Your Impact

StoryCorps’ work would not be possible without the generosity of our donors, whose support helps make StoryCorps an expansive institution that unites people of all backgrounds and helps build a culture of listening to foster greater awareness, empathy, and inclusion. Learn more about what donor support makes possible.

What your Support Makes Possible

Here’s a snapshot of what we’ve been up to recently, all of which your support makes possible.

For over 20 years StoryCorps has been collecting and preserving stories that embody the American experience. In celebration of our 20-year journey, we took a look back at what we’ve accomplished–from bringing together 644,531 participants to share a conversation, to visiting 243 stops in 217 cities on our Mobile Tour, to sharing our weekly broadcasts on NPR with 11 million listeners each week, and so much more. This work is all possible thanks to the support of donors and listeners who believe in the power of storytelling to change the world. Read our 20 stories of impact.

In April 2023, our Learning & Engagement team hosted two workshops with The Boys’ Club of New York, a youth after-school program for boys in grades 2-12. We’ve been working with The BCNY for three years, encouraging middle school boys to consider the themes of empathy and identity, and to plan a StoryCorps interview with someone in their life. At this year’s recording session, 12-year-old Mason Best shared his thoughts on life and love. Listen in to hear why Mason thinks his mom has a “heart made of protein powder.”

We continued to collect the stories of veterans and those who have supported our service members through our Military Voices Initiative, which recently recorded stories in Maine and Alaska. Next, they’re headed to Georgia. Explore our Military Voices Initiative to learn more.

There’s always more to listen to, from our Pride collection celebrating the lives of LGBTQ+ people across the country, to our newest animation season, History Lessons, to our Working collection, introduced by former President Barack Obama.

Recent research conducted in our One Small Step anchor community of Wichita, Kansas indicates that Wichitans who are aware of One Small Step — those who have seen our campaigns and messages or who have participated — report being more confident that civil cross-partisan conversation is possible and they are more hopeful about the future than those who are not aware. Learn more and check out our new ad campaign. We have always known that our work changes hearts and minds, and seeing this external research out of Wichita confirms what we’ve known for the past twenty years — that listening to and sharing our stories has the transformative power to increase understanding and bring people together.

Thank you for your generosity, and for being part of a singular community devoted to listening and understanding. We can’t do any of this without you!

More Ways to Support StoryCorps

If you’re here, you already know the power of listening to and sharing stories from our lives. Your support makes it possible for StoryCorps, an independently-funded nonprofit, to collect interviews with people of all backgrounds and to share those stories with broad audiences so that we all can understand that everyone is human, and everyone is worthy of being heard. Here are some of the ways that you can help StoryCorps record, preserve, and share the stories of everyday people.

Share and Amplify Stories That Bring Us Together

StoryCorps amplifies historically marginalized voices through our weekly national broadcasts, animation series, and podcasts. We strive to ensure that our storytellers represent the demographics of our nation, and champion voices less frequently heard in the media. These ordinary, yet extraordinary, stories defy stereotypes and invite audiences to engage with new perspectives and social issues on a uniquely human scale.

In 2022, the majority of our weekly broadcasts featured storytellers who self-identify with an underrepresented group, including: 26% Black or African American; 9% Latine; 6% Indigenous; 8% Asian American or Pacific Islander; and 13% LGBTQ+ (note: participants may identify with more than one group).

These interviews help us recognize that every life—and every story—matters equally and infinitely, and make us see that we have much more in common than what divides us. More than 85% of our audience of tens of millions say that our stories help them understand the experiences of people different from them and decrease fear of “the other.” And 82% of StoryCorps listeners report that our stories make them feel more positive about humanity.

Collect and Preserve Authentic Stories from Across the Nation

StoryCorps’ has visited more than 180 cities and towns across 49 states through our flagship Mobile Tour — our program that visits 10 cities per year with the “MobileBooth,” our airstream trailer-turned-recording studio. During each visit, staff collaborate with local community organizations to collect stories that reflect the region’s demographics.

These stories bring us together, from one end of the country to the other. At a moment when our differences threaten to divide us more deeply, it is more important than ever to remember our common humanity. Your support helps us gather stories from across America, to lift up voices in need of representation, and to illustrate how our diversity as a nation doesn’t separate us, but enriches what it means to be human and hopeful in America today.

In 2022, we recorded 847 interviews with participants in Tampa Bay, FL; the Florida Gulf Coast; Tulsa, OK; Ozarks, MO; Missoula, MT; Moses Lake, WA; Boise, ID; Salt Lake City, UT; Las Vegas, NV; and San Antonio, TX.

Give with confidence 

StoryCorps has earned the highest possible rating, four stars, from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of nonprofit organizations, and the highest score for transparency from Guidestar/Candid, a Platinum Seal. These ratings demonstrate fiscal excellence and a commitment to accountability and transparency.

Annual Reports & Financials

Transparency and accountability are the cornerstone of building trust with our supporters, donors, and the communities we serve. See our recent annual reports, financial statements, and Form 990s here.