Storyteller Foundation
Donations
Since its inception in 2020, the Storyteller Foundation has provided scholarships to over one hundred emerging writers. The foundation supports voices that encourage, uplift and educate, creating a more unified and sustainable world.
Donate Via Check
Storyteller Foundation
1501 Conway Drive
Escondido, CA 92027
For questions or more information please contact us at hello@storytellerfoundation.org
Case Study of a Past Scholarship Winner:
Sean Michael Teague
In the last two and a half years, Sean Michael Teague has been mentored by a half dozen Story Summit faculty including author Joany Kane, the screenwriter who started the Hallmark Christmas craze in 2006 with her original screenplay, The Christmas Card, and Marta F. Kauffman, the co-creator of Friends and Grace and Frankie—Netflix’s longest-running series.
In early 2020, right before the pandemic set in, Sean attended a writer’s retreat where he was inspired by talks from two Academy Award nominees for best screenplay—Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist) and Jeff Arch (Sleepless in Seattle). Even though he had mobility issues, Sean met with other writers and built a circle of professionals as part of his community.
Sean has worked closely with David Kirkpatrick, the former production chief of Walt Disney Studios and former president of Paramount’s Motion Picture Group. “Sean writes from a place of great optimism, yet it is never treacly,” says Kirkpatrick. “Sean’s wholesome and compassionate writing makes the reader or viewer look at life as if for the very first time. He has a special gift.”
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Sean is challenged by palsy and limited vision. His newest screenplay, Her Wonderful Life, an endearing pro-feminist look at the iconic Mary Bailey, has been optioned by the president emeritus of the Producers Guild of America, Gary Lucchesi.
“The Storyteller Foundation has changed my life” writes Sean. Currently, he is living on disability. One of Sean’s goals is to build a sustainable career through his humane, commercially viable writing.
With two years of private virtual mentoring and an on-site retreat, the cost for Sean’s education and success with Her Wonderful Life has been $13,000.
Surely his movie will have a positive effect on culture and the empowerment of women. The costs break down this way:
Physical retreat to the Caribbean in winter 2020: $2,500
Online small groups and programs in 2020-2021: $7,000
Online mentorship in 2022 (6 months): $3,500
Total: $13,000
Our Future
In the next 18 months, through your generous support, the Storyteller Foundation will grant 75 scholarships to 75 distinct emerging writers. Most all of the scholarships will be full tuitions.
StorytellerFoundation.org
Your Contribution
There are several ways in which you can give. Every dollar is appreciated.
Here is a menu of opportunities:
Online mentorship
Two years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,000
One year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000
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10 weeks (1 small mentor-led group)*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,000
*Program meets for 10 weeks (1-2 hours a week) led by accomplished author-mentors with no more
than five emerging writers in one group. Program is project-driven and has proved successful.
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Physical Summits
Story Summit @ Kauai Writers Conference 2022. . . . . . . . . . $3,400
Her Spirit Story Summit 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,500
Romancing the Muse Story Summit (2 weeks) 2023. . . . . . .$5,000
Glastonbury Artist in Residency 2023 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TBD
A la Carte Menu
2 retreats plus 2 years of online mentoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,000
1 physical retreat plus 2 years of online mentoring. . . . . . . $14,000
1 physical retreat plus 1 year of online mentoring. . . . . . . . . $9,000
2 year online mentoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,000
1 year online mentoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000
1 small group mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,000
Story Summit @ Kauai Writers Conference 2022. . . . . . . . . . $3,400
Her Spirit Story Summit 2022. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,500
Romancing the Muse Story Summit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000
1 domestic round-trip air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500
1 international round-trip air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,000
Storyteller Foundation is part of the Family University Foundation, Inc., a California corporation and a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
Fresh Stories
Clean water sustains the body. Fresh stories sustain the mind and soul. Please help us guarantee a future generation with stories that illuminate, inspire, and encourage humanity toward a positive, healthy outcome.