Utah Film Center
Utah Film Center is a Salt Lake City nonprofit filing as a Form 990 (a public charity). Founded in 2002, it connects people, stories, and ideas through film exhibition, artist support, and media arts education. Its programs include screenings, educational experiences, and fiscal sponsorship for independent film and storytelling projects.
Utah Film Center at a glance
In short: Utah Film Center gave $21.6M across 95 grants in 2025 (avg $227K), mostly in New York. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $21,552,095
- +120.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 95
- +69.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $226,864
- +29.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $94,988
- Total assets
- $9,422,540
- +14.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (55 of 95, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (56% 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 Utah Film Center
- How to Apply
-
The Center accepts fiscal sponsorship applications throughout the year. Applicants submit an online application covering the project’s story, relevance, artistic approach, timeline, distribution and marketing strategy, intended audience, engagement and impact, creative team, fundraising plan, funding to date, and a line-item budget; a work-sample link is optional. The Fiscal Sponsorship Committee reviews applications for mission fit and quality. The application page says applicants are notified by email within 3–4 weeks. Approved projects complete a grant agreement and onboarding documents, including points of contact, tax documentation, and banking information. The FAQ lists a 6% fiscal sponsorship fee and says local Utah artists and Artist Foundry members might be eligible for a discount.
- Contact
Mailing address: 375 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Phone: (801) 746-7000
Website: https://utahfilmcenter.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Utah Film Center funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Songbird Studios Inc ($3.7M). Together the top 10 received $12.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
355 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 138 grants of 355 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Center’s website describes programs connecting with communities around Utah and reports events and direct participation by Utahns. Its fiscal sponsorship program is open to qualified projects from anywhere. In 2025, recipient-state shares of grant dollars were New York 56%, California 23%, New Jersey 8%, Illinois 4%, and Utah 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 95 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Utah Film Center open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 55 of 95 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $267K; repeat grants $172K. How we count
Medians: $104K first-time, $94K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.8M (2019) to $21.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 95 grants totaling $21.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Songbird Studios Inc New York, NY | Film and Documentary Funding | $3,694,417 |
| Finch No Worries Inc Morristown, NJ | Film and Documentary Funding | $1,734,592 |
| Kelly Slater Project New York, NY | Film and Documentary Funding | $1,471,974 |
| Radical Gaslighters LLC New York, NY | Film and Documentary Funding | $961,859 |
| South Commons Film LLC Los Angeles, CA | Film and Documentary Funding | $933,922 |
| The River Project Inc New York, NY | Film and Documentary Funding | $881,236 |
| The Kelly Slater Project PTY Ltd New York, NY | Film and Documentary Funding | $822,965 |
| Miss Bingley LLC Thousand Oaks, CA | Film and Documentary Funding | $645,217 |
| Altimeter Films Inc Los Angeles, CA | Film and Documentary Funding | $516,649 |
| The Culinistas Inc Chevy Chase, MD | Film and Documentary Funding | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Utah Film Center?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,422,540 | $24,837,556 | $23,724,859 | $21,552,095 | 95 | $59,105 |
| 2024 | $8,212,610 | $21,989,306 | $19,899,620 | $9,778,388 | 56 | $43,538 |
| 2023 | $2,783,052 | $14,249,682 | $14,182,687 | $11,143,887 | 75 | $1,997 |
| 2022 | $2,609,541 | $12,292,988 | $11,967,277 | $8,880,657 | 60 | $455 |
| 2021 | $1,781,508 | $12,427,542 | $11,984,849 | $8,061,466 | 69 | $315 |
| 2020 | $1,571,502 | $9,952,388 | $10,126,076 | $8,089,256 | 45 | $-9,897 |
| 2019 | $2,313,820 | $10,741,124 | $10,808,103 | $7,844,156 | 52 | $1,580 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to connect people, stories, and ideas through film exhibition, artist support, and media arts education. Its 2024 filing describes a fiscal sponsorship program for selected film projects consistent with its mission, emphasizing social content and artistic excellence, including documentary, independent, and dramatic films. The filing says the program provides administrative and fundraising support and guidance.
