FairWarning receives grants

FairWarning announced Thursday it has received grants that will advance its efforts to deliver strong watchdog journalism.

FairWarning is a nonprofit investigative news organization based in Los Angeles that focuses on health and safety issues, and related topics of government and business accountability.

It has received a grant of $7,500 from The Streisand Foundation, which supports causes important to legendary recording artist Barbra Streisand, including civil rights, women’s health and environmental protection. Another grant of $12,000 has come from The LaFetra Foundation, a small family foundation that supports a variety of causes, including education, the arts and independent media.

Thanks to the generosity of mystery writer Michael Connelly and the popularity of his books, FairWarning received more than $19,000 from the sale of rights to name characters in one of the author’s future novels. Connelly, a former journalist who is also a board member of FairWarning, sponsored the online auction of naming rights to support the news organization. The two top bidders, who offered more than $9,500 apiece, will each get to name a character in a forthcoming book.

“Our brand of journalism is expensive, so we’re grateful and honored by these gifts,” said Myron Levin, executive director and editor of FairWarning, in a statement. “They will help us to produce deeply reported stories on significant issues of public health and safety.”