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Moonshot Initiative INC

Kingston, NY · EIN 933333594 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · NTEE A20 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · moonshotinitiative.org
revenue
$152K
expenses
$147K
net assets
$15K
employees
mission · from form 990

Promote gender equity in the film & television industry

profile · synthesized from sources

Moonshot Initiative is a nonprofit organization based in Kingston, NY, focused on advancing gender equity in the film and television industry. It runs virtual accelerator programs that train and connect women and gender-expansive writers with studios, production companies, and industry professionals. The organization supports emerging talent through mentorship, pitch preparation, and direct access to decision-makers in Hollywood.

named programs · 1 · from sources

What they call their work

Moonshot Pilot Accelerator
A virtual accelerator program for TV writers that provides three weeks of industry training, career advice, and pitch preparation, culminating in one-on-one pitch meetings with 20–30 studios and production companies.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Emerging Filmmaker Support Programs 4 activities
    • Facilitating professional networking and placement opportunities
      Facilitates networking opportunities for creatives to connect with collaborators and industry leaders; connects fellows to over 20 studios and production companies per accelerator, resulting in 6–10 pitch meeting requests per fellow, with 85% leading to full script read requests, and has supported placements in writers' rooms and executive meetings.
    • Hosting film challenge programs for early-career filmmakers
      Hosts a film challenge program that supports early-career filmmakers in building portfolios and professional networks; has hosted over 1,100 participants and facilitated networking opportunities with industry professionals.
    • Producing short films and supporting film festival submissions
      Produces short films through programmatic support and provides full production assistance including crew placement, cinema-quality equipment, insurance, and stipends for film festival submissions; has produced over 40 short films through programs, with films accepted into over 150 film festivals.
    • Running accelerator programs for emerging screenwriters and filmmakers
      Runs intensive accelerator programs—including virtual and in-person formats—for emerging TV writers and filmmakers, offering industry training, pitch opportunities with studios and producers, and career advancement support; selected 96 quarter-finalist TV pilot scripts in 2026 from nearly 1,000 submissions and selects 6–8 feature fellows annually.
  • Gender Equity Research and Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advancing gender equity in film and television through advocacy
      Works to advance gender equity in the film and television industry through systemic advocacy efforts.
  • Fashion and Creative Industries Education 1 activity
    • Delivering skills-building workshops and courses for creators
      Offers low-cost workshops and intensive online courses for creators at all career stages to develop industry-specific skills and advance professionally; has engaged over 25,000 individuals in workshops and provides ongoing support, guidance, and community through course offerings.
  • Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
    • Providing fiscal sponsorship for gender-equity-aligned film projects
      Provides fiscal sponsorship to projects led by women and gender-expansive creators, enabling tax-deductible donations; retains a 7% administrative fee and disburses funds to sponsored projects within 7 business days when account balances reach $500 or more.
  • Women's Rights and Empowerment Grants 1 activity
    • Reducing financial barriers to participation
      Provides financial assistance and low-cost memberships to reduce financial barriers for women and gender-expansive individuals participating in programs.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Screenplay review and selection process
      Ensures all submitted scripts are read at least twice by internal staff, volunteers, and former fellows before advancing to semi-finalist selection stages.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$152K
Contributions & grants$93K61%
Program service revenue$59K39%
Investment income
Other revenue
expenses
Total expenses$147K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$106K
Grants paid out
balance sheet
Total assets$16K
Cash
Investments
Liabilities
Net assets$15K
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 1
  • JANET GRAHAM BORBA — Board Member
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • Amplify Her Foundation Funder — Additional funder providing financial support for the film challenge
  • Amplify Her Foundation Partner — Maia Molina-Schaefer, Board Member, is Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Amplify Her Foundation, indicating an organizational leadership link.
  • Artists Thrive Funder — Additional funder providing financial support for the film challenge
  • Coverfly Partner — Partners with Coverfly to manage applications and promote the accelerator program to a wider pool of writers.
  • Fabel Entertainment Partner — Jasmine Russ, Board Member, is Vice President at Fabel Entertainment, indicating a leadership-level connection.
  • Fabel Entertainment Partner — VP of development & production at Fabel Entertainment has participated in pitch sessions and provided feedback on fellows' presentations.
  • HBO Partner — Facilitates pitch meetings between emerging creators and HBO executives.
  • HBO & Max Government — Janet Graham Borba, Board Member, is Executive Vice President of Production for HBO & Max, indicating a senior industry affiliation.
  • HUDSY TV Partner — Partner organization enabling a satellite crew in the Hudson Valley
  • K Period Media Partner — Representative from K Period Media has evaluated pitches and described them as among the best ever heard.
  • Moonshot Initiative Network — Independent filmmakers must have an active annual membership with Moonshot Initiative to qualify for fiscal sponsorship.
  • NEON Partner — Judge Elissa Federoff from NEON provided a testimonial about the quality of the accelerator and its participants.
  • NYWIFT Partner — Co-hosted a networking mixer for filmmakers with Moonshot Initiative.
  • Netflix Partner — Facilitates pitch meetings between emerging creators and Netflix executives.
  • New York State Council on the Arts Government — Primary grant funder supporting the Moonshot Film Challenge
  • Roadmap Writers Partner — Donated a raffle prize for a Moonshot Initiative networking event.
  • annual member Network — Individuals who receive discounted or free access to courses through membership
  • educational institutions Partner — Partners with educational institutions to increase awareness about representation in film and television through workshops and campaigns.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Full Funding Removes Career Barriers
    methodology: barrier-removal-through-full-funding
    By fully funding production and removing financial obstacles, we enable filmmakers to focus on creative development and career growth because financial resourcing eliminates the need for time-consuming fundraising and lowers entry barriers for underrepresented talent.
  • Industry Access as Career Acceleration
    methodology: pipeline-to-industry-access
    By connecting women and gender-expansive creators directly with major industry players and decision-makers, we accelerate their career advancement because access to power brokers increases opportunities for hiring, representation, and script development.
  • Storytelling Drives Cultural Transformation
    methodology: cultural-transformation-through-storytelling
    By centering narratives from diverse, underrepresented voices in media, we shift societal perceptions of gender and leadership because authentic storytelling challenges dominant cultural norms and redefines representation.