American Conservation Film Festival

What American Conservation Film Festival does

American Conservation Film Festival (ACFF), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 (first festival held in 2003) and headquartered in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. ACFF operates an annual three-day conservation film festival each March, screening roughly 25-28 curated films from around the world focused on environmental and cultural conservation themes. The festival is supplemented by year-round programming including Best of Fest screenings at regional partner venues (Shenandoah University, Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Weinberg Center for the Arts, Barns of Rose Hill, DocWeek Middleburg), an ACFF Student Day for middle and high schoolers, the Next Gen Capture Conservation Video Contest, and a Conservation Filmmaker Workshop. ACFF also maintains a searchable online archive of 25+ years of conservation films organized by year and topic.

The organization serves three primary stakeholder groups: conservation filmmakers (who receive screening fees, cash awards up to $1,000 for the Green Fire Award, stipends, and travel support), conservation-enthusiast audiences (who attend free or donation-supported screenings), and institutional partners including universities, conservation NGOs, and arts venues. Its revenue model is donation-driven: individual gifts are tiered from Friend (<$100) to Conservationist ($1,000+), supplemented by corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (a new Development Director hire signals intent to expand this stream), and modest film submission fees of $25-$35 per short film ($5 for students) processed through FilmFreeway. There are no disclosed ticketing prices for festival attendance.

Operationally, ACFF is a small organization with 1-10 staff augmented by volunteers, governed by a board led by President Dennis Liu (also VP of Education at the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation) and managed day-to-day by Festival Director Hilary Lo (in role since 2015). The board brings senior domain credentials from National Geographic, Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Tangled Bank Studios, and Cornell/Indiana/Johns Hopkins-trained environmental communication experts. ACFF has maintained GuideStar Platinum Certification annually since 2020 and uses no proprietary technology products, with core operations running on a WordPress site, FilmFreeway for submissions, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram).

Name

American Conservation Film Festival

Legal name

American Conservation Film Festival

Website

https://conservationfilmfest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

American Conservation Film Festival (ACFF) is a Shepherdstown, West Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces an annual three-day conservation film festival each March plus year-round Best of Fest screenings, student programs, and a 25+ year film archive, serving conservation filmmakers, enthusiast audiences, and regional partner institutions through donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Film Festival

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADAKAI

Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADAKAH

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

Keywords

• Conservation film festival
• Environmental film screening
• Nonprofit film programming
• Conservation storytelling events
• Educational film workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Shepherdstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Primary revenue stream through individual donations at various giving levels (Conservationist $1,000+, Guardian $500+, Steward $250+, Patron $100+, Friend <$100) and corporate sponsorships for the annual festival season.
2. Film Submission Fees: Entry fees for filmmakers submitting films to the festival: Early bird $25, Regular $30, Late $35 for short films; $5 for student films.
3. Grants and Fundraising: Grant funding from foundations and organizations supporting conservation and film; Development Director position created to expand fundraising efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

American Conservation Film Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces an annual three-day conservation-focused film festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, screening films from around the world on environmental and cultural conservation themes. The organization supplements the annual festival with year-round programming, including Best of Fest regional screenings at partner venues, a student day program, a youth video contest, a filmmaker workshop, and a searchable online archive of more than 25 years of curated conservation films.

