Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a public charity based in Park City, Utah, dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Founded by Robert Redford in 1981, it supports artists in film and episodic storytelling through grants, labs, intensives, mentorship, and other year-round programs.
Sundance Institute at a glance
In short: Sundance Institute gave $1.9M across 64 grants in 2025 (avg $30K), top state Montana. 84% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,900,356
- -1.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 64
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,693
- -13.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $77,454,374
- +5.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 84% first-time grantees (54 of 64, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Montana (3% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sundance Institute
- How to Apply
-
The Institute offers open applications for some programs. The Documentary Fund is not currently accepting applications; its next open call is expected to be announced in early 2027. The Fund supports independent feature-length documentaries of 52 minutes or longer. Prior funding or a fiscal sponsor is not required, and the project’s key creative team must retain creative and editorial control. The Sandbox Fund accepts applications for projects at any production phase from development through post-production, but not for story research; projects must demonstrate creative and storytelling intent, and picture-locked cuts are ineligible for post-production funding. The Graton opportunity requires applicants to be Indigenous artists from a California-based tribe and to provide proof of tribal membership or work with a Graton Tribal Representative to submit paperwork. The Ignite x Adobe Fellowship is for emerging filmmakers ages 18 to 25, with original short films completed within the preceding 12 months.
- Review Cycle
- The Documentary Fund’s next open call is expected to be announced in early 2027. The Sandbox Fund’s 2027 spring cycle is to be announced in late 2026.
- Deadline
- The Documentary Fund’s next open call is expected to be announced in early 2027.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 684429, Park City, UT 84068
Phone: (435) 658-3456
Website: https://sundance.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
10 open opportunities from Sundance Institute
Feature Film Producers Track Grant
Sundance Institute
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Graton Artist Opportunity Grant
Sundance Institute
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Graton Fellowship Grant
Sundance Institute
Amount
US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Sundance Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Biophilia Films LLC ($100K). Together the top 10 received $705K.
Grant Size Distribution
297 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 228 grants of 297 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Institute’s artist programs invite applications from around the world. The Documentary Fund is a global opportunity, and the Documentary Film Program supports nonfiction filmmakers worldwide. In its 2025 filing, the Institute reported that most grant dollars (96%) went to recipients with no state listed; the filing also lists Montana at 3%, New York at 1%, and California at 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 64 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sundance Institute open to new grantees?
84%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 54 of 64 grantees (84%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $30K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $28K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 $1.2M (2022) to $1.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 64 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Biophilia Films LLC | Filmmaking | $100,000 |
| Far Far Far Out LLC | Filmmaking | $100,000 |
| Holds You Tight LLC | Filmmaking | $100,000 |
| Captions LLC | Filmmaking | $75,000 |
| Topography LLC | Filmmaking | $75,000 |
| All Other Parts LLC | Filmmaking | $55,000 |
| Andrew Xanthopoulos Dillon, MT | Filmmaking | $50,000 |
| Amuletos Projects LLC | Filmmaking | $50,000 |
| Center for Independent Documentary Inc | Filmmaking | $50,000 |
| Cookie Queen Productions LLC | Filmmaking | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Institute’s EIN is 87-0361394.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $77,454,374 | $46,350,421 | $44,521,565 | $1,900,356 | 64 | $3,316,083 |
| 2024 | $73,427,883 | $42,055,195 | $47,220,707 | $1,919,500 | 56 | $1,305,186 |
| 2023 | $75,369,619 | $45,006,005 | $49,251,808 | $1,362,500 | 59 | $1,009,417 |
| 2022 | $79,065,331 | $58,559,738 | $45,150,233 | $1,158,735 | 56 | $1,276,340 |
| 2021 | $74,490,160 | $34,020,589 | $39,510,391 | $1,196,000 | 62 | $476,102 |
| 2020 | $73,622,274 | $56,018,531 | $49,349,219 | $1,292,000 | 57 | $762,809 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Institute’s stated mission is to discover and develop independent artists and audiences. Its programs support independent storytelling in film and episodic work, including nonfiction filmmaking. The Documentary Film Program supports nonfiction filmmakers worldwide with grants, labs, and creative and strategic advice from development through distribution.
The Documentary Fund supports independent, feature-length cinematic documentaries on contemporary topics. It prioritizes projects with budgets under $1.2 million, excluding distribution and impact expenses, and considers artistic vision, creative ambition and craft, accountability and rigor, and contemporary cultural relevance and impact. The Sandbox Fund supports independent artists working at the intersection of science and nonfiction storytelling.
