FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICAGO, IL — [May 24, 2025] — Valerie F. Leonard, founder of Nonprofit Utopia, and Noah Jenkins, fundraising strategist, were honored to co-facilitate Fund the Facts: A Grant Writing Bootcamp for Community-Powered Newsrooms, hosted by the Northwestern Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.
The interactive session was designed for members of the Peer Learning Community (PLC), a professional development cohort serving the 13 Press Forward Chicago grantees. During the workshop, Leonard and Jenkins shared practical guidance on grant prospecting, aligning proposal narratives with budgets, and crafting compelling proposals that resonate with funders.
“We were thrilled to support the vital work of local newsrooms that serve our communities,” said Leonard. “Grant writing is more than paperwork—it’s storytelling with strategy, and we were excited to help these journalists connect the dots between impact and investment.”
About the Peer Learning Community
The Peer Learning Community is an initiative of Press Forward Chicago, working in partnership with Medill’s Local News Accelerator. The PLC supports local media leaders with tools and training to expand access to trustworthy news throughout the Chicagoland region. The program provides a collaborative space where grantees strengthen their legal, financial, and audience development skills—ensuring both the sustainability and impact of their work.
Through ongoing support from the Chicago Community Trust, the Peer Learning Community is part of a broader effort to increase civic knowledge and engagement through high-quality local journalism. The initiative is designed not only to strengthen the business side of nonprofit media but also to build relationships, trust, and capacity that will outlast any single grant cycle.
About Nonprofit Utopia
Nonprofit Utopia, LLC is the ideal community for leaders who want to start, manage and scale nonprofits. With a mission of training the next generation of ethical leaders, Nonprofit Utopia provides an online community, courses, coaching and consulting.
Media Contact:
Valerie F. Leonard
Founder, Nonprofit Utopia, LLC
valeriefleonard@nonprofiutopia.com
