Deep Center
Deep Center is a Savannah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free writing, arts, and leadership programs to youth and systems-involved adults across Georgia, partnering with schools, juvenile justice, and the National Writing Project to publish youth work and drive community advocacy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersSavannah, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Deep Center does
Deep Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2008 and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, that uses writing, art, and culture to engage youth and adults in literacy, creative expression, and community advocacy. The organization operates a multi-program portfolio including the Young Author Project (weekly after-school workshops in 12 middle schools), Block by Block (advanced youth leadership and civic writing), Drop-In workshops, the SLAM Team and Action Research Team under its Youth Leadership umbrella, the RISE Initiative (in partnership with Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice for systems-involved youth), the Healing Schools Initiative (trauma-informed educator training), the Deep Writing Project (the first National Writing Project site based in a community organization), Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks (resources for justice-impacted adults), and a Policy & Advocacy wing. Programs are delivered free of charge to participants in schools, community centers (PARC Center, The Front Porch, Park Place Outreach, Gateway Clubhouse), library partnerships, and detention settings.
Deep Center serves youth ages 13–19, educators, and justice-impacted adults, reaching 800+ youth locally and across Georgia each year and over 5,000 youth cumulatively since 2008. The organization employs 11–50 staff and a volunteer base of 400+ trained Writing Fellows; it has published 130+ anthologies featuring youth and adult writing and received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from the White House in 2015 along with three NEA Our Town grants (2015, 2016, 2019). Core strategic partners include the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS), National Writing Project, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, Live Oak Public Libraries, and Ships of the Sea Museum.
The business model is a nonprofit philanthropic model with no fees charged to participants. Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly via the website), competitive grants from foundations and federal sources (notably NEA Our Town awards of $50,000 each in 2016 and 2019), corporate sponsorships, and growing government/agency contracts (e.g., Georgia DJJ for RISE). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: programs are delivered directly in schools and partner community sites, with recruitment via school partnerships, volunteer pipelines, and public showcases such as the Deep Speaks readings and the Savannah Youth Poetry Slam. Marketing is conducted through a website, monthly newsletter (The Deep Dish), social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), community events, and earned media from local and regional press.
Deep Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Deep Center
- Legal name
- Deep Center
- Website
- https://deepcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Deep Center is a Savannah-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free writing, arts, and leadership programs to youth and systems-involved adults across Georgia, partnering with schools, juvenile justice, and the National Writing Project to publish youth work and drive community advocacy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Deep Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Development & Arts Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Remedial Writing & Composition Support (EDANAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- College Application & Personal Statement Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAN)
Keywords
Where Deep Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Savannah
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Deep Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Deep Center accepts individual donations through its website, with options for one-time gifts and recurring monthly support. The organization encourages donors to support youth programming.
- Grants and Foundation Funding: The organization receives grant funding from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), as evidenced by multiple Our Town grants. Funding supports specific programs and general operations.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Deep Center accepts corporate sponsorships, mentioned in donation appeal materials.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Deep Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Deep Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free writing, art, and culture-based programs for Savannah-area youth, including weekly school-based writing workshops, advanced leadership programs, spoken word performance teams, and juvenile justice reentry support. It also delivers educator professional development and engages in policy advocacy for educational equity. Programs are delivered directly through school district and community partner sites, supported by trained volunteer mentors and teaching artists.
Product overview
Deep Center is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of youth literacy, creative expression, and advocacy programs in Savannah, Georgia. The organization functions as a multi-program platform rather than a single product, offering youth development programs (Young Author Project, Block by Block, Drop-In Workshops, SLAM Team, Action Research Team, Youth Leadership Team), justice-impacted services (RISE Initiative, Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks), educator support (Deep Writing Project, Healing Schools Initiative, Educator Collaboratives), and advocacy initiatives (Community Organizing, Policy Advocacy). Programs are delivered through schools, community partner sites, and direct programming, with publications and public performances as culminating activities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Young Author Project (YAP): Weekly after-school writing workshops for middle school students guided by volunteer Writing Fellows, culminating in published anthologies
- Block by Block
- Drop-In
- SLAM Team
- Deep Writing Project
- Healing Schools Initiative
- Policy & Advocacy
- RISE Initiative
- Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks
- Youth Leadership Team
Products and services
- Young Author Project (YAP) A weekly after-school workshop program that pairs volunteer Writing Fellows with middle school students to guide them through the creative writing process, culminating in published anthologies and semester-end Deep Speaks showcases where students present their work. For middle school youth in Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools.
