Name of Foundation: The Reva and David Logan Foundation
Location: Chicago
Contact Information: Preeti Veerlapati, Grants Manager, [email protected]
Coverage Area: National, with a focus on Chicago
Subject Area: The Arts, Investigative Journalism, Social Justice, Scholarship
Assets: $88,870,977 (2014)
Last Year Total Giving: $3,903,863 (through June 2016)
In a Nutshell:
Both natives of Chicago, IL, philanthropists Reva and David Logan met while studying at the University of Chicago Law School. That meeting kicked off a relationship that lasted for over 60 years, and created a legacy of philanthropic leadership throughout the nation, with a special focus on Chicago.
While trained as a lawyer, David Logan’s success in investing can be held largely responsible for the wealth the family accumulated. That investment, however, was never limited to just business endeavors but also community investment. The Logans supported projects personally and through their foundation.
The Reva and David Logan Foundation was established by its namesakes as a way to support the arts, as well as “innovative approaches to teaching and delivering excellence in journalism, community organizing, and programs to promote social justice.”
Through the work of the foundation and the family’s personal choices, the Logan name has become linked to cultivating spaces – physical and metaphorical – for the arts in Chicago and around the country. In its hometown, the family is well known for the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago.
Other large gifts highlight the foundation’s commitment to investigative journalism. Its website explains that, “Jonathan [Logan] attributed his father’s funding of the press to his lifelong commitment to learning and self-improvement.”
After their passing, David in 2011 and Reva in 2013, the couple’s three sons took over leadership of the foundation. The board of directors is now made up of seven members, including the three Logan sons. Executive Director Peter Handler and Grants Manager Kim Romero run the administrative side of the foundation.
Major Program Categories:
In an effort to continue its namesakes’ legacy, the Logan Foundation remains committed to supporting causes related to the arts, investigative journalism, social justice and scholarship.
The foundation’s last round of giving (distributed through June 2016) shows a versatile mix of grants, ranging from $1,800 to support the Chicago Help Initiative serve meals to the homeless to a $200,000 grant to the Joffrey Ballet. Grants were made in a range of ways, from very specific projects to broader objectives like capacity building through strategic planning and general operating support.
The last year has seen significant support of investigative reporting programs, such as Brooklyn’s Inside Climate News and Chicago’s Invisible Institute to San Francisco’s KQED. For the full list of projects, click here.
How to Apply: While the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, it does have an open process for accepting letters of inquiry (LOI). You can initiate the LOI process on the foundation’s website, where you will create an online account. Be prepared with your organization’s basic information, including information on your executive director and tax identification number. Submissions are reviewed throughout the year.
Recent News and Grantmaking:
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Joffrey-Ballet-receives-200-challenge-grant/55271.html
http://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2016/01/saving-mes-aynak-grant