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ROCHESTER GAY & LESBIAN FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL INC

ROCHESTER, NY · EIN 161501725 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A31 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · imageout.org
revenue
$216K
expenses
$210K
net assets
$309K
employees
1
volunteers
150
program ratio
51%
mission · from form 990

TO PRESENT LGBT AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES SHOWCASING FILMS, OTHER CREATIVE WORKS AND ARTISTS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS, FOSTER DIALOGUE AND BUILD COMMUNITY.

profile · synthesized from sources

LGBTQ+ film festival based in Rochester, NY, presenting films and creative works by and for LGBTQ+ communities to promote awareness and build community. Organizes annual fall and spring film festivals featuring narrative and documentary features and shorts. Recognized as a major cultural organization in New York State and an Iris Prize partner festival.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1K
    THE AIDS DOCUMENTARY PROJECT IS THE PRIMARY RESOURCE FOR PRODUCING A DIGITAL / DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK'S RESPONSE TO THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, FROM 1981 TO PRESENT DAY.
  2. #2 $6K
    IMAGEOUTART WAS RE-ESTABLISHED IN 2024 WITH AN EXHIBIT PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ROCHESTER CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER (ROCO).
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Emerging Filmmaker Support Programs 1 activity
    • Award prizes for film and short-form works
      Administers juried competitions including Audience and Jury Prizes for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Short, as well as the FLOWER CITY FLICKS competition that awards a cash prize and certificate to local and regional LGBTQ+ filmmakers.
  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
    • Engage and manage volunteers
      Onboards new volunteers and organizes seasonal Volunteer Engagement & Recruitment Events and Volunteer Appreciation Events to support program delivery and ensure positive volunteer experiences.
  • LGBTQ+ Community Grantmaking 1 activity
    • Fund and support LGBTQ+ arts initiatives
      Provides monetary and in-kind grants to local LGBTQ+ arts and culture programs, with a focus on events created by and for Queer & Trans People of Color.
  • Film Production Funding and Fiscal Sponsorship 1 activity
    • Nominate films for international competitions
      Serves as an official partner of the Iris Prize in Cardiff, Wales, nominating films for the Iris Prize Shorts Film Competition.
  • Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
    • Organize and present LGBTQ+ film festivals
      Plans, curates, and hosts annual spring and fall film festivals featuring LGBTQ+ films, including local, regional, and international submissions. The festivals include in-person, virtual, and hybrid screenings, premiere designations, and associated events such as kickoff parties, closing receptions, and pride parade participation.
  • Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
    • Produce historical documentation on LGBTQ+ issues
      Produces a digital and documentary history of Rochester, NY’s response to the AIDS epidemic from 1981 to the present.
  • Event and Production Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
    • Promote community engagement and accessibility
      Coordinates year-round community tabling, offers discounted or free tickets to organizations, runs a Community Partner Program during festivals, and ensures accessibility through services like interpreting and captioning. Also manages ticketing via online and in-person sales using the Eventive platform.
  • Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
    • Support LGBTQ+ arts and cultural programming beyond film
      Presents and produces annual art exhibitions, literary publications (including the ImageOutWrite journal prior to the pandemic), and spoken word programs (ReadOuts) to support regional LGBTQ+ artists and writers in Western New York.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Maintain public archives and transparency records
      Maintains an archive of 8,668 photos on its Flickr account and makes annual reports, IRS tax filings, and state charity filings publicly available.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$216K
Contributions & grants$164K76%
Program service revenue$42K19%
Investment income$8K4%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$210K
Program expenses51%
Admin / overhead49%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$72K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$314K
Cash$312K
Investments$0
Liabilities$5K
Net assets$309K
Liquid reserves17.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -8.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 10
  • ADRIAN SAFAR — BOARD MEMBER
  • AMBER BROOMS — SECRETARY
  • DEB OPPENHEIMER — BOARD MEMBER
  • JOE MCCRANK — BOARD MEMBER
  • LYN MORRILL — BOARD MEMBER
  • MATTHEW RAGUSA — TREASURER THRU SEPT 2024
  • MICHELE THORNTON — CHAIR
  • PAUL ALLEN — TREASURER - JOINED SEPT 2024
  • RICK PORLIER — VICE CHAIR
  • STEPHEN WEISENREDER — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 24