Product overview

The American Conservation Film Festival operates as an annual event organization with a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offering is the three-day American Conservation Film Festival featuring curated conservation films from around the world. Supporting programs include the Film Submission Services (via FilmFreeway), the Film Awards Program (with five named awards), and the Film Archives spanning 25+ years. Youth engagement is served through ACFF Student Day, the Next Gen Capture Conservation Video Contest, and Conservation Filmmaker Workshop. Additional programming includes Best of Fest screenings held at partner venues throughout the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• American Conservation Film Festival (Annual Event) An annual three-day celebration of conservation storytelling through film held in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, featuring curated films from around the world focused on environmental and cultural conservation, with filmmaker Q&As, panels, and community events. Targeted at conservation enthusiasts, filmmakers, students, and partner organizations.
• Film Archives A searchable online repository of over 25 years of curated conservation-focused films, organized by year (2003–2026) and topic categories such as Climate Change, Wildlife & Wild Places, Marine Life, and Water. Available to the public via the ACFF website.
• Film Submission Services Annual submission platform accepting conservation-themed fiction and non-fiction films from worldwide filmmakers, processed through FilmFreeway, with categories for Conservation Film Short and Student Conservation Film Short.
• Film Awards Program Awards program bestowing recognition and cash prizes on selected films at the annual festival, including Green Fire Award ($1,000), Green Spark Award ($500), Student Filmmaker Award ($500), Super Short Award, and Audience Choice Award ($250 each for short and feature films).
• ACFF Student Day A program introducing middle and high school students to conservation themes and filmmaking as part of the annual festival, delivered in partnership with Shepherd University.
• Next Gen Capture Conservation Video Contest A youth-focused video contest encouraging students to create conservation stories, with the winning film shown at the festival.
• Best of Fest Screenings Year-round post-festival screenings featuring selected favorite films from the annual festival, shown at partner venues across the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Conservation Filmmaker Workshop A workshop assisting aspiring filmmakers with conservation filmmaking skills, including a pitch panel component for participants to develop their projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• ACFF 2026 featured 25 powerful stories from filmmakers and conservationists across the globe
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Conservation Training CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated in Shepherdstown, WV adjacent to ACFF headquarters. Co-presents screenings including 'Wings Over Water' and hosts events featuring speakers like Katharine Hayhoe. Provides venue access for festival activities.
• Oak Spring Garden FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presents 'Selected Shorts' screening events at The Granary at Rokeby Farm in Upperville, VA. Screens films from ACFF's catalog including 'I Am Salmon' and 'Common Ground'.
• Shepherd UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Student Day programming, Lifelong Learning Brown Bag Luncheon Lectures, and campus screenings. Co-hosts events at the Robert C. Byrd Center.
• Shenandoah UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBest of Fest screenings at Stimpson Auditorium, Halpin-Harrison Hall in Winchester, VA. Partnership with Environmental Studies Program and College of Arts and Sciences.
• Barns of Rose HillminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner in Berryville, VA for ACFF Selected Shorts screenings from annual festival lineups.
• Canaan Valley Master NaturalistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-present selected shorts screenings at Canaan Valley Fire Hall in Davis, WV.
• DocWeek MiddleburgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorACFF presents films at the DocWeek Middleburg event at the Middleburg Community Center in Virginia.
• Weinberg Center for the ArtsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBest of Fest screenings at the Weinberg Center in Frederick, MD. Event sponsored by The Allemall Foundation.
• Blue Ridge Wildlife CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACFF participates in WildFest event celebrating wildlife work; booth presence at this free community event.
• GuideStar (Candid)minorOthersACFF has maintained GuideStar Platinum Certification annually since 2020, demonstrating commitment to transparency and accountability.
• Jefferson Arts CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline screening partnership for Best of Fest content streaming events.
• Potomac Valley Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented Pollinator Evening with Doug Tallamy featuring 'My Garden of a Thousand Bees'.
• Garden Stewards/Shepherdstown Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented Pollinator Evening event and hosts Next Gen Filmmaker Workshop.
• WV Sierra ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline screening partnership for 'Dark Waters' streaming event with live panel discussion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EarthxFilm Festival: Environmental and conservation-focused film festival held within the EarthX conference in Dallas. Comparable niche focus on environmental storytelling with both screenings and an industry component.
• Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival: The leading international conservation and wildlife film festival, also focused on nature/environmental storytelling with awards and filmmaker support. Directly comparable as a competing conservation film festival with a larger global footprint.
• Mountainfilm (Telluride Mountainfilm): Annual documentary film festival in Telluride, CO featuring documentaries on environmental, adventure, and social justice themes. Comparable mission and documentary format with established brand.
• Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital (DC Environmental Film Festival): One of the world's largest environmental film festivals, screening hundreds of films annually in the Washington, D.C. region. Comparable mission and audience with significantly larger scale and programming.
• Camden International Film Festival (Points North Institute): Documentary film festival with environmental and social issue programming and filmmaker support programs. Comparable niche documentary festival with similar filmmaker-development mission.
• Wildscreen Festival: International natural world storytelling festival and industry market held in Bristol, UK. Directly comparable as a conservation film festival with awards, filmmaker markets, and industry programming.

Broad incumbents

• DOC NYC: America's largest documentary festival, including environmental programming. Comparable as a documentary festival serving filmmakers and audiences, though with broader scope and New York City base.
• Full Frame Documentary Film Festival: Established documentary film festival with programming that includes environmental and conservation themes. Comparable as a curated documentary festival but with broader topical scope than ACFF.
• Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival: Large-scale adventure and outdoor film festival with global touring program. Comparable model of an annual curated film festival with subsequent traveling screenings, though its focus is broader than ACFF's conservation mission.

Regional players

• True/False Film Fest: Highly regarded documentary film festival held in Columbia, Missouri with environmental and social issue programming. Comparable as a curated documentary festival with filmmaker engagement, though based in a different Midwestern region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/conservationfilmfest
• Instagraminstagram.com/conservationfilmfest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-conservation-film-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Conservation Film Festival