MUMBAI: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group behind the Golden Globe Awards, is giving away $1.5 million in grants to non-profit film organisations.

At a ceremony HFPA president Philip Berk handed out cheques to film schools and groups that support film promotion and preservation. HFPA has given more than $12 million in grants to date.

Actress Eva Longoria Parker acknowledged that she was slightly star-struck as she read from a script to present the cheques. "This is hard for me, this teleprompter, because Nicole Kidman is sitting right behind it," Parker said.

Kidman was among the stars who accepted the grants along with Bryan Cranston, Jane Lynch, Ryan Phillippe, John Slattery, Matthew Fox, Aaron Sorkin, Carla Gugino, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco and Annette Bening.

Recipients also included Outfest, FilmAid International, the Museum of Modern Art, American Cinematheque, the American Film Institute, Inner-City Arts and eleven universities.

The 68th annual Golden Globe Awards will be presented Jan. 16.