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RDLF News: Issue 41
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Grantee Spotlight: LOOKOUT News
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Meet LOOKOUT News, the US Southwest's only nonprofit LGBTQ+ newsroom. Its mission is to deliver fearless journalism and community events that expand LGBTQ+ representation on the local news stage, while strengthening and engaging LGBTQ+ communities and their allies. LOOKOUT's ultimate vision is a queer experience liberated from injustice, with equal respect, rights, and opportunity for all people, backed by journalism that holds power accountable.
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It started as one reporter's monthly newsletter but has since grown into a full operation. LOOKOUT now publish a quarterly print magazine and three regular weekly newsletters, including their legislative tracker Eyes on the State, reaching a community of more than 15,000 readers. It also built the Glitterati, a volunteer street team that shows up at events across Arizona to get LOOKOUT directly into people's hands.
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Beyond reporting, the organization's flagship programs like Summer of Solutions and Reporting as Resistance train community members in journalism fundamentals, empowering those closest to the issues to tell their own stories. The Spring 2026 cohort covered stories ranging from a crepe shop doubling as a safe haven for activists to frontline medics tending to elderly protesters in the summer heat.
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Onward House Health Fair
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On August 1st, Onward Neighborhood House held its 6th Annual Health Fair. Located in Belmont Cragin, Onward House’s mission is to improve lives and uplift communities through educational, economic, and human services.
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The annual health fair provides free vital health services such as immunizations, STD tests and physicals, making preventative and early-intervention healthcare accessible for the community. It also includes a free farmers market, haircuts, Zumba classes, a clothing bank and a DJ. Over 400 families attended this year's event despite heavy rain.
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The Reva and David Logan Foundation provided over 6,000 pounds of regionally-sourced, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables for the free farmers market. Families were able to pick from fresh peaches, watermelons, bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, squash, cucumbers and leafy greens.
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Grassroots Health, AbbVie Finalist
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Grassroots Health has been providing evidence- and sports-based health education to middle school students in Washington, DC for 17 years. With demand from schools, teachers, and districts continuing to increase, the organization is at an important point of growth. The Accelerator gave the Grassroots Health team the opportunity to step outside of their day-to-day work and focus on how to responsibly expand their reach while maintaining their quality, impact, and community-centered approach.
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The program culminated on August 5th in a pitch to social impact investors and funders, representing months of work to sharpen not only the organization's presentation, but its strategy and vision for the future of Grassroots Health.
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"It was especially meaningful to have the Reva and David Logan Foundation in the audience," Executive Director Jane Wallis said. "Their long-term investment has given Grassroots Health the ability to prioritize high-quality programming, rigorous evaluation, and lasting community impact, creating the strong foundation that now allows us to confidently pursue this next stage of growth."
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Logan Scholars Luncheon
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On August 11th, RDLF staff members Jessica Jones-Lewis and Sabrina Boggs joined Brighton Park Neighborhood Council (BPNC) to welcome the newest cohort of "In the Game" Logan Scholars.
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The 8 new young women scholars from Kelly High School will receive 4-year scholarships for their colleges or universities. The scholarships will cover often-overlooked financial gaps that many young people face after financial aid is applied. Beyond financial assistance, "In the Game" scholars receive monthly support from BPNC’s Student Success Coordinator, Esmeralda Dorantes, who offers holistic support and connects them to needed resources.
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The students will be attending a range of universities from Knox College to University of Wisconsin-Madison, and will pursue a range of majors from Dental Hygiene to Finance.
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Upcoming Opportunities
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Open Applications
- Emergency Relief Fund: The Inevitable Foundation's Emergency Relief Fund provides grants to disabled writers and filmmakers experiencing financial hardship. This includes creatives who work in narrative, documentary, and unscripted film and television. Need will be considered and includes but is not limited to housing costs, health impacts and medical costs, and lost employment. The application has a rolling deadline.
- 35th Ward Viaduct Mural: DCASE invites professional artists, artist teams, and arts organizations based in Chicago to submit qualifications for public art commissions at Kimball Viaduct and Sacramento Viaduct. Selected artists will design and install murals that activate these highly visible viaducts. The application deadline is August 28th at 11:59 PM CT.
- Fund for Investigative Journalism: FIJ grants support reporters to produce high-quality, unbiased, nonpartisan investigative stories that have an impact. Freelance journalists, staff reporters and media outlets are eligible and their investigations can be for print, online or broadcast stories, books, documentaries or podcasts. The application deadline is September 14th.
- Charitable Trust Grant: The Illinois State Treasurer's Office will provide grants up to $20,000 for nonprofit organizations with at least one full-time employee seeking funding for food assistance, economic development, or workforce development programs. The application deadline is September 30th.
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Airwars: "In the two Yemen incidents - which hit a port and a detention centre - the U.S. report accepted that the strikes killed 80 and 68 civilians respectively. This would place them among the largest civilian harm tolls ever accepted by the U.S. government."
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Inkstick Media: "Walters argues that private prison giant GEO Group and deportation flight contractor CSI Aviation stood to lose money if migrants left voluntarily rather than sitting in detention awaiting forced removal, writing that the companies 'stand to profit the most from longer detention and custodial deportation.'"
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Investigate Midwest: "More than 1,500 data centers are planned nationwide, many in rural communities. Here’s what to know about their water use, environmental impact and the growing opposition."
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Investigative Journalism Bureau: "Historically, conversations about maternal health have focused on labour and delivery. Birth is a period of intense physiologic stress, and some of the most dramatic complications occur during this time. Yet recent Canadian evidence suggests that this focus is too narrow."
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Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting: "'To be told, suddenly, from out of nowhere, because of a change in policy, they are at risk of being removed to a third country where they’ve never lived before,' said Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney in San Diego. 'It’s shocking, and it’s extremely scary.'"
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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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