Chicken & Egg Films Inc
Chicken & Egg Films Inc is a public charity based in Brooklyn, New York. It supports documentary filmmakers through funding, mentorship, and industry access, with a focus on women and gender-expansive filmmakers around the globe.
Chicken & Egg Films Inc at a glance
In short: Chicken & Egg Films Inc gave $1.4M across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $64K), mostly in California. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,350,000
- -26.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- -19.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $64,286
- -9.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $9,594,028
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (6 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (53% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Chicken & Egg Films Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
Submit an application for programs that accept applications; the Chicken & Egg Award is by nomination only. For grants, applicants must arrange for a 501(c)(3) organization or fiscal sponsor to receive the funds, confirm tax status, and take responsibility for their use. Grant agreements and reports are required.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 (Egg)celerator Lab deadline was April 29, 2026, and has passed. The 2026 Research & Development Grant deadline was February 4, 2026, and has passed; the next cycle is tentatively expected to open in December 2026. No Award deadline is stated.
- Deadline
- The 2026 (Egg)celerator Lab deadline was April 29, 2026, and has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 55 Washington Street - Suite 307, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (212) 875-0456
Website: https://chickeneggfilms.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Chicken & Egg Films Inc
Chicken & Egg Award
Chicken & Egg Films Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Project: Hatched
Chicken & Egg Films Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Research & Development Grant
Chicken & Egg Films Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Chicken & Egg Films Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Walking Iris Media ($365K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
117 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 117 (65%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its mission as serving filmmakers around the globe. Its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California (53%), New York (30%), Louisiana (14%), Utah (2%), and Massachusetts (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Chicken & Egg Films Inc open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 18 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $34K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $45K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+11%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $816K (2019) to $1.8M (2023). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Walking Iris Media San Francisco, CA | Chicken and Egg Award | $285,000 |
| Women Make Movies New York, NY | Documentary Film | $180,000 |
| Video Veracity Inc New Orleans, LA | Chicken and Egg Award | $150,000 |
| Women Make Movies New York, NY | Chicken and Egg Award | $90,000 |
| International Documentary Association Los Angeles, CA | Documentary Film | $80,000 |
| Walking Iris Media San Francisco, CA | Documentary Film | $80,000 |
| Afterimage Public Media San Francisco, CA | Chicken and Egg Award | $75,000 |
| Cinema Tropical New York, NY | Documentary Film | $50,000 |
| Doc Society Brooklyn, NY | Documentary Film | $50,000 |
| Redford Center Inc San Francisco, CA | Documentary Film | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Chicken & Egg Films Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,594,028 | $5,569,604 | $4,682,678 | $1,350,000 | 21 | $275,462 |
| 2023 | $8,996,186 | $3,324,706 | $4,593,331 | $1,840,000 | 26 | $341,799 |
| 2022 | $10,191,816 | $4,420,113 | $3,902,309 | $1,627,400 | 21 | $33,879 |
| 2021 | $9,525,742 | $4,390,371 | $3,129,210 | $1,219,990 | 21 | $2,197 |
| 2020 | $8,554,598 | $5,264,298 | $2,644,457 | $1,028,750 | 28 | $21,237 |
| 2019 | $5,584,981 | $4,803,412 | $2,411,601 | $815,700 | 25 | $38,688 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to champion women and gender-expansive documentary filmmakers around the globe with funding, mentorship, and access so they can tell stories that ignite change. Its programs support nonfiction filmmakers at different career and project stages, including filmmakers making a first or second feature documentary, directors researching or developing a feature, and established filmmakers nominated for the Chicken & Egg Award.
Grantee missions illustrate the kinds of organizations receiving support. Walking Iris Media says it produces public educational documentary films and supports filmmakers in that field. Women Make Movies says it facilitates the production, promotion, distribution, and exhibition of independent films and videos by and about women. Video Veracity says it supports independent educational documentary programming for regional, national, and international audiences. AfterImage Public Media says it produces documentary projects and community engagement programs about matters of educational and public interest. The Redford Center says it advances environmental solutions through stories, while Doc Society says it supports independent documentary filmmakers and partners globally.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Chicken & Egg Films reported 21 grants totaling $1,350,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $285,000, with a median of $40,000. Among the largest reported grants were $285,000 to Walking Iris Media for a Chicken & Egg Award; $180,000 to Women Make Movies for documentary film; $150,000 to Video Veracity for a Chicken & Egg Award; and $90,000 to Women Make Movies for a Chicken & Egg Award. Other listed grants included $80,000 to the International Documentary Association for documentary film and $75,000 to AfterImage Public Media for a Chicken & Egg Award.
