National Film Preservation Foundation
The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) is a San Francisco-based public charity created by the U.S. Congress to help preserve America’s film heritage and improve access to films for study, education, and exhibition. It supports archives and other public-serving institutions working to preserve American films that may not survive without public support.
National Film Preservation Foundation at a glance
In short: National Film Preservation Foundation gave $917K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $917,300
- +33.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- -3.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $28,666
- +38.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $19,695
- Total assets
- $3,439,067
- -1.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (30% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to National Film Preservation Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The website describes a registration process followed by an invitation for eligible projects to submit a complete proposal. The listed 2026 application cycle is past.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 registration deadline was March 20, 2026, and the application deadline was April 24, 2026; both have passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 registration deadline was March 20, 2026, and the application deadline was April 24, 2026; both have passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 145 9Th Street 260, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone: (415) 392-7291
Website: https://filmpreservation.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 National Film Preservation Foundation
NFPF: Avant-Garde Masters Grants
National Film Preservation Foundation
Amount
US $5,000 - US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
NFPF: Basic Preservation Grants
National Film Preservation Foundation
Amount
US $1,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
NFPF: Matching Grants
National Film Preservation Foundation
Amount
US $20,001 - US $75,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who National Film Preservation Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was George Eastman Museum ($182K). Together the top 10 received $583K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 117 grants of 132 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The NFPF says it has provided preservation resources to organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In 2025, the largest shares of its grant dollars went to recipients in New York (30%), California (23%), Illinois (13%), the District of Columbia (7%), and Tennessee (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How National Film Preservation Foundation gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $648K (2022) to $1.1M (2023). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $917K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| George Eastman Museum Rochester, NY | Film preservation | $181,930 |
| Pan Am Historical Fdn San Francisco, CA | Film preservation | $60,830 |
| Chicago Film Soc Chicago, IL | Film preservation | $56,710 |
| Knox Cty Public Library TAMI Knoxville, TN | Film preservation | $54,400 |
| Bampfa Berkeley, CA | Film preservation | $51,610 |
| UCLA Film & Television Archiv Santa Clarita, CA | Film preservation | $42,740 |
| Anthology Film Archives New York, NY | Film preservation | $42,570 |
| Herbert Hoover Presidential L West Branch, IA | Film preservation | $36,080 |
| National Museum of American H Washington, DC | Film preservation | $30,120 |
| Third World Newsreel New York, NY | Film preservation | $26,130 |
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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 | $3,439,067 | $1,400,492 | $1,378,782 | $917,300 | 32 | $10,508 |
| 2024 | $3,493,373 | $1,450,036 | $1,170,766 | $685,210 | 33 | $16,737 |
| 2023 | $3,302,637 | $1,426,358 | $1,460,793 | $1,053,230 | 33 | $14,351 |
| 2022 | $3,138,569 | $1,499,857 | $1,044,004 | $648,450 | 33 | $-14,744 |
| 2021 | $2,875,164 | $1,350,805 | $1,204,268 | $821,916 | 1 | $14,725 |
| 2020 | $2,383,164 | $1,403,600 | $1,186,312 | $800,250 | 1 | $12,768 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization says its mission is to preserve and make publicly accessible the nation’s film heritage. Its programs support preservation and access copies of American films of historic and cultural interest, including “orphan films” that are not protected by commercial interests. The NFPF also promotes access through screenings, exhibits, publications, and online viewing.
The NFPF says it works with archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, and universities. Grantee organizations describe a range of related missions: the George Eastman Museum says it preserves and develops collections in photography and cinema; the Chicago Film Society says it educates the public about film’s material and cultural history; and the Texas Archive of the Moving Image says it preserves and makes accessible Texas film and video heritage.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the NFPF reported 32 grants totaling $917,300. Grant amounts ranged from $5,230 to $181,930, with a median of $19,695. The filing describes the grants as supporting film preservation and reports that the organization saved 81 titles through grants to 31 institutions.
The largest reported 2025 grant was $181,930 to the George Eastman Museum. Other large awards included $60,830 to Pan Am Historical Foundation, $56,710 to the Chicago Film Society, $54,400 to Knox County Public Library TAMI, and $51,610 to BAMPFA.
The NFPF’s website describes Basic Preservation Grants for public and U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit institutions that provide public access to their collections. The grants support new laboratory work to create film preservation elements, with cash awards from $1,000 to $20,000. Its 2026 grant announcement also describes Matching Grants of $20,001 to $75,000 for larger-scale laboratory work. Matching applicants must have successfully completed an NFPF-funded project and provide cash support equal to one-fifth of the award.
For the 2026 cycle, applicants were to register by March 20, 2026; eligible projects would then be invited to submit a full proposal by April 24. These dates have passed. The website says grant funds are paid in two installments: the first after a signed grant contract, and the second after project completion and submission of a final report. Grantees must provide receipts for grant expenditures and digital copies or photographs from films preserved with grant funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jeffery Lambert as secretary, treasurer, and director; Grover Crisp as chair and president; and Eric J. Schwartz as vice chair and vice president. Listed directors are Larry Karaszewski, Cecilia deMille Presley, Zooey Deschanel, Alfre Woodard, Leonard Maltin, Scott M. Martin, and John Ptak.
National Film Preservation Foundation is led by Grover Crisp, Chair & President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 12 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Grover Crisp
Chair & President
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffery Lambert
Secretary, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$93K (2020) → $114K (2025)
Alfre Woodard
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cecilia deMille Presley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Ptak
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leonard Maltin
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Martin Scorsese
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott M Martin
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Zooey Deschanel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Karaszewski
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Stuber
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric J Schwartz
Vice Chair & V.p.
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert G Rehme (2020–2023) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $114K, to Jeffery Lambert (Sec/Treas/Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about National Film Preservation Foundation
How much does National Film Preservation Foundation give each year?
National Film Preservation Foundation gave $917K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $685K across 33 grants.
What is National Film Preservation Foundation's typical grant size?
National Film Preservation Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $19,695, and its average grant was $28,666, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does National Film Preservation Foundation give grants?
National Film Preservation Foundation's top state is New York, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (23%) and Illinois (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (5 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does National Film Preservation Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 32 grants with a stated purpose on National Film Preservation Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Film preservation" (32 grants).
Who are National Film Preservation Foundation's largest grantees?
National Film Preservation Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include George Eastman Museum ($181,930), Pan Am Historical Fdn ($60,830) and Chicago Film Soc ($56,710), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Film Preservation Foundation?
National Film Preservation Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does National Film Preservation Foundation fund?
The organization says its mission is to preserve and make publicly accessible the nation’s film heritage. Its programs support preservation and access copies of American films of historic and cultural interest, including “orphan films” that are not protected by commercial interests. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Film Preservation Foundation?
The website describes a registration process followed by an invitation for eligible projects to submit a complete proposal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is National Film Preservation Foundation's EIN?
National Film Preservation Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2055624. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Film Preservation Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-film-preservation-foundation-morg_55daf54bb3fd44d49910ede07af0fe1d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522055624_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Film Preservation Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-film-preservation-foundation-morg_55daf54bb3fd44d49910ede07af0fe1d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 National Film Preservation Foundation'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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