Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

Celebrities Get Positive Press

Professional athletes and entertainers often make headlines for behaving badly, while their good works in the community hardly get noticed. Kimberly Haynes, founder and chief consultant of the OMBI Group, LLC is setting out to change that.

On November 9, 2009 the OMBI Group celebrated its 5th year anniversary by presenting its Giving Gracefully Awards to Reggie Howard of the AAG Foundation, Inc., the Brian Jordan Foundation, Inc., the Hannibal Navies Foundation, Inc., and the DeShawn Snow Foundation.

OMBI recognized these organizations for their outstanding commitment to the community and for their contributions to helping youth live safe, positive, and productive lives. Montblanc hosted the event, which was also sponsored by Red Bull, Jim Ellis Audi, Imperial Concierge and Lifestyle Management, Atlas Sports and Entertainment, Brumfield Limousines, SVB Group, and Prime Restaurant.

Many celebrity foundations provide direct services or operate programs rather than awarding grants. If you want to find grantmaking organizations and public charities founded by celebrities, then the following resource is for you. The Celebrity Foundation Directory, newly-published by the Foundation Center, lists celebrity foundations with combined assets of nearly $255 billion and with charitable contributions of nearly $14 billion.

You can access this directory for free at our library/learning center or use it at home or in your office by purchasing a copy of the digital publication in the Marketplace section of our web site.

A huge thank you goes to Kimberly and the OMBI Group for giving us something positive to talk about.

Asia Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

New Digital Publication - Celebrity Foundation Directory

The Foundation Center has just published the first edition of the Celebrity Foundation Directory.

This new title includes detailed descriptions of thousands of foundations started by VIPs in the fields of business, entertainment, politics, and sports. Through their private foundations, many notable individuals have made significant contributions to help underserved populations and provide support for medical research, green technology, and countless other causes they care about. Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, and Michael J. Fox are just a few examples of individuals who have made headlines for their support to philanthropic causes.

This new directory links celebrities with their grantmaking organizations and will help you identify which individuals or organizations may have an interest in funding your programs and activities. The interactive digital format allows for faster access to foundation profiles and includes links to additional grantmaker data online. The directory is also fully indexed for quick reference to information on individuals and foundations.

The Celebrity Foundation Directory is available for purchase at our web site. Buy now >>

Visit the Marketplace section of our web site for more information on this and other Foundation Center publications.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta