The Central Coast Film Society received a 2021 Gold Seal of Transparency from GuideStar, an aggregator of nonprofit information.
The Gold Seal is one of the company’s highest levels of recognition, signifying openness in reporting institutional finances and performance.
“Our support comes directly from our local Central Coast communities and so we, as a nonprofit organization, have a duty to be as transparent as possible for our supporters,” said Daniel Lahr, executive director for the film society. “GuideStar is one of the go-to places to check how nonprofits are doing, but GuideStar is also the way for us to be eligible to participate in programs such as AmazonSmile. That allows shoppers on AmazonSmile to support us with their everyday purchases.”
The GuideStar database contains a profile for every tax-exempt nonprofit registered with the IRS. The Central Coast Film Society received 501(c)3 nonprofit status in April of 2019, with a goal to provide local filmmakers and films a venue to call home, to foster future media artists, and to create opportunities to get involved in the industry by hosting lectures, screenings and eventually a film festival in the Santa Ynez Valley.
The film society has hosted screenings of films that have connections to the Central Coast as well as a student competition and talks with local filmmakers. It also started a podcast Take 18, which discusses film and media on the Central Coast with local filmmakers, documentaries, production and special effects directors, animators, stunt people and many others.
Plans for the coming year include a virtual film festival as well as more podcast interviews.
Visit www.centralcoastfilmsociety.org for more information.
email: gmccormick@newspress.com
