Nonprofit · EIN 36-4169083
CINESTORY INC
Tax-exempt · LOS ANGELES, CA 90035
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | 990 | $333,152 | $330,909 | $2,243 | $146,702 | $0 | $146,702 |
| June 30, 2025 | 990 | $319,934 | $314,213 | $5,721 | $144,458 | $0 | $144,458 |
| June 30, 2024 | 990 | $255,193 | $223,995 | $31,198 | $138,737 | $0 | $138,737 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2026
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $16,135
- Program service revenue
- $317,017
- Investment income
- $0
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $0
- Other salaries and wages
- $123,100
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $123,100
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $1,151
- Occupancy
- $3,690
- Program services (functional)
- $174,119
- Management and general (functional)
- $156,790
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $144,459
- Total assets, end of year
- $146,702
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $0
- Net assets, end of year
- $146,702
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $146,702
- Gross receipts
- $333,152
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 5
- Year formed
- 1995
- State of legal domicile
- CA
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended June 30, 2026, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colette Sartor | Executive Dir. Officer | 15 | $35,000 |
| Lisanne Sartor | CREATIVE DIR. Trustee or director, Officer | 15 | $28,000 |
| Rajiv Reddy | Creative Dir. Officer | 10 | $27,000 |
| Leah Estrin | Creative Dir. Officer | 10 | $15,000 |
| Michael Salort | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Chandus T Jackson | COMMITTEE CHAIR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Derrick Pete | COMMITTEE CHAIR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Pam Suseniehl | Emiritus Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Mark Fergus | MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Willie Hagan | MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| PAM PIERCE | EMERITUS Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| ADAM FRATTO | MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lisanne Sartor | Board President Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2025: 11 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colette Sartor | Executive Director Officer | 15 | $32,700 |
| Rajiv Reddy | Creative Director Key employee | 10 | $23,874 |
| Lisanne Sartor | President Trustee or director, Officer | 15 | $17,167 |
| Leah Estrin | Creative Director Key employee | 10 | $14,250 |
| Michael Salort | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 1 | $0 |
| Chandus T Jackson | Sponsorship Chair Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Derrick Pete | Board Development Chair Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Mark Fergus | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Willie Hagan | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Emeritus | Amy Salko Roberston Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Pam Suseniehl | Emiritus Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 19 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisanne Sartor | President Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $5,000 |
| Michael Salort | Treasurer Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| David Baird | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Susan Cartsonis | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Tani Cohen | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Suzanne Farwell | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Mark Fergus | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Willie Hagan | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Chandus T Jackson | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Chiraz Kelly | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Amy Salko Robertson | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Pam Susemiehl | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Derek Pete | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Pam Pierce | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Meg LeFauve | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Carlo Martinelli | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Sheila Hanahan-Taylor | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lisa Callamaro | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ira Abrams | Director Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1270 S ALFRED ST UNIT 35211, LOS ANGELES, CA 90035-8009
- In care of
- % PAM PIERCE
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Lisanne Sartor
- Signed the 990
- Lisanne Sartor, board president
- Phone
- (310) 497-1961
- Website
- www.cinestory.org
- Return prepared by
- ELITE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY CORP
California records
California keeps its own records of charities and corporations. Search them by EIN 36-4169083 or by the name CINESTORY INC.
- Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Registration status and filed reports (CT-TR-1, RRF-1)
- Secretary of State, bizfile Online
- Corporation status, entity number, agent for service
- Franchise Tax Board
- Entity status letter (state tax exemption, good standing)
Mission
CineStory is dedicated to nurturing emerging screenwriters and TV writers through its annual screenwriting contests, retreats and residencies.