- Block by Block An advanced creative writing and youth leadership program for high school students ages 14-17 that uses writing as a tool for civic leadership, community storytelling, and collective action.
- Drop-In Workshops Flexible, low-barrier community workshops for youth featuring various art forms (visual arts, theater, sound design, movement, poetry, improv) facilitated by teaching artists at community partner sites. For systems-involved youth ages 13-19.
- SLAM Team A spoken word poetry team that provides young artists with a stage to amplify their voices, share their truth, and connect with audiences through performance poetry competitions.
- Action Research Team (ART) Integrates visual and multimedia arts with writing, helping youth expand the ways they tell stories and express themselves while researching issues affecting their communities.
- RISE Initiative (Restoring Identity, Strength, and Empowerment) A justice-impacted youth program that cultivates voice, agency, and resilience among system-impacted youth through restorative, trauma-informed, and justice-centered practices. Delivered in partnership with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice at the Regional Youth Detention Center and Educational Transition Center.
- Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks Monthly community discussions for systems-impacted adults providing a safe space for sharing, support, and resource-building around reentry challenges including housing, employment, and transportation barriers.
- Deep Writing Project A professional learning program for educators that helps strengthen their writing practice, deepen student-centered teaching strategies, and bring creativity back into the classroom. Part of the National Writing Project network of 175+ sites. For K-12 educators.
- Healing Schools Initiative Training and coaching for educators on trauma-informed, healing-centered, and equity-driven approaches to teaching and school culture, delivered in partnership with Savannah-Chatham County Public School System.
- Educator Collaboratives Professional development and support networks for educators, including the Fierce Self-Compassion program, New Educator Cohort, and annual Unconference.
- Classroom Residencies 6-8 week partnerships pairing teaching artists with classroom teachers to support learning goals through creative writing, discussion-based activities, and targeted literacy exercises aligned with Georgia Standards of Excellence.
- Community Organizing Programs that build collective power by equipping young adults and systems-impacted adults with tools to lead change through leadership development, coalition building, and issue-based campaigns.
- Policy Advocacy Initiatives that advance systemic change by bringing lived experiences of young people and families to decision-making tables, addressing inequities in education, justice, and community well-being.
Quantifiable outcome
- 800+ youth served annually; 5,000+ total since 2008
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Deep Center
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Deep Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Deep Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Live Oak Public LibrariescorePresented Savannah Youth Poetry Slam in partnership with Live Oak Public Libraries. The library served as venue host (Southwest Library) for the inaugural poetry slam event featuring youth poets from across the Southeast.
- National Writing ProjectcoreDeep Writing Project is part of the National Writing Project network of 175+ sites. Deep Center is the first NWP site based in a community organization. NWP provides network resources and research-based approach to writing instruction.
- Dismas CharitiesminorJustice-impacted community partner that participates in Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks, providing resource-sharing sessions for systems-impacted individuals.
- Harambee HouseminorCommunity partner for Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks, supporting reentry resources and community building for justice-impacted individuals.
- DeVetter Law FirmminorLegal partner providing resource information at Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks for systems-impacted community members.
- St. Philip's AME ChurchminorFaith-based community partner hosting Re-Entry Reform Town Hall. Church serves as venue for justice reform community discussions.
- City of Savannah PARC CentercoreDrop-In programming site for systems-involved youth. Teaching artists deliver creative workshops at this community center.
- The Front PorchminorCommunity partner site for Drop-In programming serving youth.
