Preserving Wealth, Honoring Legacies & Raising Awareness
The Cleveland Foundation’s African American Philanthropy Committee was created in 1993 to promote awareness and education about the benefits of wealth and community preservation through philanthropy. Awareness led to stewardship in 2010, when the Committee established a fund to help support a variety of organizations within the African American community of Greater Cleveland.
2022 African American Philanthropy Summit
Philanthropic Equity: Making An Impact
Save the date: Saturday, April 30 | 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Hybrid event
The committee convenes a Philanthropy Summit once every two years to raise the visibility of African American philanthropy in the region and to honor local African American philanthropists who are making a lasting and significant impact.
Recent News
Common Threads of Philanthropy: A Love of Humanity that Transcends Generations by Terri Bradford Eason (Senior Director of Advancement Equity Initiatives) via the Winter 2022 issue of The Black Professional.
Ways to Give Back
Collectively, members of the African American Philanthropy Committee also support the mission of the Cleveland Foundation, which includes building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking, and providing leadership on key community issues.
Contact the African American Philanthropy Committee and follow @CleveFoundation #GivingHasNoColor.
“2020 Vision: Disrupting the Cultural Landscape Through Philanthropy — The Conversation Continues with Eddie and Sylvia Brown”
The Cleveland Foundation African American Philanthropy Committee welcomed Baltimore philanthropists Eddie C. and C. Sylvia Brown virtually Nov. 10, 2020, to continue the conversation on “Disrupting the Cultural Landscape Through Philanthropy” that began at this summer’s first-ever all-virtual African American Philanthropy Summit.
“2020 Vision: Disrupting the Cultural Landscape Through Philanthropy”
The Cleveland Foundation African American Philanthropy Summit took place via Zoom on May 30, 2020, featuring a conversation between Featured Speaker Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Business Leader and Co-Founder and CEO of WEEN-Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network, and moderator Jeff Johnson, AAPC Committee Member and Chief Curator for Men Thrive.
Special Thanks to Our 2020 Sponsors:
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| CLE Consulting Firm |  |
Dr. Doris Evans |
| Margaret W. Wong & Associates LLC | Joyce N. Shinn, Shinn Charitable Family Fund | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
| The Sherwin-Williams Company | Bracy E. Lewis |
African American Philanthropy Committee Legacy Fund
The African American Philanthropy Committee Legacy Fund supports a variety of organizations within the African American community of Greater Cleveland. This fund is bolstered by individuals of all ages, businesses, sororities and fraternities, faith-based organizations, and multiple member organizations.
Archived News and Information
Cleveland Foundation sets virtual version of African American Philanthropy Summit for May 30 via Crain’s Cleveland Business
Cleveland Foundation sets African American Philanthropy Summit for April 25 via Crain’s Cleveland Business
Cleveland Heights couple Justin and Andrean Horton share what motivates them to give back and why they’re excited about the 2020 African American Philanthropy Summit via the Cleveland Foundation
The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Delta Alpha Lambda Chapter, help their community cope with the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic via the Cleveland Foundation
Celebrating African American Philanthropy
Belva Denmark Tibbs and Imani Denmark Tibbs describe how philanthropy became an important part of their mother-daughter relationship.
Clevelanders Valdia Burns, Barbara Harris and Ann-Marie Ogletree explain the events and people that inspired their philanthropic giving.
Consultant and entrepreneur Ellen Burts-Cooper, Ph.D., and architect Bob Madison share how their education and professional backgrounds help inform their philanthropic passions.
African American Philanthropy Committee Members
Ellen Burts-Cooper, Ph.D., Co-Chair
Senior Managing Partner, Improve Consulting and Training
Ronald V. Johnson, Jr., Co-Chair
Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel, Law Group, KeyBank National Association
Montrie Rucker Adams
President, Visibility Marketing, Inc.
Bishara Addison
Senior Manager, Policy & Strategic Initiatives, Towards Employment
Justin Horton
Wealth Advisor, Stratos Wealth Partners
Jeff I. Johnson
Chief Curator, Men Thrive
Jazmin Long
VP Fund Development, Birthing Beautiful Communities
Kevin McDaniel
Executive Director, Neighborhood Leadership Institute
Antoine Moss, Ph.D.
Community Relations Manager, NASA Glenn Research Center
Ann-Marie Ogletree
Executive Director, Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy
Steve Sanders
Metro Cleveland Director, Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Robyn Minter Smyers
Partner, Executive Committee, Thompson Hine LLP
Belva Denmark Tibbs
2020 African American Philanthropy Summit Honorary Event Chairs
Lonnie Coleman, President, Coleman Spohn Corporation
Donté Gibbs, MSSA, Manager of Community Outreach, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Don Graves, Jr., Head of Corporate Responsibility & Community Relations, KeyBank
Connie Hill-Johnson, Owner and Managing Director of Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services, and Member, Cleveland Foundation Board of Directors
LaRese Purnell, Managing Partner, CLE Consulting Firm
Alex Johnson, Ph.D., President, Cuyahoga Community College
Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, M.D., Associate Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals
Ronald B. Richard, President and CEO, Cleveland Foundation