The secret to a fundraising windfall might well be — if you know how to choose, contact, woo and even groom the right celebrity spokesperson for your organization.

By Bill J. Harrison

“You have to find the natural connection with the celebrity,” says Rita Tateel, president of Los Angeles-based The Celebrity Source, which specializes in finding celebrities for charitable organizations. “When a charity comes to me, I’m going to ask what it is they’re trying to accomplish by having a celebrity involved. Are they trying to generate media attention, raise money or sell products?