Other opportunities include the Graton Collab Artist Opportunity, for Indigenous artists from California-based tribes to tell stories through film, and the Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellowship, for emerging documentary and fiction filmmakers ages 18 to 25.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Institute reported 64 grants totaling $1,900,356. Grants ranged from $8,250 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grants included $100,000 each to Biophilia Films LLC, Far Far Far Out LLC, and Holds You Tight LLC for filmmaking. Captions LLC and Topography LLC each received $75,000 for filmmaking. All Other Parts LLC received $55,000 for filmmaking, and several other filmmaking grants were $50,000.
The Institute’s 2024 filing describes the Documentary Fund as providing more than $2 million in nonrecoupable film financing each year through open applications. It also describes labs focused on editing and producing, with ongoing creative and strategic support for grantees.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Institute’s 2025 filing lists Ebs Burnough as Board Chair; Gigi Pritzker and Sean Bailey as Vice Chairs; Robert Redford as Founder; William Plapinger as Treasurer; and Alejandro Ramirez Magana, Amy Redford, Ann Lewnes, Barry Tyerman, and Blair Stein as trustees.
Sundance Institute is led by Amanda Kelso, Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 18 of 51 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Amanda Kelso
Chief Executive Officer
Tech Co-Chair → Trustee & Acting CEO, 2024
Trustee & Acting CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$286K (2025)
Donna Gruneich
Trustee & Chair of Development Committee
Development → Develop. Ch, 2023
Develop. Ch → Trustee & Chair of Development Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ebs Burnough
Board Chair
Trustee → Chairman, 2022
Chairman → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanne Donovan Fisher
Trustee & Chair of Governance Committee
Governance C → Gov Chair, 2023
Gov Chair → Trustee & Chair of Governance Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Frankenberg
Trustee, Chair of Audit Committee & Co-Chair of Tech Committee
Audit Tech C → Aud Tech Ch, 2023
Aud Tech Ch → Trustee, Chair of Audit Committee & Co-Chair of Tech Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Bailey
Vice Chair & Chair of Marketing Committee
Vc & Chair of → Vc & Mkt Chair, 2023
Vc & Mkt Chair → Vice Chair & Chair of Marketing Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Plapinger
Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee
Treasurer → Treasurer & Finance Ch, 2023
Treasurer & Finance Ch → Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Yutani
Senior Director of Programming & Sundance Film Festival
Director Sundance → Senior Director of Programming & Sundance Film Festival, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$151K (2020) → $174K (2025)
Maryam Sadeghy
Director, Partnerships, Co-Director & Advancement
Interim Co-D → Director Pship, 2022
Director Pship → Director, Partnerships, Co-Director & Advancement, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$179K (2020) → $186K (2025)
Michelle Satter
Founding Senior Director & Artist Programs
Director Feature → Director Artist P, 2022
Director Artist P → Founding Senior Director & Artist Programs, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$319K (2020) → $317K (2025)
Karen Bono
Director & Human Resources
Director Hr → Director & Human Resources, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$137K (2021) → $158K (2025)
Kristin Feeley
Director & Documentary Film Program
Deputy Director → Director & Documentary Film Program, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$159K (2021) → $184K (2025)
Paul Labay
Director, Collab & Digital Operations
Director → Director & Digital, 2024
Director & Digital → Director, Collab & Digital Operations, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$173K (2023) → $170K (2025)
Eugene Hernandez
Director, Sundance Film Festival & Public Programming
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$310K (2024) → $310K (2025)
Douglas Gatza
Director & Digital Engineering
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$171K (2025)
Stacey Bosworth
Director of Development
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$218K (2025)
Alejandro Ramirez Magana
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Redford
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caterina Fake
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles King
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Harrell Horn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoff Sands
Trustee
Vice Chairman → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Blum
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nadine Schiff-Rosen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pat Mitchell
Trustee
Chairman → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philipp Engelhorn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Lewnes
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberle Crenshaw
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wonya Lucas
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barry Tyerman
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lulu Wang
Artist Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Gaspard
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shripriya Mahesh
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Steward
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nina Fialkow
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pete Nicks
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tessa Thompson
Artist Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blair Stein
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Nevins
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Sarris
