Firelight Media Inc
Firelight Media Inc is a public charity based in New York, NY. Its stated mission is to provide filmmakers with mentorship, funding, and creative development to support documentary media by and about communities of color.
Firelight Media Inc at a glance
In short: Firelight Media Inc gave $443K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), top state New York. 95% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $442,500
- +21.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +81.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,125
- -33.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $15,288,596
- -5.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 95% first-time grantees (19 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Firelight Media Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 105 West 125Th Street Front 1 129, New York, NY 10027
Phone: (212) 222-1068
Website: https://firelightmedia.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Firelight Media Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Instrument Project LLC ($28K). Together the top 10 received $253K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 52 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Among 2025 grant dollars, 26% went to recipients in New York, 21% to California, 11% each to Massachusetts and Louisiana, and 6% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Firelight Media Inc open to new grantees?
95%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 20 grantees (95%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 5% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $364K (2024) to $512K (2023). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $443K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Instrument Project LLC New Orleans, LA | Impact Grant | $27,500 |
| Amuletos Projects LLC San Diego, CA | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Bimshire Project LLC Miami, FL | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Center for Independent Doc Newton, MA | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Fire Frog Media LLC Provo, UT | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Matinino LLC Atlanta, GA | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Mighty Squawk Productions Somerville, MA | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Talking Stones LLC Brooklyn, NY | Program Grant - Doc Lab | $25,000 |
| Trojan Horse Media Inc New York, NY | R&D Grant | $25,000 |
| We Love Morocco LLC Los Angeles, CA | R&D Grant | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,288,596 | $8,301,486 | $7,158,607 | $442,500 | 20 | $55,706 |
| 2024 | $16,142,188 | $8,404,441 | $6,760,878 | $363,500 | 11 | $15,986 |
| 2023 | $14,906,498 | $6,498,407 | $7,229,195 | $512,200 | 21 | $4,578 |
| 2022 | $14,935,667 | $11,068,950 | $6,298,174 | — | — | $2,804 |
| 2021 | $9,388,103 | $5,054,390 | $3,730,046 | $443,500 | Total only | $1,272 |
| 2020 | $7,045,732 | $3,367,580 | $3,184,737 | — | — | $3,548 |
| 2019 | $5,541,103 | $2,963,000 | $2,697,119 | — | — | $7,992 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Firelight Media’s mission, as stated in its 2024 filing, is to support the creation, distribution, and impact of documentary media by and about communities of color “in all our vibrance and complexity.” The filing says the organization supports filmmakers through fellowship and grant programs, a Documentary Lab, and, in recent years, co-production and distribution of documentary features for public media. It reports having supported more than 250 documentary filmmakers, funded more than 100 documentary feature films through its Documentary Lab, produced more than 40 documentary shorts, and co-produced and distributed 15 documentary features for public media in recent years.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Firelight Media reported 20 grants totaling $442,500. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $27,500, with a median of $25,000. The largest listed grant was $27,500 to The Instrument Project LLC for an impact grant. Other listed awards of $25,000 included program grants for the Documentary Lab to Amuletos Projects LLC, Bimshire Project LLC, Center for Independent Doc, Fire Frog Media LLC, Matinino LLC, Mighty Squawk Productions, Talking Stones LLC, You Don't Know My Name, and Queens Disco Production LLC; and R&D grants to Trojan Horse Media Inc and We Love Morocco LLC.
The 2024 filing says grant funds are monitored through written agreements and periodic financial and project reporting, including review of budgets, deliverables, and milestones. Final reports are required to check that funds were used in line with grant terms.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers, directors, and staff listed on the 2025 filing include Marcia Smith, co-president until December 2025; Loira Limbal, co-president from June 2025; Anne Canty, board chair; Tani Takagi, treasurer; Claire Aguilar, secretary; Rashid Shabazz, Maurine Knighton, and Sandy Harris, board members; Rafiah Vitalis, senior director of finance and operations; and Stanley Nelson, lead mentor.
Firelight Media Inc is led by Loira Limbal, Co-President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 9 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Loira Limbal
Co-President
Sr.vp Artist Program → Senior Vice President, 2021
Senior Vice President → Co-President, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$105K (2019) → $169K (2025)
Marcia Smith
Co-President
President → Co-President, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$188K (2019) → $300K (2025)
Anne Canty
Board Chair
Chair → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Monika Garcia Navarro
Director & Program
Senior Director Artist Program → Program Director, 2023
Program Director → Director & Program, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$105K (2021) → $127K (2025)
Justin Sean Sherwood
Senior Director & Communications
Commu. Director → Communications Director, 2023
Communications Director → Senior Director & Communications, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$110K (2022) → $160K (2025)
Rafiah Vitalis
Senior Director, Finance & Ops
Fo Director → Finance & Operations Director, 2023
Finance & Operations Director → Senior Director, Finance & Ops, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$115K (2022) → $159K (2025)
Chloe Walters-Wallace
Director & Program
Program Director → Director & Program, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$117K (2023) → $126K (2025)
Lucy J. Mukerjee
Director & Program
Program Director → Director & Program, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$116K (2024) → $116K (2025)
Stanley Nelson
Lead Mentor
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$150K (2019) → $173K (2025)
Ferdina Mends
Controller
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$136K (2025)
Claire Aguilar
Secretary
Director → Board Secretary, 2023
Board Secretary → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tani Takagi
Treasurer
Treasurer → Board Treasurer, 2023
Board Treasurer → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maurine Knighton
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rashid Shabazz
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandy Harris
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Leticia Peguero (2023) — Senior Vice President
- Former: Jonathan Kitt (2022) — Devl. Director
- Former: Ronald Bell (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Stephanie Conners (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $300K, to Marcia Smith (Co-President (Until 12/25)). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Firelight Media Inc
How much does Firelight Media Inc give each year?
Firelight Media Inc gave $443K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $364K across 11 grants.
What is Firelight Media Inc's typical grant size?
Firelight Media Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $22,125, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Firelight Media Inc that year got $22K on average.
Where does Firelight Media Inc give grants?
Firelight Media Inc's top state is New York, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (21%) and Massachusetts (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants) and New Orleans, LA (2 grants).
Does Firelight Media Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Firelight Media Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Grant - Doc Lab" (10 grants) and "Impact Grant" (8 grants).
Who are Firelight Media Inc's largest grantees?
Firelight Media Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The Instrument Project LLC ($27,500), Amuletos Projects LLC ($25,000) and Bimshire Project LLC ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Firelight Media Inc?
Firelight Media Inc reported $15.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.3M.
What does Firelight Media Inc fund?
Firelight Media’s mission, as stated in its 2024 filing, is to support the creation, distribution, and impact of documentary media by and about communities of color “in all our vibrance and complexity.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Firelight Media Inc?
Firelight Media Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check firelightmedia.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Firelight Media Inc's EIN?
Firelight Media Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3489379. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 27, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Firelight Media Inc funds
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Firelight Media Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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