Southern Anti-Racism Network

What Southern Anti-Racism Network does

Southern Anti-Racism Network (SARN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID 45-4861782) founded in 1998 to end racial disparities in criminal justice, economic opportunity, education, environment/housing, and healthcare across the Southern United States. Headquartered in Columbus, Georgia with a regional office in Durham, North Carolina, the organization operates a network of grassroots activists crossing lines of race, gender, class, age, and immigration status. Its core programs include the Building a Village education equity initiative in Muscogee County, UMOJA Unity Talks monthly forums on Black Liberation Movement issues, and Columbus Organizing Together, a coalition working on poverty reduction through affordable housing, education equity, public safety, and healthy neighborhoods. The organization previously incubated SPICE (Strong Parental Involvement in Community Education), a family literacy and digital divide program, which was spun off as an independent organization in 2007.

SARN generates revenue through five streams: individual membership dues (annual tiers from $10 for unemployed/youth to $100 for sustaining members), tax-deductible charitable donations facilitated through a Donorbox integration, event registration fees (e.g., $150 for the 2019 20th Anniversary Conference), periodic foundation grants (including from Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation and We Shall Overcome Fund), and small program-specific grants from local government and partner organizations (e.g., $20,000 from Columbus Crime Prevention Department in 2020). Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on direct organizing at libraries, churches, and public spaces, coalition partnerships with international peace organizations (World BEYOND War, WILPF, CODEPINK, International Peace Bureau), and earned media through press releases and YouTube content distribution. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by founder Theresa El-Amin, with 11-50 staff and no parent company.

Name

Southern Anti-Racism Network

Legal name

Southern Anti-Racism Network

Website

https://projectsarn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Anti-Racism Network is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that organizes grassroots campaigns across the U.S. South to end racial disparities in criminal justice, education, economic opportunity, and environmental justice, serving community activists, parents, and affected communities through coalition-building, education programs, and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Justice Advocacy and Community Organizing

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), School Climate, Culture & Belonging Initiatives (DEI-Aligned) (EDAKAMAM), Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF)

Keywords

• Social justice advocacy
• Community organizing services
• Anti-racism education
• Racial equity programs
• Grassroots coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at various tiers providing ongoing support and community membership
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible charitable donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
3. Event Fees: Conference registration fees such as the 20th Anniversary Conference at $150 for full weekend including awards dinner and jazz concert
4. Grants: Foundation grants including from Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation and We Shall Overcome Fund for specific programs like SPICE and Ella Baker Tour

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern Anti-Racism Network is a community-led nonprofit that organizes grassroots activists and coalitions across the Southeastern United States to end racial disparities in criminal justice, economic opportunity, education, environment/housing, and healthcare. Its current offerings center on the SPICE family literacy and digital-divide program, the Building a Village education-equity initiative, the UMOJA Unity Talks monthly forum series, and the Columbus Organizing Together poverty-reduction coalition. The organization sustains operations through membership dues, donations, conference fees, and foundation grants.

