Where can I find information on celebrity giving?

Celebrities are often sought after to support various philanthropic causes. And they have responded in a number of different ways. Some will lend their name to a cause or event while others give financial support as individuals. Some have even set up their own private foundations. Some of the following resources should help you in learning about and finding support from the "Hollywood community."

Electronic Resources on Celebrity Giving:

• HollywoodReporter.com's Entertainment Philanthropy page contains listings of nonprofit organizations with celebrity industry supporters, both corporate and individual.

• The Foundation Center's Youth in Philanthropy site frequently highlights information on celebrities and their philanthropic activities.

• Each of the Center libraries maintain a listing of celebrity foundations and public charities. While this list is not comprehensive, it may be useful in obtaining some basic information about a particular celebrity's philanthropic activities.

• You can use FC Search or The Foundation Directory Online to locate foundations that were formed by and/or are supported by celebrities or where celebrities serve on the board. Try searching by a particular celebrity name in the "Trustees, Officers, and Donors" field.

Print Resources on Celebrity Giving:

• Barrett, William P. "Sweet charity." Forbes 165 (20 March 2000) p. 180, 182. Highlights celebrity foundations, rating what Forbes considers to be the best and worst celebrity foundations in terms of outlay versus overhead. An expanded version of this article can be accessed online to registered users of Forbes.com. Registration is free.

• Boice, Jacklyn P. "Star Light, Star Bright: How To Make Your Special Events Truly Memorable." Advancing Philanthropy 12 (July-August 2005) p. 12-6.

• Celebrity Locator. Ann Arbor, MI: Axiom Information Resources. Lists addresses, e-mail addresses, and Web sites for thousands of celebrities in numerous fields of endeavor.

• Harrison, Bill J. "Celebrity Etiquette." Fund Raising Management 31 (July 2000) p. 24-9. How to work with celebrities for your special events.

• Rhule, Patty. "Celebrity Volunteers: Handle With Care—And Lots of Patience." Volunteer Leadership (Fall 2004) p. 16-9.

• Torres, Justin. "The Admiral Leads the Way." Philanthropy 18 (March-April 2004) p. 20-6. David Robinson, celebrity basketball player, has given millions to Christian fellowship causes, education, and early childhood centers through his philanthropy, the David Robinson Foundation. He has also been instrumental in the creation of the Carver Academy, a private elementary school serving a poor community in San Antonio.

• Villano, Matt. "Halls of Fame." Currents 30 (February 2004) p. 38-45. Managing a celebrity professor may be tricky, but can have big payoffs for university public relations. Several campus executives explain how they sought to optimize the affiliation of Desmond Tutu (University of North Florida), Paul Krugman (Princeton University) and Oprah Winfrey (Northwestern University).

• Wheeler, Robert. "Choosing Celebrity Endorsers: Tips and Traps." Nonprofit World 21 (July-August 2003) p. 17-20. Ten recommendations for nonprofits that seek to involve a celebrity for their cause.

• White, Thomas. "Spreading the wealth?" Hollywood Reporter (25-31 July, 2000) p. S1-4, S24. An assessment of how Hollywood celebrity and corporate giving stacks up against other sources of philanthropic support.

• Wolverton, Brad. "Problems Prompt One Fund to Adopt New Restrictions." Chronicle of Philanthropy 17 (28 April 2005) p. 28. The Giving Back Fund is a public charity that establishes donor-advised funds for celebrities. In recent months, it has closed down about half of its accounts and made new policies for accepting future funds in order to ensure that charitable donations are handled properly.

For other books and articles on cause-related marketing, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could start searching on the subjects "Celebrities" or "Celebrities--directories".

Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.

To learn more about cultivating individual donors, attend our Prospect Research Basics, a free one-hour class.

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