Rare Impact Fund
Rare Impact Fund is a Selena Gomez–founded nonprofit (est. 2020) that mobilizes philanthropic dollars for youth mental health, distributing grants to a vetted portfolio of 30 nonprofit partners across five continents via 1% of Rare Beauty sales, corporate campaigns, and foundation gifts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rare Impact Fund does
Rare Impact Fund is a private nonprofit philanthropic organization founded by Selena Gomez in 2020 and structured as a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. The fund's stated mission is to mobilize $100 million in contributions for organizations that expand access to youth mental health services and education globally; as of August 2024 it had mobilized over $30 million toward that goal. The fund deploys capital across three strategic priority areas — school-based solutions, networks of support, and suicide prevention and crisis support — to a vetted portfolio of 30 nonprofit partners operating across five continents (North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Oceania), with explicit focus on BIPOC-led organizations (40% of portfolio) and leaders of color globally (20%).
The core fundraising model is a four-stream inflow: a structural donation of 1% of all Rare Beauty product sales (the founding commercial partnership with Gomez's beauty brand launched September 2020), recurring corporate partnership campaigns (notably Pacsun's denim collaborations — now in their fifth iteration — and Sephora's annual 'Make a rare impact' fragrance campaign — now in its third year), philanthropic foundation grants (including a $500,000 investment from the Enlight Foundation for the Nonclinical Workforce Initiative), and individual donations via the fund's website. In March 2026 the fund launched its first public Request for Proposals under the Nonclinical Workforce Initiative, allocating more than $2.5 million in grants of $250,000–$500,000 to strengthen nonclinical youth mental health workforce pipelines. Distribution to beneficiaries occurs exclusively through grantee nonprofits; the fund does not deliver mental health services directly. Annual awareness and fundraising operations are anchored by the Rare Impact Fund Benefit, a celebrity-attended Los Angeles fundraiser with corporate sponsorship from Rare Beauty, Sephora, Pinterest, lululemon, UMG, and others.
Rare Impact Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rare Impact Fund
- Legal name
- Rare Impact Fund
- Website
- https://rareimpactfund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Rare Impact Fund is a Selena Gomez–founded nonprofit (est. 2020) that mobilizes philanthropic dollars for youth mental health, distributing grants to a vetted portfolio of 30 nonprofit partners across five continents via 1% of Rare Beauty sales, corporate campaigns, and foundation gifts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rare Impact Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Mental Health Philanthropy
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)
Keywords
Where Rare Impact Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Rare Impact Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Rare Beauty Product Sales Donation: 1% of all Rare Beauty product sales are donated to the Rare Impact Fund. This is the primary ongoing funding stream from the commercial partnership with Selena Gomez's beauty brand.
- Corporate Partnership Donations: Corporate partners like Pacsun donate a percentage of sales from collaborative product collections. Pacsun donated 10% of sales up to $300,000 from their denim collaboration.
- Foundation and Individual Grants: The fund raises money from philanthropic foundations, individuals, and the community through donations and sponsorship of the annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit event.
- Time-Limited Campaign Donations: Campaign-based donations such as the Sephora 'Make a rare impact' campaign where 100% of Rare Beauty fine fragrance purchases were donated during specific dates.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Rare Impact Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Rare Impact Fund is a grantmaking nonprofit that mobilizes philanthropic contributions to expand access to mental health services and education for young people globally. The fund sources, vets, and grants funds to nonprofit mental health organizations across three strategic priorities—school-based solutions, networks of support, and suicide prevention/crisis support. Its primary funding streams are 1% of all Rare Beauty product sales, corporate partnership campaigns (Sephora, Pacsun), foundation grants, and individual donations.
Product overview
Rare Impact Fund is a charitable initiative mobilizing $100 million in contributions for youth mental health services and education globally. The organization operates through three strategic funding priority areas: school-based solutions, networks of support, and suicide prevention and crisis support. Core offerings include an annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit fundraiser event and the Nonclinical Workforce Initiative grant program. Funding derives from 1% of Rare Beauty sales, philanthropic foundations, individual donors, corporate partners, and community contributions. The fund supports a global network of 30 nonprofit partners across 5 continents reaching millions of young people.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Rare Impact Fund Benefit Annual cocktail-style fundraiser event hosted by Selena Gomez in Los Angeles to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health globally. Includes entertainment, a live auction, and brings together mental health partners, entertainment/business executives, and philanthropists.
- Nonclinical Workforce Initiative Grant Program Grant program that funds nonprofit organizations to strengthen the nonclinical youth mental health workforce, with grants of $250,000 to $500,000 supporting recruitment, training, and retention of personnel in roles that support young people outside traditional clinical settings.
- Rare Impact Fund Online Donation Platform Online donation platform enabling individuals to make voluntary contributions supporting youth mental health services and education globally; operated at secure.donationpay.org/rareimpact/ and integrated with an email newsletter signup for community engagement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Mobilized $30 million with philanthropic partners as of August 2024
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Rare Impact Fund
Customer profileNamed customers30 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rare Impact Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rare Impact Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- PacsuncorePacsun has partnered with the Rare Impact Fund for multiple collaborative denim collections (at least five collaborations). Pacsun donates 10% of sales from each purchase to the fund, up to a maximum of $300,000 per collection. The latest collection, the 'Rare DNM Edit', features 15 pieces priced between $68 and $125.
