Ariana Grande has launched The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, a new charitable project that will fund organizations working with LGBTQ+ communities, mental health support, emergency relief, immigrant families, and animal welfare.
The singer and actress announced the foundation on Friday, June 12. People reported that Grande said she was “beyond excited” to introduce the organization after years of supporting many of the same causes on her own.
“Our mission is to support, protect, and provide resources for our vulnerable friends in need,” Grande said, according to People.
The foundation shares a name with Brighter Days Ahead, the short film Grande released as part of her Eternal Sunshine deluxe era. The new project turns that phrase into a funding platform for small organizations already working in advocacy, mental health care, storytelling, emergency support, and direct services.
The Foundation Is Organized Around Several Funds
The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation says it “uplifts and directly funds small organizations” that provide protection, support, and resources for vulnerable communities. People reported that Grande launched the foundation with four main funds: Protect & Defend, Heal & Dream, Seen & Celebrated, and Emergency Support.
The Protect & Defend Fund supports groups working on LGBTQ+ rights, civil rights, and reproductive justice. People listed Defending Our Neighbors Fund, Elevated Access, G.L.I.T.S, Lambda Legal, Transgender Law Center, and Trans Youth Emergency Project among the grantees.
The Heal & Dream Fund focuses on mental health care and community support. Its listed grantees include Backline, Jack.org, the National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network, and Trans Lifeline.
One Fund Focuses on LGBTQ+ Stories and Visibility
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The Seen & Celebrated Fund is built around LGBTQ+ voices and stories. The foundation lists Gender Liberation Movement, Glisten Rainbow Library, SAGE USA, TransLash Media, and Transanta among the groups supported through that fund.
The official site also lists a Safe & Loved Fund for animal welfare, with Best Friends Animal Society, Farm Sanctuary, and Orange Twins Rescue named as grantees. The foundation says that fund helps animals receive compassion, safety, and care.
Emergency Support Covers Crisis Relief
The Emergency Support Fund is designed for urgent moments, with aid going to communities that need fast resources during crises. The foundation lists Humanity Crew, New York Cares, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Save the Children UK, This Is About Humanity, and Troop 6000 among recent grantees.
Some of those grants are tied to very specific work. The foundation says its support for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital will help build a medical-grade movie theater designed for patients using beds, wheelchairs, and medical equipment. It also says its support for Save the Children UK will go toward emergency and long-term work in Gaza, including health care, nutrition, medical support, and child protection.
The Launch Came After Grande Objected to a White House TikTok
@bbcnews One of Ariana’s songs was used by the White House in a video showing border agents placing people in handcuffs. #ArianaGrande #WhiteHouse #PresidentTrump #US #BBCNews ♬ original sound – BBC News
The foundation announcement came one day after Grande criticized the White House for using her song “Bye” in a TikTok video showing ICE agents arresting people. Entertainment Weekly reported that Grande’s team said the use was unauthorized and that the song was muted after she objected.
Grande commented on the White House video, “Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. f— ice,” according to EW. People reported that one of the foundation’s grantees, Defending Our Neighbors Fund, provides support for immigrant families facing detention and deportation.
Brighter Days Ahead Started as Part of Her Eternal Sunshine Era
Them reported that the foundation’s name appears to reference Brighter Days Ahead, the sci-fi short film Grande co-directed with Christian Breslauer as a companion piece to Eternal Sunshine.
The foundation now uses that title for direct funding rather than album promotion. Grande said the project will help her “expand that reach” and amplify organizations already doing what she described as life-saving work.
Grande Has Funded Similar Causes Before
Them reported that Grande matched $1.5 million in donations in 2022 for a fundraiser supporting trans youth organizations, helping raise more than $3 million in total. The new foundation gives her a permanent structure for giving money to advocacy groups, mental health organizations, crisis-response projects, and community programs.
The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation accepts donations through its official website. The site also says 100% of Grande’s artist proceeds from a branded black hoodie will benefit the foundation, and it identifies the organization as a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.