The Center’s filing also describes educational experiences for educators and students, including media arts and animation presentations, and regular screenings of independent and international films that encourage dialogue about social, cultural, and economic issues.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the filing lists 95 grants totaling $21,552,095. Grant amounts ranged from $9,358 to $3,694,417, with a median of $94,988. The largest listed grant was $3,694,417 to Songbird Studios Inc. for film and documentary funding. Other large grants included $1,734,592 to Finch No Worries Inc.; $1,471,974 to Kelly Slater Project; and $961,859 to Radical Gaslighters LLC, each for film and documentary funding.
The River Project Inc. received $881,236. The grantee describes its mission as research education in ecology of the Hudson River. The Center’s fiscal sponsorship information says the program does not provide funds or solicit donations for sponsored projects; instead, it enables projects to receive donations through the Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert Austin as board chair. Board members listed are Hamid Adib, Pete Ashdown, Chaney Zinn, Erik Christianson, Jeremy Coon, Skye Emerson, Kathleen Riebe, Heidi Prokop, and Sam Vetas.
Utah Film Center is led by Mariah Mellus, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 2 of 16 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mariah Mellus
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$82K (2022) → $117K (2025)
Robert Austin
Board Chair
Board Member → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Kirsling
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$97K (2024) → $101K (2025)
Hamid Adib
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Prokop
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremy Coon
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pete Ashdown
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Walker
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sam Vetas
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Skye Emerson
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erik Christianson
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betsy Wallace
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chaney Zinn
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erika Cohn
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Riebe
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Krohn
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Geralyn Dreyfous (2019–2024) — Board Chair
- Former: Karen Hale (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Zeppelin Zeerip (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Erik Christensen (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Alexandra Fuller (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Byron Russell (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Deanna Byck (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jim Bradley (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Kathryn Toll (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Louis Borgenicht (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Patrick Hubley (2019–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Shauna Eninger (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Michelle Cisernos (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Nicole Guillemet (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: James Morgese (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Josette Formosa (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Lisa Cluff (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Lynn Dougan (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Swartz (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Todd Ranklin (2019) — Board Member
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 $117K, to Mariah Mellus (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Utah Film Center
How much does Utah Film Center give each year?
Utah Film Center gave $21.6M across 95 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.8M across 56 grants.
What is Utah Film Center's typical grant size?
Utah Film Center's median grant in 2025 was $94,988, and its average grant was $226,864, across 95 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Utah Film Center that year got $267K on average.
Where does Utah Film Center give grants?
Utah Film Center gives mostly in New York: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (23%) and New Jersey (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (16 grants), Los Angeles, CA (14 grants), Brooklyn, NY (14 grants) and Salt Lake City, UT (5 grants).
Does Utah Film Center give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 95 grants with a stated purpose on Utah Film Center's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Film and Documentary Funding" (95 grants).
Who are Utah Film Center's largest grantees?
Utah Film Center's largest 2025 grantees include Songbird Studios Inc ($3,694,417), Finch No Worries Inc ($1,734,592) and Kelly Slater Project ($1,471,974), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Utah Film Center?
Utah Film Center reported $9.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $24.8M.
What does Utah Film Center fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to connect people, stories, and ideas through film exhibition, artist support, and media arts education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Utah Film Center?
The Center accepts fiscal sponsorship applications throughout the year. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Utah Film Center's EIN?
Utah Film Center's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-3077559. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
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 February 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 4, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Utah Film Center's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Utah Film Center funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/utah-film-center-morg_1e543c4723e74bfc9461c2602040d9c6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_753077559_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Utah Film Center funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/utah-film-center-morg_1e543c4723e74bfc9461c2602040d9c6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Utah Film Center'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.
Utah Film Center down — hundreds of funders to go?