Writing for good

Writing for Good is an outreach program that encompasses The Porch's mission by providing free therapeutic writing classes to underserved and vulnerable populations, including youth from low-income areas, women in recovery, displaced LGBTQ+ youth, incarcerated men, women in cancer remission, and more. We wish to continue these partnerships and pursue new opportunities to bring expressive writing as a therapeutic practice to underserved communities.

$5,000 will fund 24 two-hour classes

$10,000 will fund 48 two-hour classes

visiting writers series

The Porch wishes to build upon its existing visiting writers program in order to further contribute to Nashville’s ever-rising profile as a vibrant literary city and provide its community members access to nationally-acclaimed authors. Previous authors have included U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, National Book Award finalists Lauren Groff and Deesha Philyaw, and Pulitzer Prize winner Jericho Brown, among others. Excellent opportunity for brand visibility.

$2000 to $20,000 (based on author profile) subsidizes speaker fees and travel.

swing

SWING aspires to be a literary magazine with the energy and verve of its home city. Published twice yearly in print, SWING offers opportunities for emerging writers to publish alongside established literary figures. Given the deep experience of the editorial leadership, this collection aims to be a home for diverse writers across the South and beyond. This is an excellent opportunity for brand visibility.

$150 - $5,000 become a member of SWING Shift and support the vibrant voices of both emerging and established writers.

$10,000 title sponsorship underwrites the design and production of one magazine issue.

Become a swing shift Member

YOUTH PROGRAMMING

The Porch is committed to nurturing young writers across Nashville by offering high-quality creative writing workshops in schools, libraries, and community centers, including programs delivered throughout the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) system. These workshops are provided at no cost to students or schools and are designed to boost literacy, self-expression, and confidence through the power of storytelling.

Your donation directly supports our ability to reach more young people with these transformative programs:

$1,000 sponsors a full year of creative writing workshops for one MNPS classroom.

$2,000 adopts an entire grade level at an MNPS school for the year.

Any amount helps expand our reach to even more youth across Nashville through after school, summer, and community-based programming.

immigrants write

Now in its eighth year, The Porch hopes to continue offering and to expand the Immigrants Write free program well into the future. It also plans to continue publishing a representative anthology of work that features participant voices from over 25 countries living in middle Tennessee.

$2500 provides the grant match for one year of programming.

$2400 covers editorial fees as well as design and production of the anthology.

scholarships + Tuition assistance

The Porch wishes to expand need-based access to its courses by increasing scholarship funding for low-income participants and individuals from historically underrepresented communities.

$5000 will fund 20 full tuition scholarships for both multi-week adult classes and youth summer camp.

$1000 will fund 10 hours of one-on-one editorial services for two BIPOC students.

$1000 will fund 4 full scholarships for a combination of workshops and camp.

the porch prize

The Porch’s annual writing contest offers awards in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Nominees and winners are recognized at our annual fundraising event.

A $2000 title sponsorship underwrites prize money and judging fees.

AFFINITY GROUPS

The Porch’s affinity groups offer a space for writers who share similar identities and experiences to gather, grow, and create together. These groups, such as Black Writers Meetup, LGBTQ+ Writers Meetup, AAPI, Parents group, and a songwriters group, are free and open to all, fostering belonging, creative expression, and mutual support.

Your donation helps sustain and expand these vital literary communities:

$500 supports one affinity group for an entire season of monthly gatherings.

$1,000 sustains an affinity group for a full year.

Any amount helps us launch new groups and ensure that cost is never a barrier to creative community.

Donors

Your contributions help us make the world a little better, one word, one workshop at a time.

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