- Park Place OutreachminorYouth services partner hosting Drop-In creative programming.
- Gateway ClubhouseminorDrop-In programming site for youth creative expression workshops.
- Ships of the Sea MuseumminorVenue partner for writing workshops and Deep Writing Project sessions.
- Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS)corePrimary educational partner for school-based programming. Deep Center delivers residencies, Young Author Project workshops, and Healing Schools initiatives in SCCPSS schools.
- Finesse Barber (Gary Polite)minorLocal barber providing haircut services at Deep Cuts Barbershop Talks as self-care offerings for justice-impacted attendees.
- Georgia Department of Juvenile JusticecorePartner for RISE Initiative (Restoring Identity, Strength, and Empowerment). Deep Center provides programming at the Georgia DJJ Regional Youth Detention Center and Educational Transition Center.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Deep Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 826 Boston: 826 Boston is an independent 826 affiliate offering free writing tutoring and workshops to Boston students, comparable in workshop-based youth writing services to Deep Center.
- 826 National: 826 National operates a network of youth writing and tutoring centers (826 Valencia, 826NYC, etc.) that run free creative writing and publishing programs for K-12 students, mirroring Deep Center's Young Author Project and anthology publishing model.
- Young Chicago Authors: Young Chicago Authors runs free creative writing and spoken word (Louder Than a Bomb) programming for Chicago youth, directly comparable to Deep Center's SLAM Team and Young Author Project workshops.
- The Telling Room: The Telling Room is a nonprofit youth writing center in Portland, Maine that offers free creative writing workshops and publishes youth-authored books, sharing Deep Center's workshop-plus-anthology delivery model.
- Youth Speaks: Youth Speaks is a leading national nonprofit using spoken word poetry as a youth literacy and leadership platform, closely paralleling Deep Center's spoken word and youth voice programming.
- Writopia Lab: Writopia Lab provides creative writing workshops and publish youth writing for K-12 students, closely paralleling Deep Center's workshop-driven, publication-based youth literacy model.
Broad incumbents
- National Writing Project: The National Writing Project is the 175+ site national network of which Deep Center's Deep Writing Project is a member; NWP provides the umbrella structure, research base, and educator professional development framework that Deep Center operates within.
Emerging players
- America SCORES: America SCORES is a national nonprofit combining poetry/spoken word, soccer, and service-learning for underserved youth; it overlaps with Deep Center on the youth literacy/creative expression mission.
- Community Word Project: Community Word Project brings arts and creative writing residencies into NYC public schools, comparable to Deep Center's classroom residencies and Teaching Artist model.
- Storytelling Arts of Indiana: Storytelling Arts of Indiana runs youth storytelling residencies and workshops, comparable in mission and workshop-based delivery to Deep Center's creative writing and arts programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Deep Center social profiles
Digital presenceDeep Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Deep Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Deep Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Deep Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Deep Center
What does Deep Center do?
Deep Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs free writing, art, and culture-based programs for Savannah-area youth, including weekly school-based writing workshops, advanced leadership programs, spoken word performance teams, and juvenile justice reentry support. It also delivers educator professional development and engages in policy advocacy for educational equity. Programs are delivered directly through school district and community partner sites, supported by trained volunteer mentors and teaching artists.
Is Deep Center a public or private company?
Deep Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Deep Center founded?
Deep Center was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Deep Center based?
Deep Center is headquartered in Savannah, United States, in the North America region.
How does Deep Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are grants and Foundation Funding and corporate Sponsorships.
Who are Deep Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 826 Boston, 826 National, Young Chicago Authors, The Telling Room, Youth Speaks and Writopia Lab. National Writing Project is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are America SCORES, Community Word Project and Storytelling Arts of Indiana.
Does Deep Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Deep Center.
What industry is Deep Center in?
Deep Center's product category is Youth Development & Arts Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDANAJAC, K–12 Remedial Writing & Composition Support, with a secondary code of EDAMAMAN, College Application & Personal Statement Writing Workshops. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.