efile Public Visual Render
ObjectId: 201632369349200213 - Submission: 2016-08-23
TIN: 27-4273918
Form
990-EZ
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Short Form
Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax
Under section 501(c), 527, or 4947(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code (except private foundations)
Do not enter social security numbers on this form as it may be made public.
Information about Form 990-EZ and its instructions is at
www.irs.gov/form990
.
OMB No. 1545-1150
20
15
Open to Public
Inspection
A
For the 2015 calendar year, or tax year beginning
01-01-2015
, and ending
12-31-2015
B
Check if applicable:
Address change
Name change
Initial return
Final return/terminated
Amended return
Application pending
C
Name of organization
Americas Media Initiative NFP
Number and street (or P. O. box, if mail is not delivered to street address)
19 Marble Avenue
Room/suite
City or town, state or province, country, and ZIP or foreign postal code
Burlington
,
VT
05401
D Employer identification number
27-4273918
E
Telephone number
(312) 282-0135
F
Group Exemption
Number
G
Accounting Method:
Cash
Accrual
Other (specify)
H
Check
required to attach Schedule B
(Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-PF).
I Website:
www.americasmediainitiative.org
J Tax-exempt status
(check only one) -
501(c)(3)
501(c)
(
)
(insert no.)
4947(a)(1)
or
527
K
Form of organization:
Corporation
Trust
Association
Other
L
Add lines 5b, 6c, and 7b to line 9 to determine gross receipts. If gross receipts are $200,000 or more, or if total assets (Part II, column (B) below) are $500,000 or more, file Form 990 instead of Form 990-EZ
...........................
$
109,493
Part I
Revenue, Expenses, and Changes in Net Assets or Fund Balances
(see the instructions for Part I)
Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part I
.....................
1
Contributions, gifts, grants, and similar amounts received
....................
1
95,092
2
Program service revenue including government fees and contracts
...............
2
5,763
3
Membership dues and assessments
...........................
3
4
Investment income
...........................
4
5a
Gross amount from sale of assets other than inventory
.....
5a
b
Less: cost or other basis and sales expenses
.......
5b
0
c
Gain or (loss) from sale of assets other than inventory (Subtract line 5b from line 5a)
......
5c
6
Gaming and fundraising events
a
Gross income from gaming (attach Schedule G if greater than $15,000)
6a
b
Gross income from fundraising events (not including $
of contributions from fundraising events reported on line 1) (attach Schedule G if the
sum of such gross income and contributions exceeds $15,000)
..
6b
0
c
Less: direct expenses from gaming and fundraising events
...
6c
0
d
Net income or (loss) from gaming and fundraising events (add lines 6a and 6b and subtract line 6c)
6d
7a
Gross sales of inventory, less returns and allowances
......
7a
8,638
b
Less: cost of goods sold
.............
7b
4,543
c
Gross profit or (loss) from sales of inventory (Subtract line 7b from line 7a)
.........
7c
4,095
8
Other revenue (describe in Schedule O)
..........
8
9
Total revenue.
Add lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5c, 6d, 7c, and 8
..............
9
104,950
10
Grants and similar amounts paid (list in Schedule O)
............
10
11
Benefits paid to or for members
................
11
12
Salaries, other compensation, and employee benefits
................
12
51,524
13
Professional fees and other payments to independent contractors
............
13
8,570
14
Occupancy, rent, utilities, and maintenance
...................
14
4,875
15
Printing, publications, postage, and shipping
..............
15
1,711
16
Other expenses (describe in Schedule O)
..............
16
29,838
17
Total expenses.
Add lines 10 through 16
..............
17
96,518
18
Excess or (deficit) for the year (Subtract line 17 from line 9)
............
18
8,432
19
Net assets or fund balances at beginning of year (from line 27, column (A)) (must agree with
end-of-year figure reported on prior year’s return)
............
19
3,456
20
Other changes in net assets or fund balances (explain in Schedule O)
..........
20
21
Net assets or fund balances at end of year. Combine lines 18 through 20
.......
21
11,888
For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the separate instructions.
Cat. No. 10642I
Form
990-EZ
(2015)
Page 2
Form 990-EZ (2015)
Page
2
Part II
Balance Sheets
(see the instructions for Part II)
Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part II
.................
(A)
Beginning of year
(B)
End of year
22
Cash, savings, and investments
................
4,907
22
12,690
23
Land and buildings
....................
23
24
Other assets (describe in Schedule O)
..........
3,254
24
3,158
25
Total assets
......................
8,161
25
15,848
26
Total liabilities
(describe in Schedule O)
.............