Product overview

Southern Anti-Racism Network (SARN) is a social justice organization, not a technology company. It does not offer technology products or software services. SARN's offerings consist of community organizing programs and educational initiatives, including: SPICE (Strong Parental Involvement in Community Education), a family literacy and digital divide program; Building a Village, an education equity initiative addressing the school-to-prison pipeline; UMOJA Unity Talks, a monthly forum series on Black Liberation Movement issues; and Columbus Organizing Together, a poverty reduction collaboration. These are grassroots organizing and advocacy programs, not technology products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPICE (Strong Parental Involvement in Community Education) A family literacy and digital-divide program providing 6 weeks of computer skills training and reading instruction for parents and children in low-income communities; successful graduates receive home computers. Designed for families served by Durham Public Schools and Muscogee County School District to close education achievement and digital divide gaps.
• Building a Village A community collaboration initiative supporting high academic achievement and positive behavior for all students in Muscogee County, Georgia. The program engages parents, students, educators, community activists, business people, and people of faith to address the school-to-prison pipeline and educational disparities.
• UMOJA Unity Talks of the Black Liberation Movement A monthly forum series convened to end patriarchy in the National Black Liberation Movement and unite with organizations working to free political prisoners, particularly elderly and ill political prisoners and prisoners of war.
• Columbus Organizing Together (COT) A coalition of nonprofits, parents, students, educators, elected officials, activists, and people of faith working to end poverty in Columbus, Georgia through affordable housing, education equity, public safety, and healthy neighborhoods initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• 262 families served through SPICE family literacy program with home computers distributed
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• World BEYOND WarmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Women in Conflict Zones webinar on March 19, 2025 with over 600 registrants globally. SARN endorsed by and collaborates with World BEYOND War on anti-war and anti-militarism campaigns including Global Day of Action on Venezuela.
• Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded Fannie Lou Hamer Branch of WILPF US in Columbus GA in March 2021. Theresa El-Amin serves as Fannie Lou Hamer Branch Organizer. SARN co-sponsors Human Rights Conferences and peace actions with WILPF.
• CODEPINKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Women in Conflict Zones webinar along with World BEYOND War, International Peace Bureau, and Convention for Pan-Africanism and Progress.
• International Peace BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Women in Conflict Zones webinar as part of international peace coalition efforts.
• Convention for Pan-Africanism and Progress (CPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Women in Conflict Zones webinar as part of Pan-African solidarity efforts.
• Housing Authority of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to identify families with children ages 7-10 for SPICE program survey outreach at E.J. Knight and Wilson Homes communities. Provided access to computer labs for family literacy classes.
• Columbus Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue for community forums, candidate meetings, SPICE classes, and educational events. Library provides auditorium space at 3000 Macon Road location.
• Columbus Organizing TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of nonprofits, parents, students, educators, business, elected officials, activists and people of faith working to end poverty in Columbus through affordable housing, education equity, public safety and healthy neighborhoods.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Southern Poverty Law Center: Major Southern-based civil rights organization focused on racial justice, anti-discrimination litigation, and education equity. Directly comparable to SARN in mission and geographic focus, though significantly larger in scale and budget.
• Race Forward: National racial justice organization focusing on systemic change and movement building. Directly comparable in mission, organizing approach, and emphasis on anti-racism coalition work across diverse constituencies.
• Equal Justice Initiative: Alabama-based organization focused on racial justice, criminal justice reform, and confronting America's legacy of slavery and lynching. Directly comparable Southern-based anti-racism mission with community organizing and education components.
• Poor People's Campaign: National moral fusion movement addressing poverty, racism, ecological devastation, and militarism. Highly comparable multi-issue organizing model and coalition approach, with overlapping partner networks including WILPF.
• Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): National network organizing white people and other allies for racial justice. Closely comparable community organizing model, coalition-building approach, and emphasis on cross-racial alliance work to SARN's mission.

Emerging players

• UnidosUS: Large Latino civil rights and advocacy organization with comparable focus on education equity, community organizing, and combating discrimination, though serves a different demographic constituency than SARN.
• Movement for Black Lives: Coalition of Black-led organizations advancing Black liberation through policy, organizing, and culture. Directly comparable anti-racism mission with coalition-based approach, though operates more as a national network umbrella than a direct service organization.

Broad incumbents

• NAACP: The nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization, with extensive Southern state and local chapter structure. Directly comparable mission of ending racial discrimination, though operates at vastly larger scale with national scope.
• ACLU: Large national civil liberties organization with significant Southern affiliate structure. Comparable advocacy mission on racial justice and civil rights, though operates as a legal-defense organization with much greater resources.

Peers

• Highlander Research and Education Center: Tennessee-based social justice education and organizing center with deep Southern civil rights movement roots. Closely comparable community organizing approach, popular education methodology, and Southern geographic focus to SARN's work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQvkBfVbO5_GrIH4pQHDF7Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectsarn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-anti-racism-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Anti-Racism Network