charity with a mission compatible with your values. Family members can sit on the governing board and participate in the grant-making decisions. There is no excise tax or payout requirement as with a private foundation.
Before you give to a nonprofit organization, make sure it is registered with the proper state or local government office.
To learn more, check out these resources:
- Associated Black Charities; www.abc-md.org
- Council of Better Business Bureaus; 703-276-0100
- Council on Foundations; 888-239-5221
- National Committee on Planned Giving; www.ncpg.org
- National Center for Family Philanthropy; 202-293-3424
- The Giving Forum; 202-467-0383; www.givingforum.org
- The Foundation Center; www.fdncenter.org
- The National Black United Fund; www.nbuf.org
Leading Foundations & Charities
| NAME(s) | Occupation | ORGANIZATION(S) | CAUSES | 2003 GIFTS |
| Oprah Winfrey | TV Talk show host | The Oprah Winfrey Foundation; Oprah’s Angel Network Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation | Education, the arts, public health, women | $10,537,131 |
| Eileen Harris Norton | Executive | Peter Norton Family Foundation Inc. | The arts, education, community health | 4,595,260 |
| Tom Joyner | Radio talk show host | Tom Joyner Foundation Inc. | HBCUs | 3,064,119 |
| David & Valerie Robinson | Former NBA player/philanthropist | The David Robinson Foundation | Education, feeding the hungry | 1,727,629 |
| Tiger Woods | Professional golfer | The Tiger Woods Foundation | Education, sports | 1,519,099 |
| Sean “P. Diddy” Combs | Hip-hop artist, actor | Daddy’s House Social Programs Inc. | Youth, education | 1,333,333 |
| Rachel Robinson | Philanthropist | The Jackie Robinson Foundation | Education | IGN=”TOP”>1,220,104 |
| Eddie & Sylvia Brown | Money manager/ philanthropists | The Eddie C. & C. Sylvia Brown Family Foundation | Education | 1,142,493 |
| Alonzo Mourning | NBA player | Alonzo Mourning Charities Inc.; Zo’s Fund for Life | Underprivileged children; Kidney disorder research | 1,015,864 |
| Earvin “Magic” Johnson | Former NBA player/ philanthropist | The Magic Johnson Foundation | Health, urban education | 430,206 |
| Ben & Candy Carson | Pediatric neurosurgeon/ philanthropist | Carson Scholars Fund | Youth, education | 518,351 |
| Russell Simmons | Recording executive/ philanthropist | Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation | Art, education, youth | 388,798 |
| Charles Barkley | Former NBA player | The Charles Barkley Foundation | Education | 319,200 |
| Hank & Billye Aaron | Former MLB player/ philanthropist | Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation | Education, youth, | 220,362 |
| William & Camille Cosby | Actor/philanthropist | William Henry Cosby Jr. and Camille Olivia Cosby Foundation; Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation | Education, dyslexia awareness | 215,500 |
| Marshall Faulk | NFL player | Marshall Faulk Foundation | Inner-city youth/children | 133, 027 |
| Chris “Ludacris” Bridges | Hip-hop artist, actor | The Ludacris Foundation | Abused/homeless children | 121,830 |
| Montel Williams | TV Talk show host | The Montel Williams MS Foundation | Multiple Sclerosis research | 120,000 |
| Warrick Dunn | NFL player | Warrick Dunn Foundation Inc. | Single-mother families | 108,091 |
| Alphonse Fletcher | Money manager | The Fletcher Foundation | Art, youth | 101,450 |
SOURCE: B.E. RESEARCH
Leading Individual Donors
| NAME(S) | TITLE | RECIPIENT(s) | AMOUNT | YEAR (s) |
| Oprah Winfrey | TV Talk show host, The Oprah Winfrey Show | The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, The Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation | $132,580,000 | 2002 — 2004 |
| Sheila C. Johnson | Partner, Lincoln Holdings | Parsons School of Design, Jamestown- Yorktown Foundation | 7, 350,000 | 2003 — 2004 |
| John H. Johnson | Publisher, |