named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Believe in Ukraine Film Program
Film initiative highlighting Ukrainian creators and experiences, including war-related storytelling, to support cultural visibility and advocacy. Curated by Ukrainian filmmaker Anastasia Kirii.
Fiscal Sponsorship Program
Supports independent creators in accessing grant funding and tax-deductible donations by providing fiscal sponsorship for film and media projects.
Haudenosaunee Micro-Short Film Program
Annual curated screening and panel discussion featuring short films by Haudenosaunee filmmakers, providing a platform for Indigenous voices and fostering cultural exchange. Includes filmmaker compensation and community engagement.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 3 activities
- Annual Spark Micro-Short Film FestivalOrganizes an annual multi-day film festival showcasing curated micro-short films of five minutes or less in duration, designed to lower production barriers and amplify diverse independent voices in filmmaking. The festival includes cash awards for winners, stipends for panelists, and offers fee waivers for Indigenous and Iranian filmmakers to increase accessibility.
- Free Community Screenings and Online AccessHosts free in-person short film screenings in Western New York and maintains an online channel offering free access to curated micro-short films from festival winners, finalists, and official selections between 2019 and 2023, increasing public engagement with underrepresented perspectives in media.
- Haudenosaunee Micro-Short Film ProgramHosts an annual curated screening series featuring 12–15 short films by Haudenosaunee filmmakers from Turtle Island, followed by live panel discussions and audience Q&A sessions with compensated filmmakers. The event is held at the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY, with the 5th annual screening scheduled for September 6, 2025.
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Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
- Fiscal Sponsorship for Independent FilmmakersProvides fiscal sponsorship services to independent creators, enabling them to access grant funding and tax-deductible donations to support their media production projects.
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Ukrainian Cultural Preservation Programs 1 activity
- Ukrainian Storytelling Film ProgramsCurates and presents multiple short film programs centered on Ukrainian life and resilience, including a 52–53 minute program tracing pre-war normalcy through war to rebirth, in collaboration with Ukrainian filmmaker Anastasiia Kiril. These programs have been screened in the United States, Portugal, and Spain as part of cultural advocacy efforts such as the "Believe in Ukraine" initiative.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$9K
Contributions & grants$8K87%
Program service revenue$7869%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$300
expenses
Total expenses$11K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$515
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$515
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -35.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 1
- Lukia Costello — Executive Director
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- American Indian Community House Partner — Terry Jones, SFC Curator & Community Advisor, previously served as Vice Chairman/Secretary at American Indian Community House in New York City.
- Anastasiia Kiril Partner — Collaborates with Ukrainian filmmaker Anastasiia Kiril to co-create the “Believe in Ukraine” film program.
- Arts Services Initiative of Western New York (ASIWN) Government — Administered 2022 NYSCA funding for Haudenosaunee Micro Short Film Program and MicroMania Film Festival
- Buffalo Center For Arts and Technology Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Buffalo Common Council Ellicott and Niagara Districts Government — Supported MicroMania@BCAT and MicroMania@Five Points Possible in 2021
- Buffalo Common Council North District Government — Supported the Haudenosaunee Micro Short Film Program 2021
- Buffalo Music Club Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Buffalo and Erie County Public Library Partner — Hosts the Spark Micro-Short Film Festival at the Downtown Central Library location.
- Burchfield Penney Art Center Partner — Hosts the Haudenosaunee Micro-Short Film Program screening events since 2021.
- Caramax Studio Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Erie County Arts & Culture Funder — Provided 2022 funding for Haudenosaunee Micro Short Film Program and MicroMania Film Festival community events
- Five Points Bakery Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Frontline Arts Buffalo Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Journey’s End Refugee Services Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Klych.org Partner — Collaborates with Klych.org on the Believe in Ukraine initiative to produce the short film program.
- Los Artistas Del Barrio Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Lukia Costello Photography Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Micro Budget Film Podcast Partner — Partner organization of the Spark Micro-Short Film Festival.
- MicroBudget Indie Filmmakers Podcast Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- NYSCA Funder — Provided 2022 funding administered through ASIWNY for Haudenosaunee Micro Short Film Program and MicroMania Film Festival
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Steve Rosenthal and Terry Jones, SFC board and advisory members, have served as panelists for the National Endowment for the Arts.
- National Museum of the American Indian Partner — Terry Jones, SFC Curator & Community Advisor, served as an official selector at the Native American Film + Video Festival hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian.
- Native Spirit Film Festival UK Partner — Collaborative partner of Spark Filmmakers Collaborative
- Native Spirit Foundation Partner — Partner organization of the Spark Micro-Short Film Festival.
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Terry Jones, SFC Curator & Community Advisor, served as a panelist for the New York State Council on the Arts.
- Robin DiAngelo Partner — Provided a quote supporting the mission of the Spark Micro-Short Film Fest.
- Scribe Video Center Partner — Dorothea Braemer, SFC board member, formerly served as Media Center Manager and Program Director at Scribe Video Center.
- Seneca-Iroquois National Museum Partner — Terry Jones, SFC Curator & Community Advisor, serves as Secretary on the Board of Trustees at the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum.
- Squeaky Partner — Partner organization of the Spark Micro-Short Film Festival.
- Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Arts Center Partner — Dorothea Braemer and Christopher Gallant, both affiliated with SFC, have held leadership roles at Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Arts Center.
+ 6 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.
- Amplification of Underrepresented Voices Through Filmmethodology: cultural-literacy-through-filmBy centering storytelling by underrepresented and marginalized filmmakers, the organization fosters cultural literacy, challenges stereotypes, and builds empathy because authentic self-representation disrupts dominant narratives and enables audiences to see themselves in others.
- Community-Led Co-Development Modelmethodology: community_led_programmingBy co-developing programs with marginalized communities—such as through collaborative decision-making with Haudenosaunee members—the organization ensures cultural authenticity and community ownership, which increases relevance, trust, and impact because programs are shaped by those they aim to serve.
- Holistic Support for Independent Creatorsmethodology: holistic-creator-supportBy providing skill-building, networking, and business development opportunities alongside creative programming, the organization strengthens independent filmmakers' capacity to sustain careers, because long-term change requires more than exposure—it demands structural support.
- Low-Barrier Access to Creative Participationmethodology: low-barrier accessBy keeping submission fees low and not restricting distribution rights, the organization reduces financial and professional barriers to entry, increasing inclusivity and participation from micro-short and emerging filmmakers because equitable access enables broader representation.