Storytelling changes hearts.
Leadership changes systems.

At StoryFest Louisville, we believe the two go hand in hand.

Louisville's nonprofit leaders carry the city's most important work, and every part of that work runs on the same skill: moving people. StoryFest exists to make that skill a craft. Each year, a cohort of leaders learns a discipline, how to find, build, and deploy personal story as a leadership strategy, and carries it back into their organizations. It's a way of working that compounds for years.

Nominations & Applications for the
2027 cohort are open.

Nominations & now Applications close September 20.

Request a Nomination Form

Who tends to thrive in StoryFest?

  • The Leader Willing to Be Real in Front of Strangers

    They're carrying a challenge that a stronger command of story could move. Not the most polished speaker in the room; an honest voice. StoryFest is a space for courageous storytelling, where the work of revision becomes the work of leadership.

  • The Curious and Coachable

    They're open. Still growing, and looking for a place that takes their growth seriously. They want to learn not just how to tell a story, but how to use it, to connect, to inspire, to lead. And they're ready to grow alongside leaders whose paths look nothing like their own.

  • The Leader Seeking a New Tool

    They've mastered the data, and they're ready for the harder, better craft of moving people. Through story, they can rally donors, mobilize volunteers, energize staff, and shape the future of this city.

  • The One Leading with Community in Mind

    Their mission serves more than a cause; it serves people. They're building trust and holding influence where it matters, and they want their story working as hard as they do.

  • The One in It for the Long Haul

    StoryFest isn't a one-time workshop; it's a multi-month, in-person experience that asks experienced leaders, including accomplished public speakers, to begin again as learners, because that's where the good work starts. The ones who thrive walk away with more than a story. They leave with a new way to lead.

A woman with curly hair and glasses is speaking into a microphone on stage with a yellow curtain background and a partial banner reading 'StoryF'. she is wearing a patterned cream-colored blouse and black pants, gesturing with her hands.

Storyteller Spotlight:
Prasanthi Persad

Executive Director, Wilderness Louisville

“We added two new board members as a direct result of our StoryFest participation. The experience also taught me the importance and value of storytelling in personalizing information shared with potential funders, as opposed to merely sharing facts and statistics.”

Prasanthi’s story traced her journey from a rural town she once longed to leave to a life in the city—only to find herself unexpectedly drawn back to the trees, trails, and landscapes of her youth. Through that story, she uncovered something deeper: nature had always been a source of healing.

Since StoryFest, she’s begun using personal storytelling in donor meetings—not just to convey facts, but to help funders understand what drives the mission of Wilderness Louisville and why it matters. That shift has already led to two new board members joining the organization.

  • Who are we →

    Learn about the people and organization

    Click Here

  • 2026 Recap →

    A look back at the leaders, partnerships, and momentum that shaped our second year.

    Click Here