4,705
26
3,960
27
Net assets or fund balances
(line 27 of column (B)
must
agree with line 21)
3,456
27
11,888
Part III
Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
(see the instructions for Part III)
Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part III
.
.
Expenses
(Required for section 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations; optional for others.)
What is the organization's primary exempt purpose?
AMI is focused on the distribution of independent and community media from Cuba and developing cultural exchange projects between Cuban and US citizens. AMI is playing an important role both in Cuba and the US. In Cuba AMI is providing young, emerging filmmakers with an educational distributor that is marketing their work in the US and providing them with an income from the sales. In the US, AMI is making this independent work available to universities and individuals who previously could only access this material through direct contact with the filmmakers or pirated copies.
Describe the organization’s program service accomplishments for each of its three largest program services, as measured by expenses. In a clear and concise manner, describe the services provided, the number of persons benefited, and other relevant information for each program title.
28
DistributionIn September 2015, AMI released the documentary Masks/Mascaras, the first film by emerging filmmaker Lazaro J. Gonzalez. Masks tells the stories of two of Cubas most renowned transformistas, or drag queens: Rubel Alarcn and Pedro Manuel Gonzlez.Increasingly academic reviews of films in the AMI Cuba catalogue are being published. A positive review of ELENA appeared in Education Media Reviews Online (http://libweb.lib.buffalo.edu/emro/emroDetail.asp?Number=6051). These reviews help educational institutions decide which films to purchase for their film library.Our relationship with Icarus Films is benefitting both the Cuban independent filmmakers and AMI. For example in 2015, 24 film festivals and important cultural institutions such as the Tribeca Film Festival, Film Forum, and the Museum of the Moving Image, requested screeners of the AMI Cuba catalogue films. Every filmmaker received royalty payments every quarter although some received much more then others. We have seen that touring increases institutional sales for example during the Tierralsimo Good Earth Film Tour in April 2015 AMI sold 20 copies of Tierralismo: Stories from a Cooperative Farm and Icarus has sold 14 copies both during and after the tour. Eight film festivals requested screeners of Tierralismo from Icarus Films since the tour ended.
(Grants $
29,620
)
If this amount includes foreign grants, check here
...
28a
29
TouringIn April 2015, AMI organized the groundbreaking Tierralismo Good Earth Film Tour, which included screenings of the recently released documentary Tierralismo: Stories from a Cooperative Farm. Part of the AMI Cuba catalogue, Tierralismo is about the history and practices of one of Cubas most successful urban farms, the Organoponico Vivero Alamar (Alamar Organic Cooperative). The filmmaker, Alejandro Ramirez, and one of the co-founders of the Organoponico, Isis Salcines, accompanied the tour. On our month-long Tierralismo tour, AMI reached over 1000 people in numerous urban farms in Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia; university audiences in New York, New Jersey and New Hampshire; farms and public screenings in Vermont. AMI created partnerships with over 10 new organizations including: Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, The Schumacher Institute, Growing Home, Onion River Coop, Vermont Caribbean Institute, Vermont Fresh Network, Norris Square Neighborhood Project, South Bronx Documentary Center, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, New Economy Coalition and Bartrams Farm. Onion River Coop, Vermont Caribbean Institute and Vermont Fresh Network funded the Vermont section of the tour. In July, AMI Director, Alexandra Halkin, and Open Society Fellow (OSF) and Cuba scholar Katrin Hansing, offered two OSF-sponsored screenings of the feature documentary Cancin de barrio (Song of the Street) at OSF headquarters in New York City and Washington, D.C. In 2010, famed Cuban musician Silvio Rodriguez started an ongoing tour through the poorest neighborhoods of Havana. Following Mr. Rodriguez for two years, Cancin de barrio explores a largely invisible and silenced Cuba, the complexity of which is revealed through the voices of the films participants. The screenings were followed by discussions about the growing income inequality in Cuba, particularly in the Afro-Cuban communities where the film takes place.AMI also organized two film festival screenings of Cancin de barrio. The first screening was at the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival. In late October AMI Director, Alexandra Halkin screened the film at the Vermont International Film Festival and moderated a live Skype Q&A with Cuban journalist, Monica Rivero who has been following the concerts since the beginning. This was probably the first time a U. S. film festival had a live chat with someone based in Cuba. It was possible because Monica works at the Cuban news website, Cubadebate that has open internet access and faster internet then is normally available in Cuba.In October, AMI Director, Alexandra Halkin did a presentation about the work of AMI for emerging Cuban filmmakers in the Pabelln Cuba in Havana for a program organized by the Hermanos Saz Association (AHS). The presentation was attended by about 40 filmmakers, put on the website of AHS and covered in the Cuban press in CubaSi (http://cubasi.cu/cubasi-noticias-cuba-mundo-ultima-hora/item/44219-ante-la-fiebre-por-cuba-intentar-el-equilibrio).In December AMI helped organize a presentation for renowned U.S. documentary filmmaker Jon Alpert that also took place in the Pabelln Cuba in Havana. Jon showed clips and talked about his career and engaged in a Q&A with the audience of about 30 people.