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Frank
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Helen Wallace
Former Managing Director
Managing Director → Former Managing Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
$396K (2020) → $123K (2025)
Tammie Rosen
Chief Communications Officer
Chief Committee O → Chief Communications Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$207K (2022) → $238K (2025)
Trista Schroeder
General Counsel & Board Secretary
General Counsel → General Counsel & Board Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$230K (2022) → $284K (2025)
Joana Vicente Kliot
Former Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive → Chief Executive Officer, 2024
Chief Executive Officer → Former Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$591K (2023) → $485K (2025)
Laura Ryan
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$262K (2024) → $299K (2025)
Sheri Green
Chief Product & Technology Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$264K (2024) → $265K (2025)
Benjamin Stilp
Chief Financial Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$85K (2025)
Emily Pirrello
Chief of Staff
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$191K (2025)
Gigi Pritzker
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Redford
Founder
President → Founder, 2021
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (39)
- Former: Katherine Benay (2020–2024) — Director & Marketing
- Former: Lyn Davis Lear (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Michelle Anderson (2020–2024) — Chief Financial Officer & Former
- Former: Tabitha Jackson (2020–2024) — Director of Sundance Film Festival
- Former: Uzodinma Iweala (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Beth Tripmacher (2023–2024) — Director & Collab
- Former: Ilyse McKimmie (2024) — Deputy Director & Feature Film Program
- Former: Rachel Denny (2020–2023) — Director Development
- Former: Carrie Lozano (2022–2023) — Director Docu
- Former: Jason Nichols (2023) — Creative Director
- Former: Phaedra Marshall (2023) — Chief Produc
- Former: John Cooper (2020–2022) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Junaid Sarieddeen (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Kerith Putnam (2020–2022) — CEO
- Former: Kristen Tilley (2020–2022) — Chief Staff
- Former: Lisa Kron (2020–2022) — Artist Trustee
- Former: Lynette Wallworth (2020–2022) — Artist Trustee
- Former: Lynne Gugenheim (2020–2022) — Chief Advanc
- Former: N. Bird Runningwater (2020–2022) — Director Indigeno
- Former: Brenda Coughlin (2022) — Director Engageme
- Former: Caroline Von Kuhn (2022) — Director Catalyst
- Former: Gina Duncan (2022) — Producing Di
- Former: Joana Vicente (2022) — CEO
- Former: Christopher Hibma (2020–2021) — Producing Di
- Former: Fred Dust (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Kenneth Cole (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Lisa-Michele Church (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Luis Farfan (2020–2021) — Creative Director
- Former: Michael Monroe (2020–2021) — CMO
- Former: Pascal Desroches (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Rafael Rivera (2020–2021) — Director Sundance
- Former: Ritesh Batra (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jacki Zehner (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Janis Nelson (2020) — General Counsel
- Former: Jim Swartz (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Michael Ballweg (2020) — Chief Hr Officer
- Former: Pamela Gabourie (2020) — Director Instn Gi
- Former: Ryan Coogler (2020) — Artist Trustee
- Former: Shari Frilot (2020) — Chief Curato
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 $485K, to Joana Vicente Kliot (Former Chief Executive Officer). 18 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sundance Institute
How much does Sundance Institute give each year?
Sundance Institute gave $1.9M across 64 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 56 grants.
What is Sundance Institute's typical grant size?
Sundance Institute's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $29,693, across 64 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sundance Institute that year got $30K on average.
Does Sundance Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 64 grants with a stated purpose on Sundance Institute's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Filmmaking" (64 grants).
Who are Sundance Institute's largest grantees?
Sundance Institute's largest 2025 grantees include Biophilia Films LLC ($100,000), Far Far Far Out LLC ($100,000) and Holds You Tight LLC ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sundance Institute?
Sundance Institute reported $77.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $46.4M.
What does Sundance Institute fund?
The Institute’s stated mission is to discover and develop independent artists and audiences. Its programs support independent storytelling in film and episodic work, including nonfiction filmmaking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sundance Institute?
The Institute offers open applications for some programs. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Sundance Institute make grants?
The Institute’s artist programs invite applications from around the world. The Documentary Fund is a global opportunity, and the Documentary Film Program supports nonfiction filmmakers worldwide. In its 2025 filing, the Institute reported that most grant dollars (96%) went to recipients with no state listed; the filing also lists Montana at 3%, New York at 1%, and California at 1%.
What is Sundance Institute's EIN?
Sundance Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-0361394. 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sundance Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
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Sundance Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?