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RDLF News: Issue 28
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LoCC in @ AMPT: Diversifying Revenue
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As federal funding cuts imposed by the current administration have trickled down into revoked grants for nonprofits, less contract opportunities from the city and state, and hesitation from private funders, many local nonprofits across Chicago have had to re-evaluate how they can generate and sustain funding with fewer reliable resources. On May 29th, the Leaders of Color Collective and AMPT Chicago came together in community for a panel discussion on diversifying funding and sustaining revenue during a deeply uncertain time.
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Four nonprofit leaders, joined by co-moderators Jamyle Cannon and Ana Agarrat, shared their experiences on the panel:
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Shawn Sorsby, Executive Director of A Step Ahead Chess
Liz Jansen, Executive Director of Women Unite!
Carlos Robles-Shanahan, Founder and Director of Duo Development
Amanda Williams, Organizer at Chicago United Solidarity Project
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Throughout the discussion, panelists coalesced around the central idea that nonprofit leaders should rethink their mindset toward money. As Robles-Shanahan shared, “Some of us don’t know to differentiate between capitalism and commerce, and the fact that not all commerce is capitalism. Not all commerce is exploitative…or meant to hold somebody else down.”
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Jansen, Sorsby, and Agarrat reinforced this sentiment by emphasizing their fee-for-service work. Whether fee-for-service was by design or necessity, each leader shared the need for organizations to recognize the value of their programming. By seeing the inherent value of their organizations’ work and the true cost to providing a quality product, organizations should stop settling for less and generate revenue that reflects thriving, full-fledged programming.
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“When people ask, ‘How much does it cost?’ we answer, ‘How little can we do it for?’” Cannon said. “Those are two different questions, and you shouldn't answer one with the other.”
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Amanda Williams, a community organizer with Chicago United Solidarity Project (CUSP), echoed the sentiment of knowing value and worth, but also shared the importance of leaning on their community. Williams shared that CUSP does “a lot for our community partners, and because of that, they do a lot for us. So, we borrow all we can, barter. I think a lot of it is just returning to the way that we have survived.” While funding is key to nonprofit work, communities and people of color who have not traditionally had access to wealth have often found ways to flourish and uplift each other beyond financial wealth.
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Williams introduced the idea of co-struggling and asking ourselves “questions like, what are we good at? And be honest about what we're good at, what we're not good at, and pull in folks who fill in those gaps because I think it takes every part of a ship to have it steer and go.”
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Through the process of co-struggling, Williams and Jansen developed a Summer Series fundraiser that brings together several organizations each year to host community-based events that share proceeds evenly across organizations. Each partner-organization brings different strengths and capacity to the table in order to maximize the success of their fundraising.
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All panelists emphasized the importance of relationship-building and market research, and maintaining these efforts regularly to be prepared for crises. Sorsby said, “If I was to go to the bank, and I was like, ‘Yo, I need a loan, I'm about to foreclose on my house, my wife left me, I have no money.’ They're going to be like, ‘No, we're not going to give you any money.’ … But if I already was in a good place and I'm building a relationship, they're going to be offering money at a lower rate anyway. So, you want to build the relationships before you actually need them.”
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As the panel concluded, participants walked away with new perspectives centered on knowing their value and being compensated accordingly, co-struggling, and thinking beyond traditional methods of fundraising. Nonprofits are a tax classification, not a business structure—leaders should think innovatively about attracting funding to support their work and long-term vision because it will give them the freedom to lead with intention.
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If you would like to get involved with the Leaders of Color Collective and stay updated on future events, please email Jessica Jones-Lewis, jessica(at)loganfdn(dot)org.
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Photo Credit: Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative
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On Wednesday, July 2nd, Sabrina Boggs and Jessica Jones-Lewis attended a special edition of Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative’s (SGLAI) Open Stage program inside Cook County’s Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC). The event, which takes place every year inside JTDC, was a testament to what's possible when creativity and care meet young people where they are. It offered a rare opportunity to witness the creative voices of young people who are currently incarcerated as they shared original poetry, music and reflections from their workshop series. Youth also had their digital art displayed on the walls for attendees to peruse, which had recently been part of exhibitions at Curt’s Café and The Beautiful Cat Gallery.
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The Open Stage featured Substantial, an internationally acclaimed hip-hop artist and youth mentor, and his musical partners AJ Rios, DJ RBI and Lizzie Blue, collectively known as The Sun’s Hues. Their presence and performance showed clear roots in 90’s hip hop, with lo-fi beats and intricate wordplay. The youth in attendance were treated to a meal provided by SGLAI and were able to talk candidly with Substantial and ask questions throughout the performance.
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After The Sun’s Hues’ performance, two youth faced their nerves to perform their original poems and play their original music tracks in front of the audience of SGLAI funders and community partners, The Sun’s Hues, and JTDC staff. Everyone was thoroughly impressed with the youth’s artistry. Their poetry spoke to the often-impossible decisions they’ve had to make in their short lives. The lyrics and beats of their music tracks were made completely in-house with the help of Founder and Artistic Director Elgin Bokari Smith. Members of The Sun’s Hues shook hands with the youth artists at the end of the Open Stage and offered their encouragement.