(Grants $
40,516
)
If this amount includes foreign grants, check here
...
29a
30
ProductionIn April, as part of our new program to support Cuban documentaries in production, AMI awarded a cash prize at the Muestra Joven (Young Directors Film Festival) in Havana to the documentary in production Bahia, La quimera de arroz (Bahia, The Rice Rush), a story that follows several individuals hoping to lift themselves out of poverty while confronting the difficult conditions of the rice harvest in Las Tunas province. This AMI award was the first cash prize ever given by a U.S. organization at a Cuban film festival. Both the director and the producer graduated in 2015 from the prestigious International Film and Television School (EICTV) in San Antonio de los Baos.
(Grants $
4,379
)
If this amount includes foreign grants, check here
...
30a
31
Other program services (describe in Schedule O)
................
(Grants $
)
If this amount includes foreign grants, check here
...
31a
32 Total program service expenses
(add lines 28a through 31a)
..........
32
74,515
Part IV
List of Officers, Directors, Trustees, and Key Employees
(list each one even if not compensated see the instructions for Part IV)
Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part IV
............
(a)
Name and title
(b)
Average
hours per week
devoted to position
(c)
Reportable compensation
(Forms W-2/1099-MISC)
(if not paid, enter -0-)
(d)
Health benefits, contributions to employee benefit plans,
and deferred compensation
(e)
Estimated amount
of other compensation
Alexandra Halkin
Executive Dir.
40.00
42,633
2,400
Diana Coryat
Director
2.00
0
Clemencia Rodriguez
Director
2.00
0
Ruth Goldberg
Director
0
0
Jesus Hernandez
Director
0
0
Catherine Murphy
Treasurer
0
0
Deb Ellis
Director
0
0
Form
990-EZ
(2015)
Page 3
Form 990-EZ (2015)
Page
3
Part V
Other Information
(Note the Schedule A and personal benefit contract statement requirements in the
instructions for Part V.) Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part V
.......
Yes
No
33
Did the organization engage in any significant activity not previously reported to the IRS? If "Yes," provide a
detailed description of each activity in Schedule O
...................
33
No
34
Were any significant changes made to the organizing or governing documents? If "Yes," attach a conformed copy
of the amended documents if they reflect a change to the organization’s name. Otherwise, explain the change
on Schedule O (see instructions)
..........................
34
No
35a
Did the organization have unrelated business gross income of $1,000 or more during the year from business
activities (such as those reported on lines 2, 6a, and 7a, among others)?
............
35a
No
b
If "Yes," to line 35a, has the organization filed a Form 990-T for the year? If "No," provide
an explanation in Schedule O
35b
No
c
Was the organization a section 501(c)(4), 501(c)(5), or 501(c)(6) organization subject to section 6033(e)
notice, reporting, and proxy tax requirements during the year? If "Yes," complete Schedule C, Part III
35c
No
36
Did the organization undergo a liquidation, dissolution, termination, or significant disposition of net assets during
the year? If “Yes," complete applicable parts of Schedule N
................
36
No
37a
Enter amount of political expenditures, direct or indirect, as described in the instructions.
37a
b
Did the organization file
Form 1120-POL
for this year?
...................
37b
No
38a
Did the organization borrow from, or make any loans to, any officer, director, trustee, or key employee
or
were
any such loans made in a prior year and still outstanding at the end of the tax year covered by this return?
..
38a
No
b
If “Yes," complete Schedule L, Part II and enter the total amount involved
.
38b
39
Section 501(c)(7) organizations. Enter:
a
Initiation fees and capital contributions included on line 9
.......
39a
0
b
Gross receipts, included on line 9, for public use of club facilities
.....
39b
0
40a
Section 501(c)(3) organizations. Enter amount of tax imposed on the organization during the year under:
section 4911
; section 4912
; section 4955
b
Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(29) organizations. Did the organization engage in any section 4958
excess benefit transaction during the year, or did it engage in an excess benefit transaction in a prior year that
has not been reported on any of its prior Forms 990 or 990-EZ? If “Yes," complete Schedule L, Part I
40b
No
c
Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(29) organizations. Enter amount of tax imposed on organization
managers or disqualified persons during the year under sections
4912, 4955, and 4958
d
Section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(29) organizations. Enter amount of tax on line 40c reimbursed
by the organization
e
All organizations. At any time during the tax year, was the organization a party to a prohibited tax shelter
transaction? If "Yes," complete Form 8886-T
................
