Three Dollar Bill Cinema

What Three Dollar Bill Cinema does

Three Dollar Bill Cinema is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization founded circa 1995 that operates as the Pacific Northwest's primary institution for LGBTQ+ film programming. Its mission centers on providing access to films reflecting queer experiences, serving as a forum for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to share work with audiences, and strengthening Seattle's cultural ecosystem through partnerships with local arts organizations, artists, and community leaders.

The organization's product portfolio comprises four core programs: the Seattle Queer Film Festival (SQFF, established 1996, the largest queer film festival in the Pacific Northwest and now in its 30th edition), TRANSlations: Seattle Trans Film Festival (launched 2006, one of only nine trans-focused film festivals globally), the Reel Queer Youth educational program for queer youth ages 13-18, and OUTdoor Cinema, an outdoor screening series held in Seattle parks. Programming is delivered through a hybrid model combining in-person events at Seattle venues with virtual screenings accessible globally. Distribution layers include the organization's Squarespace-hosted website, Constant Contact email newsletter, and the Heylo mobile app for community engagement.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue mix: individual donations processed via Donorbox (the organization's homepage explicitly states it is "relying on your donations more than ever"), institutional grants from ArtsFund, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, 4Culture, and ArtsWA, and a new $30/year social membership program delivered through the Heylo app that provides year-round engagement benefits including advance screenings, partner discounts, and community access. Commercial-style technology development is not part of operations; digital tools are commodity SaaS. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and supported by 40+ named individual donors and a network of arts partnership organizations including Northwest Film Forum, 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep Theatre, and Elsom Cellars.

Name

Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Legal name

Three Dollar Bill Cinema

Website

https://threedollarbillcinema.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Three Dollar Bill Cinema is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization, founded circa 1995, that produces LGBTQ+ film festivals and educational programs — including the Seattle Queer Film Festival and TRANSlations Seattle Trans Film Festival — serving queer filmmakers, audiences, and youth across the Pacific Northwest and virtually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Queer Film Festival Programming

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

Keywords

• LGBTQ+ film festivals
• Queer cinema programming
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Community film screenings
• Trans film festival

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Three Dollar Bill Cinema is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies heavily on donations from supporters. The website explicitly states that 'Three Dollar Bill Cinema is relying on your donations more than ever to keep the PNW's most diverse film hub thriving.'
2. Membership Fees: Annual social memberships offered at $30 per year, providing film meetups, advance screenings, early access to festival news, and partner discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Three Dollar Bill Cinema is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization that produces queer film festivals, year-round film programming, and educational community events for the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Its core offerings include the Seattle Queer Film Festival, Translations: Seattle Trans Film Festival, Reel Queer Youth filmmaking program, and OUTdoor Cinema screenings, funded primarily through donations, grants, and memberships.

Product overview

Three Dollar Bill Cinema operates as a nonprofit arts organization providing access to LGBTQ+ films through multiple festival programs and community initiatives. The core offerings include the Seattle Queer Film Festival (established 1996), the Translations: Seattle Trans Film Festival (established 2006), the Reel Queer Youth educational program for teens, and the OUTdoor Cinema outdoor screening series. The organization also offers a Social Membership program providing year-round engagement with the queer film community through the Heylo platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Seattle Queer Film Festival (SQFF): Annual queer film festival established in 1996, the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Features in-person screenings, virtual events, parties, community meetups, panels with filmmakers, and educational workshops.
• Translations: Seattle Trans Film Festival
• Reel Queer Youth
• OUTdoor Cinema

Products and services

• Seattle Queer Film Festival (SQFF) Annual flagship queer film festival featuring in-person screenings, virtual events, parties, community meetups, filmmaker panels, and educational workshops; the largest queer film festival in the Pacific Northwest.
• Translations: Seattle Trans Film Festival Dedicated trans film festival showcasing films by, for, and about trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people; operates as a hybrid festival with virtual and in-person screenings, parties, panels, workshops, and community meetups.
• Reel Queer Youth Educational filmmaking program for queer youth ages 13-18, featuring hands-on training, world-class speakers, and a safe space for creative expression.
• OUTdoor Cinema Outdoor film screening program inviting audiences to local Seattle parks for film, fun, and fellowship under the night sky, delivered in partnership with local organizations and fellow non-profits.
• Social Membership Annual social membership at $30/year delivered through the Heylo app, providing film meetups, advance screenings, early access to festival news and tickets, partner discounts, and an online community space.

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwest Film ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReciprocal partnership offering 10% off memberships for each organization's supporters. NWFF members receive the same discount with Three Dollar Bill Cinema, encouraging dual membership in both organizations.
• 5th Avenue TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides membership discounts: 25% off local productions and 20% off national tours for Three Dollar Bill Cinema members.
• Seattle Rep TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffers special ticket discounts to Three Dollar Bill Cinema members.
• Elsom CellarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides 2-for-1 wine tastings as a member benefit.
• Inspire WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational member supporting the nonprofit arts community in Washington state.
• ArtsFundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor arts funding organization providing financial support to Three Dollar Bill Cinema as a nonprofit arts organization.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Inside Out: Toronto-based LGBTQ+ film nonprofit producing the Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival and year-round programming. Closely comparable structure, mission, and festival-plus-education model.
• Frameline: San Francisco-based nonprofit producing the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline48) and year-round queer film programming. Directly comparable mission and festival-centered model, with a larger metro market.
• NewFest: New York-based LGBTQ+ film nonprofit producing the New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival and year-round programming. Comparable structure, audience, and festival-plus-membership model to TDBC.
• Reel Affirmations: Washington, D.C.-based LGBTQ+ film festival and year-round programming nonprofit. Comparable LGBTQ+-focused festival model, serving a different regional audience.
• Outfest: Los Angeles-based LGBTQ+ media arts nonprofit producing Outfest LA, Outfest Fusion, and year-round queer film programming. Directly comparable mission and scale tier, with a significantly larger metro base.
• Frameline Distribution: Distribution arm of Frameline that licenses queer films to festivals and institutions globally. Adjacent peer reflecting the distribution layer of LGBTQ+ film infrastructure that TDBC's filmmakers and audiences intersect with.
• BFI Flare: London-based LGBTQ+ film festival operated by the British Film Institute. Comparable LGBTQ+ film festival model with hybrid in-person/virtual programming and educational components.
• Northwest Film Forum: Seattle-based nonprofit film organization offering year-round screenings, festivals, and filmmaker support. Most directly comparable as a same-city film nonprofit with reciprocal membership partnership already in place with TDBC.

Broad incumbents

• Seattle International Film Festival: One of the largest and longest-running film festivals in the U.S., based in Seattle. Comparable as a same-city film festival operator, but operates at broader scale and scope rather than LGBTQ+-specific programming.

Regional players

• Cinema Salem: Independent community cinema operator hosting repertory and themed screenings. Comparable as a small-scale community exhibition operator, though without TDBC's LGBTQ+-specific festival programming focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3DollarBillCine
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThreeDollarBillCinema
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/three-dollar-bill-cinema

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Three Dollar Bill Cinema