AMP Sponsored Projects Program
Fiscal sponsorship and project support from Artistic Mediation Productions, enabling independent filmmakers to receive tax-deductible donations and foundation grants.
Overview
Artistic Mediation Productions (AMP) operates a sponsored projects program that provides independent film and media projects with 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsorship. Through AMP's sponsorship, filmmakers can receive tax-deductible donations from individuals and apply for foundation grants that require a nonprofit organizational partner -- without incorporating a separate nonprofit entity.
AMP's program is one of a number of fiscal sponsorship options available to US independent filmmakers, alongside Fractured Atlas, Film Independent, and Women Make Movies. Each fiscal sponsor has a different organizational identity and applicant community. AMP positions itself as a fiscally and creatively accessible sponsor, with a focus on independent media projects that have a social, artistic, or community dimension.
What It Offers
Fiscal sponsorship through AMP provides:
- 501(c)(3) umbrella: Donations made to sponsored projects through AMP are tax-deductible for the donor, opening access to individual major donors, family foundations, and community foundations that require nonprofit status
- Foundation grant eligibility: Many grant-making organizations -- including government arts agencies and private foundations -- require applicants to have nonprofit status. AMP's sponsorship satisfies this requirement
- Fundraising infrastructure: AMP processes donations on behalf of the project, issues tax receipts to donors, and disburses funds to the filmmaker on a defined schedule
- Project visibility: AMP-sponsored projects are listed in the organization's sponsored projects portfolio, providing some additional visibility within the independent film funding community
AMP charges an administrative fee on donations received through the sponsorship, which covers the organization's processing and compliance costs. Filmmakers should account for this fee in their fundraising targets.
Eligibility
AMP's sponsorship program is open to independent film and media projects with a social, artistic, or community purpose. Projects must go through an application process and be accepted into the program before fundraising can begin under AMP's nonprofit umbrella.
The program is primarily oriented toward US-based projects. Filmmakers should review the current sponsorship guidelines for eligibility criteria and the application process.
Fiscal Sponsorship as a Fundraising Foundation
For independent filmmakers without their own nonprofit status, fiscal sponsorship is a prerequisite for accessing a significant portion of the documentary and independent film funding landscape. Many foundations, individual major donors, and arts agencies will not fund a project without a nonprofit partner. Securing fiscal sponsorship before beginning serious fundraising is one of the most practical steps an independent filmmaker can take.
Who Should Apply
Independent filmmakers in the United States working on documentary or fiction projects with social, artistic, or community dimensions who need a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor to access foundation grants and tax-deductible individual donations.
See Also
For understanding how fiscal sponsorship fits into a complete documentary financing strategy, see Documentary Financing: Building Your Stack. For modeling fundraising targets and revenue projections, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