The organization’s filing says prospective filmmakers must submit applications. Grants are made to a filmmaker’s 501(c)(3) organization or fiscal sponsor, which must confirm tax status and is responsible for appropriate use of the grant. The filing also says the organization executes grant agreements and requires reports.
Program details vary. The (Egg)celerator Lab supports nonfiction filmmakers or teams working on a first or second feature-length documentary. The Research & Development Grant supports directors who have made at least one feature documentary and are researching or developing their next feature. The Chicken & Egg Award provides a $75,000 award—$50,000 unrestricted and $25,000 for the filmmaker’s project or projects—along with year-long mentorship. The organization’s application information says the Award is nomination-based and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Nekisa Cooper as president, Susan Margolin as treasurer, and Marjan Safinia as secretary. Directors listed were Leslie Belzberg, Julia Parker Benello, Meredith Chin (through February 2024), Deepa Donde, Felix Endara, Wendy Ettinger, and David Lee. The organization’s website identifies Jenni Wolfson as CEO.
Chicken & Egg Films Inc is led by Jennifer Wolfson, Chief Executive Officer since 2022 (on filings since 2019); 3 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jennifer Wolfson
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director → Chief Executive Officer, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$196K (2019) → $251K (2024)
Nekisa Cooper
President
Trustee → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kiyoko McCrae-Foster
Program Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$105K (2023) → $123K (2024)
Alex Simon
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Lee
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julia Parker Benello
Director
President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Belzberg
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patty Quillin
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Ettinger
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meredith Chin
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Stephens
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deepa Donde
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Felix Endara
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Anderson
Chief Operating Officer
Director of Operations & Innovation → Chief Operating Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$103K (2020) → $163K (2024)
Marjan Safinia
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Margolin
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Kit Crawford (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Nion McEvoy (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Roswitha Mueller-Agarwal (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Lucila Moctezuma (2020–2022) — Program Director
- Former: Brenda Robinson (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Sang Yi Choung (2021) — Director of External Relations
- Former: Alexandra Shiva (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $251K, to Jennifer Wolfson (Chief Executive Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Chicken & Egg Films Inc
How much does Chicken & Egg Films Inc give each year?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc gave $1.4M across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.8M across 26 grants.
What is Chicken & Egg Films Inc's typical grant size?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $64,286, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Chicken & Egg Films Inc that year got $34K on average.
Where does Chicken & Egg Films Inc give grants?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (30%) and Louisiana (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and New Orleans, LA (2 grants).
Does Chicken & Egg Films Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Chicken & Egg Films Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Documentary Film" (17 grants) and "Chicken and Egg Award" (4 grants).
Who are Chicken & Egg Films Inc's largest grantees?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Walking Iris Media ($365,000 across 2 grants), Women Make Movies ($270,000 across 2 grants) and Video Veracity Inc ($190,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Chicken & Egg Films Inc?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc reported $9.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.6M.
What does Chicken & Egg Films Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to champion women and gender-expansive documentary filmmakers around the globe with funding, mentorship, and access so they can tell stories that ignite change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Chicken & Egg Films Inc?
Submit an application for programs that accept applications; the Chicken & Egg Award is by nomination only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Chicken & Egg Films Inc's EIN?
Chicken & Egg Films Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4712007. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Chicken & Egg Films Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 3, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Chicken & Egg Films Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/chicken-and-egg-films-inc-morg_dfdf6e99df6e4309961ca387bb35b95c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474712007_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Chicken \& Egg Films Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/chicken-and-egg-films-inc-morg_dfdf6e99df6e4309961ca387bb35b95c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Chicken & Egg Films Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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