Stories That Serve Applications Open for Local Nonprofits

Local nonprofits have an opportunity to bring their stories to life through Stories That Serve, a partnership between The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) and Wakeen & Company.

Applications are open through Thursday, Oct. 1, giving one local nonprofit the opportunity to strengthen how it shares its story with the community. The selected organization will work directly with the creative professionals at Wakeen & Company to create a video that can be used for traditional broadcast, social media and other digital platforms.

“Every day, nonprofits across the communities TFEC serves are helping our neighbors and making Central Pennsylvania a stronger place to live,” said Jennifer Doyle, president and CEO of TFEC. “Through Stories That Serve, we can bring our partnership with Wakeen & Company directly to one nonprofit and equip them with a professional tool to showcase their impact.”

Professional Storytelling With a Purpose

The selected nonprofit will work directly with Wakeen & Company through the creative and production process. The project includes story development, one day of professional filming and two rounds of revisions. The organization will receive a four- to five-minute feature video and a 30-second version optimized for digital use.

“Our work starts with understanding what makes an organization and its story meaningful. Stories That Serve gives us the opportunity to bring that same intentional approach to a nonprofit that is doing important work in our community. We want to create something that does more than look great. We want to give the organization a tool that connects with people and inspires them to act.” said Davis Holliday, creative director at Wakeen & Company.

Building on the Story of Bethany House

The new opportunity follows the completion of the first Stories That Serve project with Bethany House of Cumberland County.

Bethany House worked with TFEC and Wakeen & Company to develop a professional video sharing its mission and the experiences of the people connected to its work. The finished film premiered Aug. 26 at the West Shore Theatre and is now available for Bethany House to use as an ongoing communications resource.

The project demonstrated what Stories That Serve was designed to accomplish: combine TFEC’s connection to the nonprofit community with Wakeen & Company’s professional expertise to provide a resource an organization can continue using long after production ends.

Apply for Stories That Serve

Eligible applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in and serving Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon or Perry counties or the Dillsburg area of York County. Applicants must have annual revenue of $2.5 million or less.

Applications are due Thursday, Oct. 1. The selected nonprofit is expected to be announced in November, with production beginning in January.

To learn more about eligibility, the production process or how to apply, visit www.tfec.org/stories-that-serve.