Fiscal Sponsorship Program

Supporting Independent Film and Creative Projects

French In Motion’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program is designed to support independent filmmakers and creative teams developing projects that serve a public interest and align with our nonprofit mission.

Through fiscal sponsorship, selected projects may raise tax-deductible charitable contributions in the United States under French In Motion’s nonprofit status, without the need to establish their own 501(c)(3). This structure allows creators to focus on their work while benefiting from a compliant and established nonprofit framework.

All fiscally sponsored projects must align with French in Motion’s charitable mission.

French in Motion retains discretion and oversight over the use of all donated funds to ensure they are used exclusively in furtherance of that mission and in compliance with applicable U.S. nonprofit regulations.

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What Fiscal Sponsorship Is — and Is Not

Fiscal sponsorship is a formal nonprofit partnership. French In Motion acts as the administrative and fiduciary sponsor of funds raised for charitable purposes, while the project team retains full creative control and ownership.

French In Motion:

  • Does not produce, finance, or own your project

  • Does not control creative or editorial decisions

Our role is to responsibly receive and manage charitable funds in support of your project’s mission-aligned activities.

OUR MODEL

French in Motion operates its fiscal sponsorship program under a Pre-Approved Grant Relationship (Model C), in line with recognized best practices in the nonprofit sector. Under this model, French in Motion receives charitable contributions and regrants funds to sponsored projects while maintaining appropriate fiduciary responsibility and oversight.

What We Provide

French in Motion will provide fiscal and legal back-office services only, including:

  • Acceptance of tax-deductible donations (credit card via Zeffy, check, wire)

  • Issuance of IRS-compliant donation receipts (501(c)(3))

  • Execution of foundation forms and nonprofit letters of intent

  • Dedicated financial tracking per sponsored project

  • Disbursement of funds to sponsored projects (ACH or check)

  • Simplified annual financial reporting

Eligible Projects


We welcome applications from filmmakers and creative teams whose projects:

  • Documentary, independent fiction, or impact-driven audiovisual projects

  • Non-commercial projects serving a public or educational interest

  • Realistic budget and production timeline

  • Project leads eligible to receive U.S. funds

  • No fully locked commercial distribution (with flexibility)

REVIEW CRITERIA

French in Motion reviews fiscal sponsorship applications based on the following non-exhaustive criteria:

  • The project presents a clear and compelling narrative aligned with French in Motion’s charitable mission

  • The project demonstrates a distinct approach or point of view on its subject matter

  • The project director demonstrates appropriate access to the subject and materials necessary to carry out the project

  • The application materials are complete, clear, and well-structured, and provide an accurate description of the project’s scope, themes, and objectives

  • The project director and/or core team demonstrate the experience and capacity to complete the project

  • The intended audience is clearly identified, with a realistic plan for outreach and engagement

  • The project presents a feasible fundraising strategy, including a reasonable likelihood of raising sufficient funds to complete the project

  • The proposed budget follows industry standards and reflects a realistic and well-planned use of funds

Approval of a project for fiscal sponsorship does not constitute an endorsement of its artistic content and does not guarantee fundraising outcomes.

Program Fees

French In Motion’s fiscal sponsorship fees are designed to remain accessible, transparent, and aligned with industry standards, while covering the real administrative and compliance costs required to operate a responsible nonprofit program.

Application / Membership Requirement — $60

Projects entering the Fiscal Sponsorship Program must either:

  • Hold an active French In Motion membership, or

  • Pay a one-time application fee of $60

Administrative Fee — 6% Flat

French In Motion retains a 6% flat administrative fee on funds raised through the fiscal sponsorship program.

NO Credit Card FEES

Credit card donations are processed through Zeffy, a fundraising platform built specifically for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Zeffy charges no transaction or processing fees, donors may optionally choose to leave a voluntary contribution to Zeffy to support the platform.
It means that 100% of each donation is allocated to the sponsored project.

Other Payment Methods

French In Motion also accepts:

  • Checks

  • Wire transfers

These methods are commonly used by foundations and institutional donors and remain fully supported under the fiscal sponsorship program.

Fundraising Guidelines

Fiscal sponsorship applies to charitable contributions and grants intended to support the public-interest aspects of your project.

Certain types of revenue — such as equity investment or purely commercial income — may fall outside the scope of nonprofit sponsorship. We encourage applicants to discuss their funding strategy with us early so we can ensure alignment and compliance.

Interested in Applying?

The application process is designed to be straightforward and transparent.

  1. Submit the Fiscal Sponsorship Application

  2. Provide required materials (project description, budget, team bios, fundraising plan)

  3. Applications are reviewed internally, without an external jury, for mission alignment, feasibility, and capacity

Selected projects will receive a sponsorship agreement and onboarding materials to begin fundraising.

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