- SephoracoreSephora has partnered with Rare Beauty for the third annual 'Make a rare impact' campaign from October 10-12, 2025, during which 100% of Rare Beauty fine fragrance purchases at Sephora stores and online were donated to the Rare Impact Fund. This campaign exemplifies the frictionless giving model connecting product sales to charitable impact.
- Rare BeautyflagshipRare Beauty, Selena Gomez's makeup brand launched in September 2020, donates 1% of all product sales to the Rare Impact Fund. This is the primary ongoing funding stream and represents the founding commercial partnership that powers the fund's mission to support youth mental health.
- Hopewell FundcoreThe Rare Impact Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity. This administrative partnership provides the fund with tax-exempt status and organizational infrastructure.
- Various Event SponsorsminorThe annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit is supported by sponsors including Rare Beauty, Sephora, Pinterest, UCLA, lululemon, UMG, kate spade, WME, Sollos, Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Ketel One, Don Julio, Zacapa, Chipotle, and others. These partners provide financial support and in-kind donations for the event.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rare Impact Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Born This Way Foundation: Founded by Lady Gaga, Born This Way Foundation is a celebrity-led nonprofit focused on youth mental health and kindness, including a 'Channel Kindness' network and grants to youth mental health organizations. It is the closest structural peer to Rare Impact Fund given similar celebrity-founder model and youth mental health grantmaking focus.
- JED Foundation: JED is a leading nonprofit protecting youth mental health and preventing suicide among teens and young adults through its JED Campus and JED High School programs. It is a direct operating peer in the youth mental health grantmaking and programmatic space and is also a current Rare Impact Fund grantee.
- The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is the largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit for LGBTQ+ young people. It operates direct services (hotlines, counseling) while also running programmatic initiatives, making it a hybrid peer that combines service delivery and grant-funded impact in the youth mental health space.
- The Steve Fund: The Steve Fund is dedicated to the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color, with grantmaking and programming aimed at colleges and universities. It is a direct peer in youth mental health grantmaking focused on BIPOC populations, and is also a current Rare Impact Fund grantee.
- Child Mind Institute: Child Mind Institute is a leading independent nonprofit providing clinical care, research, and education for children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders. It is a direct peer in youth/child mental health and is also a current Rare Impact Fund grantee.
- Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services: Didi Hirsch is a major mental health nonprofit operating suicide prevention hotlines, school-based programs, and the Didi Hirsch Academy online training platform. It is a direct peer in youth mental health service delivery and a current Rare Impact Fund grantee.
- Dana Foundation: The Dana Foundation is a private philanthropic organization that funds brain science research and public education, including mental health. It is a direct peer as a foundation focused grantmaking entity supporting mental health initiatives.
Broad incumbents
- Mental Health America: Mental Health America is the nation's largest and oldest community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness. It is a broad incumbent in the youth mental health advocacy and program space, with deeper programmatic history than the Rare Impact Fund.
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is one of the largest US health-focused private foundations, with significant funding flows into mental health, equity, and youth well-being. It serves as a broad incumbent reference point for foundation-scale health philanthropy and a potential upstream funding partner.
Others
- Hopewell Fund: The Hopewell Fund is the 501(c)(3) public charity that fiscally sponsors the Rare Impact Fund. It is an administrative and infrastructure peer rather than a competitive one, providing the legal and tax-exempt framework under which the Rare Impact Fund operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rare Impact Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rare Impact Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rare Impact Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rare Impact Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments13 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rare Impact Fund
What does Rare Impact Fund do?
The Rare Impact Fund is a grantmaking nonprofit that mobilizes philanthropic contributions to expand access to mental health services and education for young people globally. The fund sources, vets, and grants funds to nonprofit mental health organizations across three strategic priorities—school-based solutions, networks of support, and suicide prevention/crisis support. Its primary funding streams are 1% of all Rare Beauty product sales, corporate partnership campaigns (Sephora, Pacsun), foundation grants, and individual donations.
Is Rare Impact Fund a public or private company?
Rare Impact Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rare Impact Fund founded?
Rare Impact Fund was founded in 2020.
Where is Rare Impact Fund based?
Rare Impact Fund is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rare Impact Fund make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Rare Beauty Product Sales Donation is the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnership Donations, foundation and Individual Grants and time-Limited Campaign Donations.
Who are Rare Impact Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Born This Way Foundation, JED Foundation, The Trevor Project, The Steve Fund, Child Mind Institute, Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services and Dana Foundation. Broad incumbents are Mental Health America and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Hopewell Fund is listed as an others.
Does Rare Impact Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rare Impact Fund.
What industry is Rare Impact Fund in?
Rare Impact Fund's product category is Youth Mental Health Philanthropy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.