Four years ago, you helped us launch Salvation South. Now, you can help it stand for decades as a nonprofit organization made to tell the true stories of the 10,000 Souths.

Say hello to our next chapter:

The Salvation South Storytelling Fund

The American South for too long has been defined by outdated stereotypes and monolithic narratives that exclude many of the South’s 100 million-plus people. Southern cities from Maryland below the Mason-Dixon line all the way down to Texas are among the most diverse in America.

But too many people still see one South. We launched Salvation South to show that there are as many Souths as there are Southerners who want to tell their own stories. And we invited storytellers in every medium to the party—not just journalists, but also those who write essays, fiction, and poetry, plus the storytellers who work in film and audio programming. Over four years, we’ve built an audience that totals over 250,000 readers, listeners, and viewers per year.

We could stop and feel satisfied. But we’re not. We want to give Southerners whose stories have gone unheard the chance to tell them. That’s why we are opening a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization: the Salvation South Storytelling Fund.

We need your contributions to reach three long-term goals:

Publish and Pay Southern Storytellers
Build a fund dedicated to paying fair compensation to writers, podcasters, and filmmakers—with no barriers based on formal education, existing connections, or economic status.
Build an Infrastructure
Help storytellers across the South connect, collaborate, and learn from each other through gatherings—both in-person and virtual. And, over time, build a stockpile of the physical tools aspiring storytellers need to bring their own tales to life and make those tools available through loaning programs, thus lowering the barrier to entry for those who lack the financial means.
Teach Upcoming Generations
Provide instruction to aspiring storytellers who lack the means or access to traditional arts education programs in academic settings, giving them the ability to learn from experienced writers, filmmakers, and audio producers.

What Your Contribution Will Do

We are now building our board of directors, writing bylaws, and setting goals. What we’re asking you for in 2025 is to provide seed money for the Salvation South Storytelling Fund. We have already raised a bit more than $6,000, but to make the Fund fully operational, we will need many times that amount.

The Salvation South Storytelling Fund is a verified, 501(c)(3) public charity. Your contributions to the Fund are fully tax deductible.

If you’re planning to make charitable contributions before the end of the year, please consider including the Salvation South Storytelling Fund in your giving plans.

Until Every Southerner’s Story Is Told

The Salvation South Storytelling Fund