s office. Additional proof of coverage or information may be requested by the Risk
Manager at his discretion.
* Organizations with a budget over $100,000 must carry General Liability coverage and cannot
request a waiver. A General Liability waiver request does not release grantees from the obligation to
have coverage for your project activities through a venue or other presenting agent. If a venue will
not be covering your events, you must purchase event insurance. Event insurance certificates must
name the “City & County of San Francisco, its agents, officers and employees” as additional insured
and the San Francisco Film Commission as certificate holder.
Final Reports and Default Policy
Final Reports, Site Visit, and Film Commission presentation
Grantees must submit a satisfactory final report within 30 days of the end of the grant window. If a
final report is not received within those 30 days, the grantee will have breached the Grant Agreement
and be considered in default. Grantees are responsible for submitting a timely report. A reminder will
not be sent at the end of the grant period. Annual final reports shall include: list of filmmakers, stage of development, note which productions filming in San Francisco, type of production and short narrative highlighting grant impact, benefit, and key events which occurred in that fiscal year.
Grantees will also present their final report at a Film Commission meeting within 2 Commission meetings after submission of their report. Commission meetings occur monthly on the fourth Monday of the month. The Film Office will work with the grantee to schedule a short presentation at the Commission meeting.
Film SF will conduct and schedule an annual informal site visit to grantee which will be determined at a time convenient for both the grantee and the Film Office.
Default Policy
If a final report is not received in a timely manner, the grantee will have breached the Grant
Agreement and be considered in default. Grantees in default will be ineligible to apply to the SFFC Film Space Grants for a period equal to the time they are in default (the period from end of their grant
window until a complete final report is received), with a minimum period of ineligibility of twelve
months. In addition, any remaining balance on the grants in default will be dissolved.
Organization: SF Film Commission
Website: http://filmsf.org/san-francisco-film-commission-film-space-grant