Press Release:
May 28, 2025
Contact:
Edward Blum
edwardjayblum@gmail.com
703-505-1922
American Alliance for Equal Rights Calls on IRS to Investigate Racial Discrimination by Sundance Institute
AUSTIN, Texas, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) formally petitioned the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the Sundance Institute for alleged violations of federal law and public policy. The petition asserts that the Sundance Institute is operating racially discriminatory programs in violation of its obligations as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
The letter is attached.
In a submission to the IRS’s Exempt Organizations Division, AAER presents extensive evidence that the Sundance Institute—founded by Robert Redford and long known for its commendable support of independent filmmakers—administers fellowships, grants, and mentorship programs that exclude applicants based solely on race or ethnicity. AAER alleges that these programs violate the core public policy against racial discrimination established in landmark cases such as Bob Jones University v. United States and reaffirmed in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
AAER’s complaint centers on several prominent programs administered by the Institute, including the Artist Accelerator Program, the Documentary Film Program, the Feature Film Program, and the Outreach & Inclusion Program. According to the filing, many of these initiatives offer financial and professional resources—such as grants, mentorships, and networking opportunities—exclusively to applicants who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian American, or members of other “underrepresented” groups. White applicants, the complaint alleges, are categorically excluded from participation.
The letter calls on the IRS to open a formal investigation into the Institute’s eligibility for tax-exempt status. It notes that if Sundance wishes to retain its 501(c)(3) status, it can do so by eliminating all racial preferences from its programs and opening its resources to applicants of every background.
Edward Blum, president of AAER, said, “The Sundance Institute has had a tremendously influential role in the development of independent films in the U.S., but its programs must be made available to everyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity.”
Blum added, “It is unacceptable for any organization receiving federal tax privileges to discriminate based on skin color or ethnicity. Tax-exempt status is a public subsidy, and that subsidy cannot support racial preferences or exclusion.”