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In addition, congratulations to the following grantees whose recent accomplishments were featured in news and media:
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Upcoming Opportunities
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Chicago Nonprofit Connect
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Image credit: Chicago Nonprofit Connect on Instagram
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This spring, RDLF grantee The Honeycomb Project and Urban Rivers launched Chicago Nonprofit Connect—the only collaborative network of its kind in the city—designed to help nonprofit professionals share resources, support one another, and build meaningful connections. Through free networking events, roundtables, and social gatherings, the network has already welcomed over 400 members and was recently featured in the Chicago Sun-Times and Block Club Chicago. Please feel free to join their Linkedin group and Slack channel.
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Survivor Power Institute
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On November 5-7, RDLF grantee Healing to Action is hosting its third cohort of the Survivor Power Institute. This intimate, three-day offering enables participants to learn the foundational principles for survivor-leadership, organizing, and storytelling.
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At the Survivor Power Institute, organizational leaders from across different movements will collaborate to explore the root causes of gender-based violence, obtain concrete skills for supporting survivors, and develop actionable strategies to build survivor power within their respective organizations and sectors. Participants will also receive six months of technical assistance following the training to implement strategies and ideas.
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Applications are due August 1st at 11:59pm. Learn more about the Institute and access the application form on their webpage here. For questions about the Institute, please contact Romina Vargas at romina(at)healingtoaction(dot)org.
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More Applications
- MNFF Creative Distribution Mentorship: Selected mentees will become part of an intimate cohort of emerging documentary and feature filmmakers who will receive personalized, one-on-one professional guidance, expert feedback and peer support as they explore traditional and nontraditional avenues for their film’s public distribution and exhibition. Applicants must be in the final stages of post-production on a feature documentary or narrative film, with an anticipated picture-lock date on or before December 2025. Applications are due July 20th.
- Double Exposure Program: Double Exposure exhibitions pair two artists and consist of six exhibitions annually. They accept two person proposals as well as individual portfolio submissions for consideration by our programming committee. At least 2/3 of the Double Exposure program supports Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, women, LGBTQ+ people, trans and gender nonconforming people, and/or people with disabilities. Double Exposure supports primarily Chicago-based artists, comprising at least 2/3 of the program. Applications are due August 1st at 5PM CT.
- Artists Run Chicago Fund: Artists Run Chicago Fund (ARC Fund) seeks to award thirteen $8,000 unrestricted grants to artists-run platforms in Chicago. To be eligible, the artist-run platform must operate in Chicagoland, be visual arts focused, and have annual operating budgets of less than $100,000. Applications are due August 5th at 11:59PM CT.
- Emerging Climate Champions Award: The Emerging Climate Champions Award will provide flexible, multiyear gifts of $1 million each to youth-led organizations advancing climate solutions across the globe. This Award seeks to shine a spotlight on climate organizations with youth leadership (ages 15-35, holding an executive staff position or a board member position in an organization). Organizations must have at least two years of operation. Interested organizations must register to apply before 4PM CT on August 15th. Complete applications are due September 22nd at 4PM CT.
- Chicago Vibrant Neighborhoods Collective: CVNC provides a comprehensive menu of back-office supports designed to help nonprofit organizations thrive and fulfill their missions. They are currently accepting applications from organizations in the following communities: Austin, Belmont Cragin / Hermosa, Brighton Park, East Garfield Park, Gage Park, Roseland, and West Garfield Park. Organizations must have at least 4 years of operation and a budget of under $2.5 million. Applications are rolling as of July 1st.
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City Bureau: "Arts organizations consistently generate hundreds of millions in local revenue and economic impact through their work, even as the creatives who fuel them struggle to make rent in a city with one of the nation’s highest rates of inflation and a growing housing affordability crisis."
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San Francisco Public Press: “The Public Press has compiled advice from extensive interviews with four immigration attorneys and advocates, and from several workshops and press conferences discussing immigrant rights."
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Inkstick Media: “Are our demands so much? We want safety and the right to survive. In response, Israel besieges us by land, air, and sea. If I tried to escape the horrors of this war with my life, I’d have to make it through the Rafah crossing into Egypt — and that costs $5,000 a person. Otherwise, what — I’m doomed to die here?"
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Reveal: "Mahdawi sits down with host Al Letson to discuss his arrest, the accusations that Columbia’s pro-Palestinian protests made Jewish students feel unsafe on campus, and the troubling images that linger from his time growing up in a refugee camp in the West Bank."
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Investigate Europe: "'This kind of abuse isn't rare,' Ajanovic explained. 'It's becoming a go-to tactic against journalism that targets unregulated industries, fraud, or organised crime. And the big tech platforms, through inaction and opacity, have become enablers.'"
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The Buckeye Flame: "On this week’s (DEBUT!) episode of This News is So Gay: The Supreme Court issued a slew of rulings last week, with some LGBTQ+-related decisions that experts believe will have far reaching effects for our community. So how is life going to change?" Plus, Marriage Equality Turns 10 and Pride Reflections.
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We craft this newsletter for you. If you have any comments or suggestions, please reply to this email and you might see your ideas implemented in our next issue.
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We have an open call for content from our partners to highlight the brilliant work they're doing in the community. If you are a current grantee or partner with The Reva and David Logan Foundation, please send your content to Sabrina Boggs, Communications Coordinator at sabrina(at)loganfdn(dot)org. Please note that we will not share fundraising campaigns.
Thanks for reading, and see you next time!
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