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PR: Black Public Foundation Earns Coveted Award

THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOUNDATION NAMED A 2008 RECIPIENT OF NATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN ACTION AWARD BY W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION

New York, NY (BlackNews.com) – The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has announced The Twenty-First Century Foundation as one of the five 2008 recipients of its prestigious National Leadership in Action Award, recognizing excellent work by nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions in communities of color.

New York-based The Twenty-First Century Foundation was selected for its efforts to facilitate strategic giving for black community change, working with donors to invest in institutions and leaders that address challenges within black communities across the country. As a recipient, the organization will receive a $50,000 grant, as well as an original commissioned art piece created by an emerging artist.

“The Foundation has a thirty year history of building and supporting Black community leaders in advocating and organizing for change,” said Erica Hunt, president of The Twenty-First Century Foundation. “Our Hurricane Katrina work in support of the equitable recovery in the Gulf Coast is an example of this and therefore, we’re honored to be recognized for our leadership in increasing the capacity of the Black community to advocate for change.”

The National Leadership in Action Award program recognizes, celebrates, and promotes outstanding philanthropic institutions and nonprofit organizations with innovative approaches to connecting resources of time, money, and know-how for philanthropic work by communities of color. Award winners were peer-nominated and screened by a committee of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from across the United States.

“We are at an incredible moment in our society as the power of philanthropy continues to accelerate as a result of the innovations these committed organizations offer,” said Anne Mosle, vice president for programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “As the Foundation re-energizes our mission to support the success of vulnerable children, with a strong commitment to racial equity, we hope to see more opportunities to partner with strong organizations such as these to ensure philanthropy achieves its full potential.”

In addition to The Twenty-First Century Foundation, 2008 winners include: Rose Community Foundation (Denver, Colo.), Potlatch Fund (Seattle, Wash.), Native Americans in Philanthropy (Minneapolis, Minn.) and ACCESS (Dearborn, Mich.).

ABOUT THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOUNDATION
The Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) is an endowed national Black public foundation whose mission is to lead, innovate, and influence giving for Black community change. Working with a national network of private foundations, progressive donors and businesses, 21CF provides strategic capacity building grants to community groups for leadership development, advocacy and organizing. Visionary economist Robert S. Browne founded the Foundation in 1971. Since its inception it has been a responsible steward of funds, a responsive grantmaker for community needs, and a results-oriented partner to donors and grantees that provides critical support for the civil rights advocacy, economic empowerment, and grassroots leadership in the Black community.

ABOUT W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION
Established in 1930, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society. Grants are concentrated in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

For more information on the National Leadership in Action Award or the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, visit www.wkkf.org or www.culturesofgiving.org

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When Business Grants Attack – How To Avoid The Scams

By www.Business-Grants.com

In a time when banks and credit unions are denying loan applications like never before, many entrepreneurs and business owners are turning to business grants as a dependable source of financial help. However, just like scholarships and other financial aid opportunities – there are tons of scams to beware of.

Here are the top 5 signs of a business grant scam:

1) No Phone Number Listed
If you are on the web site of an organization or government agency that is offering a business grant opportunity, make sure that there is a working phone number listed. If not, it’s probably not a legit opportunity. In addition, there should also be a working email address listed as well.

2) PO Box Address
If the postal address associated with the business grant is a PO Box, this may be a sign of a scam. Be sure to investigate though because some organizations have physical addresses, but want all applications and correspondence to go to a mail box.

3) Fee Required
If a company or organization is asking for your credit card number or requiring you to send a money order with your application, this will almost always be a scam.

Remember though that is very normal for some companies to charge a fee for you to access their grant database. Others will charge a fee to send you a CD-Rom or ebook. This is okay. What is not okay, is you having to pay to apply for an individual business grant opportunity.

4) Poor Web Site Design
If you visit a web site promoting a grant opportunity, and the design looks poor and elementary – it’s likely a scam. Organizations and government agencies that give grants away have professional-looking and well-developed web sites.

5) Sounds Too Good To Be True
If an organization is making far-fetched statements about a grant opportunity, it’s more than likely not legit. For instance, some grant opportunities may say “We can give you $1 million dollars for your business” or “No application is ever denied.” These are claims that indicate a bogus opportunity.

The National Institute of Business Grants (www.Business-Grants.com) provides free tips, advice, and frequently asked questions pertaining to business grants.

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Fred Hammond Releases Christmas DVD, Nov. 25th

FRED HAMMOND AND EMI GOSPEL ANNOUNCE CHRISTMAS PARTNERSHIP, RELEASE FIRST DVD CHRISTMAS…WHO NEEDS IT IN STORES NOVEMBER 25, 2008

Christmas Who Needs It DVD

Nashville, TN (BlackNews.com) – EMI Gospel and Fred Hammond have partnered in order to release the first DVD of Hammond’s Stage play produced by fHammond Family Entertainment, entitled Christmas…Who Needs It.

“This is a faith based ‘dramedy’ that will surely put us all in the Christmas spirit. The inspiration for this play was based on the early Tyler Perry plays and I just took the idea and kicked it up a notch by shooting it in Panasonic HD with Redrock Panavision,” said Fred Hammond, the Producer and Star of the movie. “The timing is divine and it will hopefully enable people to find some joy during these difficult times in which we presently find ourselves as a nation.”

Christmas…Who Needs It will be released by EMI Gospel and will be available in retail outlets on November 25, 2008.

“This movie is uplifting and as a Christian, this is the type of movie I have wanted in the marketplace for years,” says Roy Campbell, Hammond’s business partner and fHammond Family Entertainment Board Chairman.

Christmas…Who Needs It is presently on sale on-line at www.fredhammondlive.com

“There is definitely a marketplace for this play and the agreement with EMI Gospel will only enhance the visibility of Christmas…Who Needs It,” said Christopher Brown, of Brown & Rosen LLC, legal counsel to Fred Hammond. Ken Pennell, President of EMI Gospel also stated “We have great expectations for the film and look forward to a continued relationship with Fred Hammond.”

CONTACT:
Nurisha Liggins
682-557-9201
Nurisha@fhfent.com

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