Who they work with

  • Constant Contact Government — Email services provider for e-newsletter distribution
  • Eventive Partner — Platform used for online ticket sales for film festivals and special events.
  • Genesee Valley Gender Variants Partner — Partner organization receiving support from ImageOut for LGBTQ+ community initiatives.
  • George Eastman House Museum Partner — Hosted the first closing night gala reception and provided archival materials through its Motion Picture Archives for special programming like Archival Night.
  • Human Rights Campaign Western & Central NY Partner — Organization supported by ImageOut through sponsorship of aligned events.
  • ImageOut Network — Host organization for the Rochester Gay & Lesbian Film & Video Festival.
  • ImageOut Network — Organization presenting LGBTQ+ arts and cultural experiences, including film.
  • Iris Prize Partner — Official partner enabling film nominations for the Iris Prize Shorts Film Competition in Cardiff, Wales.
  • Juice Box ROC Partner — Recipient of ImageOut's sponsorship for LGBTQ+ arts and culture programming.
  • Next Generation Men of Transition Partner — Supported by ImageOut for programs serving transgender communities.
  • OFC Creations Theatre Center Partner — Partner organization supported by ImageOut for LGBTQ+ arts events including the Miscast Show.
  • OUTspoken Partner — RIT's LGBTQ+ student organization that collaborated to bring festival screenings to southern Monroe County starting in 2009.
  • Pittsford CommUnity Partner — Community organization supported by ImageOut for LGBTQ+ programming.
  • ROC Pride Collective Partner — Recipient of ImageOut's sponsorship for LGBTQ+ arts and culture programming.
  • Rainbow Seniors ROC Partner — Partner organization supported by ImageOut for community events including the Pride Picnic.
  • Rochester Black Pride Partner — Recipient of sponsorship and support from ImageOut for LGBTQ+ arts and culture events.
  • Rochester Contemporary Art Center Partner — Partnered to present an ImageOutArt exhibit in 2024.
  • Rochester Gay Men’s Chorus Partner — Partner organization co-presenting events such as the Pride Concert with ImageOut support.
  • Rochester Institute of Technology Partner — Hosted festival screenings at its Ingle Auditorium beginning in 2009 in collaboration with its LGBTQ+ student group.
  • Rochester LGBTQ+ Together Partner — Supported by ImageOut for programs including Pride Day at Seabreeze.
  • The Century Club of Rochester Partner — Hosted the Pearl Jubilee: 30th Anniversary Charity Gala in November 2022.
  • The Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley Partner — Collaborated with the organization during the founding of the festival in 1993 and was later selected by them as Honorary Grand Marshal of ROC Pride in 2017.
  • The Rochester Lesbian and Gay Political Caucus Partner — Co-sponsored the establishment of the festival in 1993 under whose auspices the event was initially organized.
  • The University of Rochester Partner — Served as a festival venue starting in 1995 to help reach younger audiences.
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.

  • Arts-Based Community Building and Dialogue
    methodology: arts_based_engagement
    By using film and creative works as a medium for cultural expression, the organization promotes awareness, fosters dialogue, and builds community around LGBTQ+ experiences, because shared artistic experiences create space for connection, reflection, and collective identity formation.
  • Curatorial Representation with QTPOC-Centered Priorities
    methodology: curatorial_representation
    By curating diverse categories of LGBTQ+ films and prioritizing support for initiatives created by and centering Queer and Trans People of Color, the organization ensures authentic representation and redistributes cultural visibility to historically marginalized voices within the LGBTQ+ community, because targeted curation shapes whose stories are seen and valued.
  • Inclusive Access Through Hybrid and Accessible Programming
    methodology: accessibility_inclusive_programming
    By offering hybrid in-person and virtual screenings alongside accessibility features like captioning, sign-language interpretation, and fee waivers, the organization expands participation among marginalized audiences—including regional creators, deaf or hearing-impaired individuals, and economically disadvantaged applicants—because reducing structural barriers increases equitable engagement with LGBTQ+ cultural content.