Story Money Impact

What Story Money Impact does

Story Money Impact (SMI) is a Vancouver-based Canadian registered charity (operating as SMI Film Society, charity #781117932RR0001) that designs and executes impact campaigns for Canadian documentary films. Founded around 2019 with a staff of 1-10, the organization connects documentary filmmakers with community screening hosts across businesses, schools, universities, non-profits, faith groups, and government offices to translate finished films into measurable social change outcomes, reporting audience action-intent rates above 96% across its 2022-2025 Earth Day cohorts.

SMI's product surface is built around four core programs. STORY TO ACTION runs cohort-based impact campaigns for completed and premiered Canadian documentaries (currently in its sixth edition). IMPACT MENTORSHIP delivers 10 hours of impact coaching to filmmakers from underrepresented groups, led by Tamo Campos. The annual Earth Day Initiative, launched in 2022, drives a DIY community screening network that has accumulated 1,400+ screenings. The Tracey Friesen Impact Fund and the now-discontinued Pod training program (funded by Canada Media Fund until 2025) round out the portfolio. Underlying technology is intentionally minimal: a Squarespace website, Google Forms application intake, and human-facilitated post-screening surveys form the operational backbone, with no proprietary platform or AI components.

The revenue model is a mix of recurring monthly donations (Impact Steward program), one-time donations, and project/program grants from public funders such as Telefilm Canada, Canada Media Fund (until 2025), and Vancouver Foundation. Filmmakers receive impact services at no cost, while Impact Mentorship participation carries a C$450-C$500 honorarium per film team. Go-to-market is event- and community-driven rather than sales-driven: filmmakers enter via open applications, and screening hosts self-recruit through the website, newsletter, blog, and social channels. Customer concentration risk is elevated on the funding side, with the recent loss of Canada Media Fund support having already forced product-line consolidation.

Name

Story Money Impact

Legal name

SMI Film Society

Website

https://storymoneyimpact.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Story Money Impact is a Vancouver-based Canadian charity that designs and runs impact campaigns for Canadian documentary films, connecting filmmakers with community screening hosts and providing impact mentorship to underrepresented creators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Impact Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Issue & Advocacy Documentaries (MPADADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Branded Documentary / Nonfiction (Corporate & NGO) (MPADADAK), Media Arts & Film/Photography Nonprofits (BPAGAHAJ), Branded Documentary & Purpose-Driven Content (MPADAEAJ)

Keywords

• Documentary impact strategy
• Nonprofit film programs
• Community film screenings
• Impact mentorship services
• Social justice documentaries

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Monthly Donations (Impact Steward Program): Recurring monthly donations from individual supporters provide reliable revenue for program development and operations. Monthly donors receive event invitations and provide foundational support.
2. One-time Donations: Single donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to maximize impact of Canadian documentary films.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from organizations like Telefilm Canada and Canada Media Fund to support specific programs such as Impact Mentorship and Pod training programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Story Money Impact designs and executes impact campaigns for Canadian documentary films focused on environmental and social justice issues. The organization delivers impact strategy design, partner outreach, community screenings, and post-event evaluation, alongside mentorship and training programs for documentary filmmakers from underrepresented groups (Indigenous Peoples, people of colour, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+). Operates the STORY TO ACTION campaign program, IMPACT MENTORSHIP coaching program, annual Earth Day Initiative, and the Tracey Friesen Impact Fund grant program.

Product overview

Story Money Impact is a non-profit organization operating as a single unified offering focused on documentary film impact rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core programs include STORY TO ACTION (impact campaign execution for completed films), IMPACT MENTORSHIP (coaching for filmmakers in development), Pod Program (training - now discontinued), Earth Day Initiative (annual climate documentary screening campaign), and the Tracey Friesen Impact Fund (grant program). The monthly giving program supports all initiatives while connecting documentary films with changemakers for social benefit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STORY TO ACTION A pilot impact campaign program that enables documentary filmmakers to create impact strategies and execute targeted screenings for completed Canadian documentaries focused on environmental or social justice issues. Includes cohort curriculum on impact principles, one-on-one sessions with the SMI team, impact goal setting, issue landscape research, partner outreach, screening execution, and final impact reporting delivered in spring 2027.
• IMPACT MENTORSHIP A coaching program offering 10 impact coaching hours to Canadian documentary filmmakers from underrepresented groups (Indigenous Peoples, people of colour, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA2S+) in later development phases. Includes virtual sessions, mentorship from practitioners like Tamo Campos, and curriculum covering impact strategy development, narrative crafting, non-extractive filmmaking, and issue mapping. Funded by Telefilm Canada.
• Earth Day Initiative An annual initiative spotlighting Canadian documentary films addressing climate and environmental issues. Includes DIY community screening campaigns, recruitment of screening hosts across businesses, schools, universities, non-profits, faith groups, and government offices, and impact measurement through audience surveys.
• Pod Program A training program funded by the Canada Media Fund providing education and growing the impact community in Canada. Discontinued in 2026 due to lack of CMF support.
• Tracey Friesen Impact Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,400+ community screenings hosted through DIY engagement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Vancouver FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVancouver Foundation supported the Klabona Keepers educational screening program through a talkback session with Elders featured in the film.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Impact Partners: US-based impact film fund and production company that finances and supports social-issue documentaries. A broader incumbent that overlaps with SMI's impact production and distribution mission but with a finance-led model.

Emerging players

• Chicken & Egg Pictures: US nonprofit that supports emerging documentary filmmakers, particularly women and nonbinary creators, with grants, mentorship, and industry support—comparable to SMI's Impact Mentorship program.
• The Redford Center: US nonprofit that funds and supports environmental storytelling and impact campaigns for documentary films. Overlaps with SMI's climate-focused Earth Day Initiative but operates at a larger scale and with broader funding.

Direct peers

• Doc Society: UK-based nonprofit that runs impact campaigns, fellowships, and impact strategy for documentary films globally. Closest direct peer to SMI in mission, services (Good Pitch, Climate Story), and operating model.
• Active Voice: US-based documentary impact lab that builds campaigns and audience engagement strategies for social-issue films, including field engagement and evaluation—highly comparable to SMI's impact-producer model.
• Picture Motion: US-based social impact agency that designs and executes impact campaigns for documentary films, including community screenings, educational outreach, and partner engagement—directly comparable to Story to Action.
• Working Films: US nonprofit that links documentary filmmakers with organizations and audiences to drive social change, with a strong focus on community screenings and impact strategy—overlapping directly with SMI's core services.

Others

• Films For Action: Online platform and grassroots network curating impact-driven documentary films and resources. Adjacent to SMI's community screening and educational content mission but with a library/platform model rather than impact campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.storymoneyimpact.com
• Facebookfacebook.com/storymoneyimpact
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&source=Story+Money+Impact

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Story Money Impact