Giving Back in 2012: Celebrities Hire Philanthropy Consultants to Help Guide Their Giving

BOSTON, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2010, Harriett Ryan of the Los Angeles Times wrote: An increasing number of celebrities are paying charity experts for advice. Some celebs want to give back but aren't sure where to start. Some want to give more strategically and, yes, some may just want some good PR.

Ryan also noted that more and more celebrities, including Ben Affleck, Rachael Ray, Ben Stiller and Angelina Jolie, have paid philanthropy experts to help them manage their goodwill. Such philanthropic advising has existed in Hollywood for decades, but the number of consultants working with celebs on the East Coast is rising.

"In 2012, during a challenging economy, this field of advising has certainly kept pace with more traditional forms of consulting," says philanthropic advisor, Sylvia Hampton, who opened her firm, Hampton Bates Cooper & Robinson LLC, several years ago. She's recently launched a celebrity philanthropy advising component of the business, adding, "In a world with ever-changing markets, it takes real 'know-how' to successfully navigate the philanthropic world -- to leverage your financial strength. People can tell if you have done your homework and when you're serious about giving back."

For A-listers and other high-net-worth individuals who want to make a difference, hiring a philanthropic advisor may be the way to go. Many would-be givers just want to help, but aren't sure how. Others may know what they want to support, but do not know where to start. And then there are those who are already giving but are not happy with the philanthropic impact they are making.

"Running a foundation takes discipline and a unique skill set -- it's not just about reviewing pleas for contributions and cutting checks," says Hampton, whose firm's services include advising high-net-worth individuals on how to position their foundations for maximum impact. "Often, those enlisted to run the foundations are not properly grounded or prepared, and then the foundation runs into trouble."

The best consultants help in every aspect of the philanthropic process, from developing a plan for giving that helps maximizes tax benefits, to handling research and development to ensure the foundation's intent is realized. The ultimate goal is to use a celebrity's wealth to make a real impact on society -- without compromising a hard-won reputation.

Hampton Bates (http://www.hamptonbates.com) currently advises clients in all areas of philanthropy on a national/international platform, and is actively consulting with several new clients who are exploring the opportunity to create family foundations.

When asked about a celebrity's impact on philanthropy, Sylvia Hampton said, "They have enormous reach and power, and we want to help them use it for good."

References:

LA Times, By Harriet Ryan http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/14/entertainment/la-ca-celebrity-charity-20101114 (Accessed January 24, 2012)

Contact:
Sylvia Hampton
HAMPTON BATES COOPER & ROBINSON LLC
285 Commandants Way at Admiral's Hill
Chelsea, MA 02150
T: 617.336.7179
M: 617.413.6764
F: 617.884.9493
Website: http://www.hamptonbates.com 

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SOURCE Hampton Bates Cooper & Robinson LLC