irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $36KLOCAL COMMUNITIES - LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS AND CONNECTS VIDEO JOURNALISTS AND NONFICTION FILMMAKERS IN THEIR OWN REGIONS AND CITIES WITH EDUCATIONAL TOOLS, JOBS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.
- #2 $47KPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP - A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING MONTHLY WORKSHOPS, A MENTORSHIP "STORYTELLING INCUBATOR", AN EDUCATIONAL PODCAST ABOUT FILMMAKING, THE "REST" MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT, AND THE ONGOING PAY TRANSPARENCY PROJECT.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Advisory Circles
Five-month program offering peer-to-peer discussions and expert-led workshops for nonfiction storytellers in three tracks: Development, Impact Distribution, and Digital News
Future of Nonfiction Video (FONV)
Annual gathering convening 400+ nonfiction storytellers for three days of discussions, collaboration, and problem-solving on the future of the field
Local Hubs
Community meetups and events in cities worldwide, including Breakfast Club gatherings and film screenings, fostering local connections among video journalists
Rough Cut Podcast
Podcast featuring conversations with documentary filmmakers and industry leaders on topics like restorative justice, festival culture, and inclusive storytelling ecosystems
Solutions Storytelling Project
Fellowship connecting regional filmmakers and social innovators in the Global South to produce solutions-focused short documentaries
VC Studios
Advising and producing arm that partners with newsrooms and organizations to strengthen visual storytelling through coaching, talent matching, and production support
Workshops
Year-round virtual workshops on practical skills for video journalism and documentary filmmaking, including hosted video production and storytelling techniques
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Emerging Filmmaker Support Programs 2 activities
- Facilitating hiring and collaboration in the documentary fieldOperates an online platform and member forum used by newsrooms and production teams to hire documentary talent and crew, supporting professional hiring and collaboration among visual journalists and filmmakers.
- Operating fellowship and collaborative storytelling programsRuns fellowship initiatives such as the Solutions Storytelling Project and a five-month Global South program that connect filmmakers with social innovators to produce solutions-focused documentaries, with support for production, editing, and funding acquisition.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Delivering video production training and coachingProvides hands-on training and holistic production support to newsroom teams and media outlets, including scripting, on-camera performance, editing, and brand-aligned strategy development, with plans to train 33 outlets in Southwestern Pennsylvania and 10 interns.
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Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
- Hosting annual Future of Nonfiction Video eventOrganizes a multi-day annual event that brings together over 400 nonfiction storytellers for idea-sharing and problem-solving, such as the February 2026 event.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Hosting regular in-person and virtual gatherings for storytellersOrganizes recurring local and global events including monthly Breakfast Club meetups and networking happy hours to foster community and reflection among nonfiction video professionals.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Producing and showcasing documentary contentProduces original documentary series such as "Trey Way," which generated significant viewership and engagement, and hosts special screenings and panel discussions, such as for "Nunca Fuimos Silencio" in Colombia, focused on journalism and archival preservation.
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Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
- Providing professional development and mentorship programsOffers structured programming for nonfiction video creators including monthly workshops, peer-to-peer discussions, expert-led training series, a storytelling incubator, mentorship initiatives (including with Sony), and a mental health summit (Google REST) to support professional growth.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Supporting regional and local nonfiction video communitiesConnects video journalists and nonfiction filmmakers across local regions and cities through local chapters like VC Caracas in Venezuela and meet-ups in cities such as Philadelphia, enabling on-the-ground documentation and international collaboration.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.33M
Contributions & grants$1.17M88%
Program service revenue$111K8%
Investment income$44K3%
Other revenue$4K
expenses
Total expenses$1.21M
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$402K
Grants paid out$156K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.23M
Cash$877K
Investments$0
Liabilities$11K
Net assets$1.22M
Liquid reserves8.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +31.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SKY DYLAN-ROBBINS | FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $130K |
board members · 10
- ANDY PERGAM — CHAIR
- ANN DERRY — TREASURER
- BETSY RATE — BOARD MEMBER
- DUY LINH TU — VICE-CHAIR
- JANE MCDONNELL — BOARD MEMBER
- JOE POSNER — BOARD MEMBER
- KEVIN MERIDA — BOARD MEMBER AS OF SEPTEMBER
- RICHARD SAMSON — SECRETARY
- RODRIGO REYES — BOARD MEMBER
- SUE DICKEY MACARTHUR — BOARD MEMBER UNTIL DECEMBER
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- EURODOC Partner — Collaborates with EURODOC on discussions about global documentary filmmaking and inclusivity in the field.
- Festival Internacional de Cine Pele El Ojo Partner — Collaborated with the festival to host a special screening and panel discussion in Villavicencio, Colombia.
- Google Partner — Co-hosts the REST mental health summit for creators.
- Hayden5 Partner — Provides gear grants to support video journalists and filmmakers.
- Knight Foundation Funder — Collaborates with VC Studios on sustainability initiatives in journalism; represented by Duc Luu, Director of Sustainability Initiatives/Journalism.
- Knight Foundation Funder — Provides funding support for the Future of Nonfiction Video event.
- National Geographic Partner — Current employer of Halley Brown, featured speaker in a VC workshop on hosting
- Skoll Foundation Funder — Provides support for the Solutions Storytelling Project.
- Sony Partner — Collaborates on a mentorship program for video journalists and documentary filmmakers.
- The Washington Post Partner — Former affiliation of Neeti Upadhye, featured speaker in a VC workshop on hosting
- VC Gold Members Network — Membership tier with access to recorded workshop archives and industry guides
- VC Wilmington Network — Local hub of The Video Consortium in Wilmington.
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.
- Coach-Based Capacity Buildingmethodology: coach_based_capacity_buildingBy pairing newsrooms with vetted global video coaches who provide end-to-end, tailored support, the organization strengthens institutional video capacity because customized, relationship-driven coaching aligns technical skill development with organizational identity and audience goals.
- Holistic Creator Support Modelmethodology: holistic_creator_supportBy integrating storytelling mentorship with mental health support and pay transparency, the organization sustains long-term creator resilience and quality output because addressing both professional and personal well-being improves creative capacity and field retention.
- Peer-Supported Professional Developmentmethodology: peer_supported_developmentBy combining expert-led workshops with structured peer-to-peer discussions, the organization builds collaborative relationships among nonfiction storytellers, reducing professional isolation and enhancing learning retention because social connection strengthens skill adoption and field-wide innovation.
- Solutions-Focused Narrative Impactmethodology: solutions_focused_storytellingBy connecting regional filmmakers with social innovators in the Global South to produce solutions-focused documentaries, the organization drives positive social change because locally rooted, action-oriented storytelling increases audience engagement and real-world impact.