Outwrite Bookstore, its financial troubles forcing a move from its iconic Midtown location, announced a $1,000 donation on Friday from an LGBT foundation to kickstart a campaign to save the gay-owned retail outlet.

Outwrite made the announcement on its Facebook page:

We are thrilled to announce that we received a donation from the Lloyd E. Russell Foundation to kick off the “Save Outwrite Books” campaign and have set up a fund to do it. Stay tuned to hear how you can get involved!

Outwrite’s owner, Philip Rafshoon (photo), said in mid November that the store would move from its longtime home at the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street. The store’s financial woes made its current location unaffordable.

On Friday, Rafshoon said that the donation will be a big boost to raising funds to help move the bookstore. He plans to offer more details about how supporters can take part in the Save Outwrite Books campaign during an 18th anniversary celebration on Saturday.

“We have had a lot of people saying what are we doing to move forward and this kicks it off,” Rafshoon said. “The Save Outwrite Books campaign will be to help us move forward and find a space and have people donate funds to make that move.”

Rafshoon said he’s currently scouting sites in Midtown to relocate the store, but that he’s open to moving Outwrite to another Atlanta neighborhood. Last month, we offered our 12 favorite moments at the bookstore.

“I am still looking at locations mainly in Midtown, but looking at other parts of the city as a possibility. So many of our customers are travelers and come in from out of town, it will hard to move out of Midtown. But we are open to all over the city,” he said.

The donation to Outwrite is not the first time the foundation has stepped in to help LGBT organizations. In 2010, the non-profit donated $25,000 to the Phillip Rush Center. In 2009, it also provided a $12,000 matching grant to help launch the GA Voice.