named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Audience Engagement Campaigns
Channels audience enthusiasm from film screenings into donations and community actions supporting featured nonprofits
Documentary Impact Grants
Provides funding to documentary films that highlight urgent social issues and awards corresponding grants to nonprofits working on those topics
Tribeca Festival VIP Packages
Sells exclusive VIP access to the Tribeca Festival as a fundraiser, with tax-deductible donations supporting year-round operations
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 2 activities
- Awarding microgrants for documentary film screeningsProvides microgrants of up to $1,000 to support community film screenings, covering licensing fees and hosting expenses to expand audience engagement with social issue documentaries.
- Funding documentary films on urgent social issuesAwards grants to support the production and completion of documentary films that highlight urgent social issues, enabling their participation in major film festivals such as Sundance, Tribeca, and DOC NYC. Examples include "March Forth," "Seized," "Lowland Kids," and "Daughters."
-
-
General Operating Support Grants 1 activity
- Funding nonprofit organizations addressing issues featured in documentariesAwards grants and matching funds to nonprofit organizations working on social issues highlighted in supported documentaries, such as Gideon's Promise, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Bishop Accountability. Grants range from $25,000 to $30,000 and include matching donation campaigns during film festivals.
-
-
Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Hosting public engagement events at film festivalsOrganizes and participates in public panel discussions and film festival events, such as at the Sundance and DOC NYC film festivals, to raise awareness about documentaries like "Lowland Kids" and "Nuns vs. The Vatican" and mobilize audience support.
-
-
Digital Donation Processing Platforms 1 activity
- Passing through donor contributions to granteesProcesses donations to partner organizations such as Gideon's Promise, passing through 100% of funds minus credit card processing fees, to support their mission-aligned work.
-
-
Charitable Grantmaking to Specific Causes 1 activity
- Supporting education and resilience initiatives through targeted grantsFunded the establishment of an education fund for girls featured in the film "Daughters" via Girls For A Change and awarded a $20,000 grant to support disaster services and the creation of a Resilience Hub for the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$488K
Contributions & grants$471K97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$16K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$360K
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$109K
Grants paid out$177K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$565K
Cash$500K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$565K
Liquid reserves16.7 mo
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue +11.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLLEEN HAMMOND | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 20 | $60K |
| DAVID EARLS | CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 20 | $40K |
board members · 8
- CHRISTIE MARCHESE — BOARD MEMBER
- DIN BLANKENSHIP — BOARD MEMBER
- FERNE PEARLSTEIN — FORMER BOARD MEMBER
- JEFFREY WRIGHT — BOARD CO-CHAIR
- LILY BAND — BOARD CO-CHAIR
- LOREN HAMMONDS — SECRETARY
- SAL AL-RASHID — BOARD MEMBER
- SAMANTHA RUDIN EARLS — TREASURER
relationships · 44
Who they work with
- All The Empty Rooms Partner — Received a $25,000 grant from Subject Matter Inc to support impact and outreach efforts.
- Bishop Accountability Partner — Received a $25,000 grant from Subject Matter to support archival and documentation efforts related to clergy abuse.
- BishopAccountability.Org Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Nuns vs. The Vatican" on sexual abuse and gender equality
- Campaign for Southern Equality Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Just Kids" on trans youth healthcare
- Climigration Network Partner — Partner in a collaborative effort with FPCC and the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation to advance Indigenous-led adaptation efforts and influence national policy.
- DOC NYC Partner — Partnered with Subject Matter for screenings of "Lowland Kids" at the 2025 film festival.
- Daughters Partner — Film project receiving grant funding and central to audience engagement and impact initiatives.
- Essie Justice Group Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "A Woman on the Outside" on mass incarceration
- First People's Conservation Council Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Lowland Kids" on climate crisis and Indigenous rights
- First People’s Conservation Council Partner — Partner organization receiving grant funding from Subject Matter to support disaster services and resilience planning for the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation.
- Freedom Reads Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "March Forth" on mass incarceration and literature
- Freedom Reads Partner — Partner nonprofit organization supported through grants and campaign participation
- Gideon's Promise Partner — Collaborates with Gideon's Promise by directing donations and awarding grants to support their public defense work.
- Gideon's Promise Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "When A Witness Recants" on systemic racism in the justice system
- Girls For A Change Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Daughters" on incarceration's impact on families
- Girls For A Change Partner — Received a grant from Subject Matter to establish an education fund for girls featured in the film _Daughters_.
- Girls for a Change Partner — Partner nonprofit organization receiving grant funding and collaborating on impact initiatives related to the film Daughters.
- Guidestar Network — Profile listed on Guidestar, indicating transparency and participation in the nonprofit data network.
- House Lives Matter Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "I'm Your Venus" on LGBTQIA+ rights and gender-based violence
- Jean Charles Choctaw Nation Partner — Indigenous community receiving disaster services and resilience planning support through a grant awarded to FPCC.
- John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "All The Empty Rooms" on gun violence
- Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions Partner — Received a $25,000 grant from Subject Matter Inc to support efforts to reduce gun violence.
- Lakota People's Law Project Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Lakota Nation vs United States" on Indigenous rights
- Northwest Immigrant Rights Project Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "All We Carry" on immigrant rights
- Nuns vs. The Vatican Partner — Received a $25,000 grant from Subject Matter to support outreach and audience engagement for the documentary film.
- Our Three Winners Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "36 Seconds: Portrait of a Hate Crime" on racism and hate crimes
- PEN America Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "The Librarians" on book bans and intellectual freedom
- Parents 4 Peace Partner — Grantee partner producing the film "Refuge" on extremism and racism
- Participant Media Partner — Christie Marchese, a board member of Subject Matter, previously worked at Participant Media, a film studio focused on social impact storytelling.
- Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) Partner — David Earls serves as a director, indicating a leadership affiliation and ongoing connection between Subject Matter leadership and PAC NYC.
+ 14 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Engaged Film Outreachmethodology: community-engaged outreachBy partnering with local nonprofits, educators, and community centers to host documentary screenings, the organization expands access and participation because trusted local institutions lower barriers to engagement and deepen the relevance of film-driven narratives within diverse communities.
- Defending Democracy Through Narrativemethodology: defending_democracy_through_narrativeBy funding narrative projects that highlight threats to intellectual freedom and press freedom, the organization strengthens democratic values because storytelling can shape public understanding and mobilize civic engagement around foundational liberties.
- Literature as Spiritual Restoration in Carceral Settingsmethodology: literature-as-spiritual-restorationBy placing handcrafted bookcases and Freedom Libraries in prisons, the organization provides access to literature and beauty to counteract dehumanization, restore dignity, and foster inner resilience because meaningful cultural engagement affirms personhood and combats psychological isolation.
- Story-Driven Impact Modelmethodology: story-driven impact modelBy funding documentary films and aligning grants with the social issues they expose, the organization generates public engagement and channels audience inspiration into tangible support for grassroots nonprofits, creating a multiplier effect where storytelling drives community action and funding.