Program accomplishments
- CineStory List of Accomplishments, Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2026:CINESTORY held its Feature Retreat from October 3 7, 2025 in Idyllwild, CA, with 41 participating screenwriters, 11 staff members, 7 interns, and 46 mentors. The mentors all are working entertainment industry professionals. CineStory did three one-hour, pre-retreat online orientations, one for screenwriters, one for staff, and one for mentors. During the four-day retreat, CineStory provided snacks, a light breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for everyone. There were 15 mentor-led educational sessions spread out over the four and one-half day retreat, including panel discussions and group writing exercises on topics like screenplay structure, the ins and out of working as a professional screenwriter, how to work with producers, agents, and managers, how to write visually, and how to craft a pitch that will sell a screenplay. The participating screenwriters also each met with three different mentors in one-on-one notes sessions for feedback on projects mentors had read in advance. Notes sessions were each one and one-half hours long. In addition, there were numerous social gatherings for writers and mentors to get to know each other.CineStory held its TV Retreat on May 1 5, 2026 in Idyllwild, CA, with 42 participating writers, 11 staff members, 7 interns, and 50 mentors. The mentors all are working entertainment industry professionals. CineStory did three one-hour, pre-retreat orientations online, one for screenwriters, one for staff, and one for mentors. During the four and one-half day retreat, CineStory provided snacks, a light breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for everyone. There were 15 mentor-led educational sessions spread out over the retreat, including topics and writing exercises like teleplay structure, the ins and out of working as a professional TV writer, how to work with producers, agents, and managers, how to write visually, and how to craft a pitch that will sell a teleplay, as well as mock TV writing rooms, one drama room and one comedy room, each led by showrunner mentors. In addition, the writers each met with three different mentors in one-on-one notes sessions for feedback on projects mentors had read in advance. Notes sessions were each one and one-half hours long. In addition, there were daily social gatherings for writers and mentors. In addition, there were numerous social gatherings for writers and mentors to get to know each other.Cinestory also held its second Residency, which was a week-long event from June 12 19, 2026 in Idyllwild, CA, with 11 residents and 8 staff members. The residency focused on generative writing and community building and included housing, all meals, plus places to write, meet in small groups, and socialize as a community. In addition to having plenty of unstructured writing time, residents met daily in small groups led by CineStory staffers to do writing exercises and story breaking sessions aimed at helping residents develop the project they brought to work on. There were also places to take short, unscheduled breaks throughout the day for those who need a quick breather before diving back into their work. Finally, residents and staffers gathered for meals, games, and socializing.More information on CineStorys activities and accomplishments at https://cinestory.org/news/Expenses $174,119 · revenue $317,017
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in June, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 30, 2026 | November 16, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | June 30, 2025 | November 17, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | June 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 36-4169083
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1998
- Accounting year ends
- June
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A99)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $146,702
- Income (IRS master file)
- $333,152
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | June 2026 | $333,152 | $330,909 | $146,702 | XML |
| 990 | June 2025 | $319,934 | $314,213 | $144,458 | XML |
| 990 | June 2024 | $255,193 | $223,995 | $138,737 | XML |
| 990 | June 2023 | $219,328 | $210,455 | $107,538 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2022 | $183,634 | $182,627 | $73,955 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 36-4169083).
Questions about CINESTORY INC
- What is the EIN of CINESTORY INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of CINESTORY INC is 36-4169083.
- Is CINESTORY INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1998.
- Are donations to CINESTORY INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does CINESTORY INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of CINESTORY INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending June 30, 2027) is due November 15, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did CINESTORY INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended June 2026.
- Who is the principal officer of CINESTORY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2026 names Lisanne Sartor.
- Who are the officers and directors of CINESTORY INC?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2026 lists 13 people; 4 received compensation from the organization, the highest $35,000 (Colette Sartor, Executive Dir.).
- How much revenue does CINESTORY INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2026 it reported revenue of $333,152, expenses of $330,909 and total assets of $146,702 at year end.
Other nonprofits in LOS ANGELES
- CRYSTAL STAIRS INC EIN 95-3510046 · last filed 990 for 2025
- LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION EIN 95-1696734 · last filed 990 for 2025
- MUSEUM ASSOCIATES EIN 95-2264067 · last filed 990 for 2025
- LUCAS MUSEUM OF NARRATIVE ART EIN 45-5600818 · last filed 990-PF for 2024
- LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY FOUNDATION EIN 95-6132185 · last filed 990 for 2025
- PERFORMING ARTS CENTER OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY EIN 95-2217011 · last filed 990 for 2025
- THE COLBURN SCHOOL EIN 95-2501387 · last filed 990 for 2025
- LOS ANGELES OPERA COMPANY EIN 95-2096402 · last filed 990 for 2025
All nonprofits in LOS ANGELES · California · Arts, culture and humanities