When Selena Gomez launched Rare Beauty in 2020, she also created the Rare Impact Fund, a philanthropic initiative dedicated to expanding access to youth mental health services. Six years later, the fund has raised more than $30 million, supports 30 nonprofit partners across five continents, and reaches about 3.5 million young people annually. According to PR Newswire, the fund’s long-term goal is to mobilise $100 million for organisations that increase access to mental health services and education worldwide.The numbers reflect more than fundraising success. They show how a beauty brand can be built around a social mission from the beginning, with part of every sale directed toward a cause that Gomez has spoken about openly. The Rare Impact Fund has grown into a global network of partners, donors, and young people seeking support. Read more details about it here:
Why Gomez started the fund
Gomez has been candid about her own mental health journey, and the Rare Impact Fund was created as part of her broader focus on addressing mental health. The initiative supports organisations that help young people access care, education, and resources when they need them.Mental health support is often unevenly distributed, particularly for young people who may not know where to seek help or cannot afford professional services. The fund aims to reduce those barriers by backing nonprofits that provide direct services and expand mental health education.Gomez has said that shining a light on youth mental health is not something that can be done alone. Her comments ahead of the fund’s fourth annual benefit emphasised the importance of sponsors, artists, and supporters in reaching millions of young people around the world.
How the fund raises money
One percent of all Rare Beauty sales is donated to the Rare Impact Fund, as per the report. That ongoing contribution means the brand’s customers participate in the mission through their purchases, rather than the fund depending only on large one-time donations. The fund also raises additional money through philanthropic foundations, individual donors, corporate partners, and the Rare Beauty community. It operates as a fiscally sponsored project of the Hopewell Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity.This structure has helped the initiative grow beyond its original launch. Since 2020, it has raised more than $30 million and built partnerships with 30 nonprofits working across five continents.
A global reach
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The Rare Impact Fund now reaches about 3.5 million young people each year. Its support extends to organisations working to increase access to mental health services and education for young people worldwide.The fund’s nonprofit partners operate across five continents, reflecting an understanding that mental health needs vary across communities and cultures. Rather than treating the issue as a single problem with one solution, the fund supports local organisations that understand the needs of the young people they serve.That approach also allows the fund to connect global fundraising with community-level work. Money raised through Rare Beauty sales, donors, and benefit events can help organisations provide counselling, education, crisis support, and other services where they are needed most.
The fourth annual benefit
The Rare Impact Fund’s fourth annual Benefit, titled “A Night of Radiance & Reflection,” took place on October 14, 2026, at The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Gomez hosted the event, while Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor and comedian Sean Hayes served as emcee.Singer Leon Bridges and singer-songwriter Bella Kay performed at the benefit. Bridges said mental health advocacy was crucial and described the opportunity to help create tangible access to support for young people as a privilege.Kay said music had helped her make sense of her own mental health and vulnerabilities. She described the benefit as an evening dedicated to expanding youth mental health support, a cause she said was close to home.
Support from brands and advocates
The 2026 benefit brought together a host committee of leaders, advocates, and supporters of the fund. It included Pacsun CEO Brieane Olson, UCLA Hospital System CEO Johnese Spisso, lululemon’s head of social impact Anne Wintroub, singer Becky G, producer benny blanco, author and host Jay Shetty, and others.Rare level sponsors for the event included Rare Beauty, Afterpay, Batch & Box, lululemon, Pacsun, UCLA Health, and Ulta Beauty. Their support helped fund the benefit and amplify the fund’s mission.The involvement of beauty, retail, health, and entertainment brands shows how youth mental health has become a shared priority across industries. It also gives the fund access to wider audiences than it might reach through philanthropy alone.
Momentum from previous events
The 2025 benefit raised more than $2 million from more than 20 sponsors and guests. It was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and featured performances from alternative pop band The Marías and Grammy-winning singer Laufey.Those events have become an important part of the fund’s annual fundraising calendar. They bring together celebrities, corporate sponsors, donors, and advocates while keeping attention focused on the practical need for youth mental health services.The fourth annual benefit continued that momentum. With Leon Bridges and Bella Kay performing, the event aimed to raise further support for organisations working to make mental health care and education more accessible.
Why the mission matters
Youth mental health has become one of the most urgent public health issues of the past decade. Young people face pressures related to school, social media, family instability, identity, economic uncertainty, and access to care, and many struggle to find timely support.The Rare Impact Fund’s work matters because it focuses on both services and education. Helping young people access professional support is essential, but teaching them to understand and talk about mental health can also reduce stigma and encourage earlier help-seeking.Gomez’s initiative shows how a personal commitment can become a large-scale platform for change. What began alongside a beauty brand in 2020 has grown into a $30 million effort that reaches millions of young people each year.
Looking toward $100 million
The fund’s stated ambition is to mobilise $100 million for youth mental health organisations around the world. With more than $30 million raised since launch, it has made substantial progress toward that target.The next stage will depend on continued support from Rare Beauty customers, corporate partners, philanthropists, and the wider public. The fund’s benefit events, sponsorships, and global nonprofit network are likely to remain central to that effort.For Gomez, the Rare Impact Fund is more than a corporate social responsibility programme. It is a way to use her platform to make mental health support more visible, more accessible, and less isolating for young people around the world.
