When Belva Denmark Tibbs became a mother, she was eager to pass on her long-standing family tradition of serving the community to her daughter, Imani. Guided by the belief that anyone can be a philanthropist, regardless of age or wealth, the women teamed up to create a donor-advised fund with the Cleveland Foundation that will benefit the...

From donating her allowance to help a friend, to mentoring the next generation of Clevelanders, philanthropy and community building has always been a priority for Ann-Marie Ogletree. A retired Cleveland Metropolitan School District administrator and founder of Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy, Ogletree shared her story as...

Dr. Barbara Harris, philanthropist and retired educator, believes that anyone can be philanthropic, whether through charitable giving, volunteering or a combination of both. As a featured philanthropist at the 2018 African American Philanthropy Summit, we asked Dr. Harris to share the origins of her philanthropy and what inspires her to...

Robert P. Madison always dreamed of becoming an architect, but as an African American man growing up in the 1920s and 1930s, social inequality continuously tried to block his path to success. After overcoming countless obstacles, Madison achieved his goals by establishing a successful architecture firm that celebrates diversity, as well...

Dr. Ellen Burts-Cooper, entrepreneur and philanthropist, places teamwork at the heart of both her professional and philanthropic pursuits. With the belief that we can accomplish more together than alone, Dr. Burts-Cooper follows her passion for youth mentorship by contributing to the Our Hope, Our Future Giving Circle fund and awarding...