40e
No
41
List the states with which a copy of this return is filed.
IL
42a
The organization's books are in care of
Alex Halkin
Telephone no.
(312) 282-0135
Located at
19 Marble Avenue
Burlington
,
VT
ZIP + 4
05401
b
At any time during the calendar year, did the organization have an interest in or a signature or other authority over a financial account in a foreign country (such as a bank account, securities account, or other financial account)?
Yes
No
42b
No
If “Yes," enter the name of the foreign country:
See the instructions for exceptions and filing requirements for
FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
c
At any time during the calendar year, did the organization maintain an office outside the U.S.?
.
.
.
42c
No
If “Yes," enter the name of the foreign country:
43
Section 4947(a)(1) nonexempt charitable trusts filing Form 990-EZ in lieu of
Form 1041 -
Check here
......
and enter the amount of tax-exempt interest received or accrued during the tax year
....
43
Yes
No
44a
Did the organization maintain any donor advised funds during the year? If "Yes," Form 990 must be completed instead
of Form 990-EZ
.............................
44a
No
b
Did the organization operate one or more hospital facilities during the year? If "Yes," Form 990 must be completed
instead of Form 990-EZ
.............................
44b
No
c
Did the organization receive any payments for indoor tanning services during the year?
.........
44c
No
d
If "Yes," to line 44c, has the organization filed a Form 720 to report these payments?
If "No," provide an
explanation in Schedule O
............................
44d
No
45a
Did the organization have a controlled entity within the meaning of section 512(b)(13)?
.........
45a
No
45b
Did the organization receive any payment from or engage in any transaction with a controlled entity within the meaning of section 512(b)(13)? If "Yes," Form 990 and Schedule R may need to be completed instead of
Form 990-EZ (see instructions)
......................
45b
No
Form
990-EZ
(2015)
Page 4
Form 990-EZ (2015)
Page
4
Yes
No
46
Did the organization engage, directly or indirectly, in political campaign activities on behalf of or in opposition to
candidates for public office? If “Yes," complete Schedule C, Part I.
...........
46
No
Part VI
Section 501(c)(3) organizations only
All section 501(c)(3) organizations must answer questions 47-49b and 52, and complete the tables for lines 50 and 51
Check if the organization used Schedule O to respond to any question in this Part VI
..................
Yes
No
47
Did the organization engage in lobbying activities or have a section 501(h) election in effect during the tax year?
If "Yes," complete Schedule C, Part II
.......................
47
No
48
Is the organization a school as described in section 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)?
If "Yes," complete Schedule E
..
48
No
49a
Did the organization make any transfers to an exempt non-charitable related organization?
......
49a
No
b
If "Yes," was the related organization a section 527 organization?
................
49b
No
50
Complete this table for the organization's five highest compensated employees (other than officers, directors, trustees and key employees) who each received more than $100,000 of compensation from the organization. If there is none, enter "None."
(a)
Name and title of each employee
(b)
Average
hours per week
devoted to position
(c)
Reportable compensation
(Forms W-2/1099-MISC)
(d)
Health benefits, contributions to employee benefit plans, and deferred compensation
(e)
Estimated amount of other compensation
NONE
f
Total number of other employees paid over $100,000
...
51
Complete this table for the organization's five highest compensated independent contractors who each received more than $100,000 of compensation from the organization. If there is none, enter "None."
(a)
Name and business address of each independent contractor
(b)
Type of service
(c)
Compensation
NONE
d
Total number of other independent contractors each receiving over $100,000
..........
52
Did the organization complete Schedule A?
NOTE.
All Section 501(c)(3) organizations must attach a
completed Schedule A
........................................
Yes
No
Sign Here
Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this return, including accompanying schedules and statements, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, it is true, correct, and complete. Declaration of preparer (other than officer) is based on all information of which preparer has any knowledge.
2016-08-23
Signature of officer
Date
Alex Halkin
Executive Dir.
Type or print name and title
Paid Preparer Use Only
Print/Type preparer's name
Colleen L Montgomery CPA
Preparer's signature
Date
Check
if
self-employed
PTIN
P00038392
Firm's name
Montgomery & Merrill PC
Firm's EIN
Firm's address
110 Main Street
Burlington
,
VT
054018451
Phone no.
(802) 864-6565
May the IRS discuss this return with the preparer shown above? See instructions
.........
Yes
No
Form
990-EZ
(2015)
Additional Data
Software ID:
15000324
Software Version:
2015v2.0
Form 990-EZ, Special Condition Description:
Special Condition Description