Fiscal Sponsorship Program
HOW DOES FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WORK?
As your fiscal sponsor, French in Motion serves as a non-profit tax-exempt umbrella organization, accepting and managing donations and grants made to your project. We are legally responsible for the funds received on behalf of fiscally sponsored projects, ensuring they are used exclusively for the agreed-upon activities and that donor reporting requirements are fulfilled promptly.
It’s important to note that fiscal sponsorship does not make us your producers or fundraisers, nor are we involved in the vision, content, or production of your project, be it film or anything else. All proprietary rights, titles, and interests in the completed project remain solely with you.
Fiscal sponsorship does not provide grants or assist in researching funding opportunities for individual projects.
OVERALL PROCESS
Once accepted into the program, here is what the process looks like from start to finish.
1. Getting Started
Once your project is approved, you will:
Sign a Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement
Become a French in Motion member.
2. Your Project Page
French in Motion will create a dedicated page for your project on our website.
It will present your project publicly, provide visibility within the FIM network, and include a direct donation link.
To set up your page, you must provide:
Project title
Logline
Short description (max 150–200 words)
Visual (poster or still)
Optional: trailer or teaser link
3. How Donations Work
All donations must be made to French in Motion, with your project name referenced.
You may direct donors to your FIM project page or provide instructions for check, wire transfer, or other approved payment methods.
4. Payment Methods
FIM currently accepts:
Credit card via Zeffy
Wire transfers (fees, if applicable, are at the project's expense)
⚠️ Banking details are shared only when needed and are not publicly listed.
5. Communicating with Donors
When reaching out to donors, you must clearly state that your project is fiscally sponsored by French in Motion and that donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.
You may not present your project as a nonprofit, issue tax receipts, or collect tax-deductible donations outside of FIM.
6. Fundraising Responsibility
You are fully responsible for identifying donors, conducting outreach, and managing your fundraising strategy.
French in Motion does not fundraise on your behalf and does not guarantee funding outcomes.
7. ACCESSing Funds
Funds are disbursed upon request, once donations have cleared, and in accordance with the approved project budget.
8. Financial Tracking
You are required to track all project expenses, retain receipts and documentation, and provide supporting materials upon request.
9. Reporting
You will be asked to provide an annual update on your project, including a summary of activities and use of funds, and to maintain appropriate records of project-related expenses. This enables French in Motion to meet its accounting and compliance obligations.
10. Credit
Your project must include the following credit line: "[Project Title] is fiscally sponsored by French in Motion."
The FIM logo will be provided upon acceptance.
A Key Reminder
Fiscal sponsorship provides a financial and administrative framework — not funding itself.