OUR IMPACT
Born This Way Foundation’s mission is to empower and inspire young people to build a kinder, braver world that supports their mental health. Keep scrolling to learn more about the impact of our work.
Find past impact reports for 2023, 2022, and 2021.
Find past 990 documents here for 2022, 2021, and 2020.
Find past audited financial statements for 2023, 2022, and 2021.
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Snapshots of Kindness
2025
June
Mon, June 30th: Celebrating Pride Through Storytelling and Self-Expression with UGG Our senior associate, Mariah Karis, and Youth Advisory Board member, Shruti Venkat, led an in-person Channel Kindness Storytellers Club in collaboration with UGG to celebrate Pride Month through creativity, community, and self-expression, followed by a hands-on customization experience with the UGG team. (Photo Credit: Josh Hollin)
June
Tue, June 24th: New Research Brief Highlights the Power of Digital Support for LGBTQ+ Young People in Rural Communities Along with our partners at Hopelab, we released a research brief, “Exploring Pride and Support of LGBTQ+ Young People in Rural Communities”, which focuses on the realities faced by LGBTQ+ young people in rural areas. The report highlights both the challenges they experience, such as higher rates of depression and limited in-person support, and the strength they show through pride and online connection.
June
Wed, June 18th: Launch of Resource Guide Empowering Families to Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People We released a new resource guide, Support LGBTQ+ Young People: A Guide for Families to Listen, Learn, and Act, in partnership with Hopelab, Bard High School Early College, CenterLink, WeEmbody Lab, and The NEAR Center. This guide offers research insights, youth-informed tips, and practical tools to help families create affirming, supportive spaces for the LGBTQ+ young people in their lives.
June
Sat, June 14th: Channel Kindness Storytellers Club Inspires Reflection and Connection at Her Conference 2025 Our senior associate, Keemia Abbaszadeh, and talented storyteller and Youth Advisory Board alumna, Livia Caligor, led an inspiring in-person Channel Kindness Storytellers Club workshop at the 2025 Her Conference hosted by the media platform, Her Campus, in New York City, engaging over 500 attendees in reflective writing and building meaningful connections. (Photo Credit: @tateproductionsinc, 2025)
May
Fri, May 30th: Born This Way Foundation Spotlights LGBTQ+ Young People and Community for Youth Pride Our chief of staff, Josh Meredith, shared his story and spotlighted our work supporting LGBTQ+ youth through mental health resources, community-building, and our Kindness in Community Fund at Pride Rising, a vibrant World Pride 2025 event for LGBTQ+ young adults hosted by the DC Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, alongside partners including Human Rights Campaign, OutVote, and Gen Z for Change. (Photo Credit: @damonbowephoto, 2025)
May
Thur, May 29th: Channel Kindness Storytellers Club Co-Hosted by WE THE URBAN We co-hosted a special Channel Kindness Storytellers Club with WE THE URBAN founder, Willie Greene, to explore the power of writing, mental health, and self-affirmation. Through freewriting prompts and open discussion, participants reflected on identity, growth, and healing. The session highlighted how words can be a tool for resilience and reminded us that telling our stories is a form of care. (Photo Credit: @raulromo, 2022)
May
Thur, May 22nd: Shorty Awards Honors our Kindness in Community Fund Video Campaign We’re honored to have received the Audience Honoree Award at the 17th Annual Shorty Awards for our Kindness in Community Fund Video Series. As we expanded the Kindness in Community Fund globally, we spotlighted 65 youth-serving organizations through a powerful, digital-first storytelling campaign, building a global community rooted in kindness and care.
March
Tues, Mar 4th: Youth Advisory Board Announcement for Born This Way Foundation’s Anniversary: Welcomed the 2025–2026 Youth Advisory Board, a diverse cohort of global youth leaders shaping Born This Way Foundation’s programs, campaigns, and research. These Advisors ensure young people's ideas and lived experiences drive our mission toward a kinder, braver world.
March
Wed, Mar 12: Research Launch: Released new research, in partnership with Hopelab, titled “Without It, I Wouldn't Be Here Today” spotlighting how online spaces serve as vital sources of identity, peer support, and safety for LGBTQ+ young people. Findings highlight how partnerships between young people and trusted adults can build kinder and braver environments that enhance wellbeing outcomes and reduce depression among LGBTQ+ young people.
March
Tues, March 18: Research Launch Event Hosted a convening titled “Without it, I Wouldn’t Be Here Today,” Born This Way Foundation brought together LGBTQ+ youth, local leaders, educators, and community stakeholders at Bard High School and Early College in New York to spotlight new research on connection and safety in online spaces. The event turned research into action through storytelling and cross-sector conversation.
February
Fri, Feb 6th + Sat, Feb 7th: NAMI Activation for The Big Game: Joined with NAMI during The Big Game to uplift stories of resilience and kindness from young people and public figures alike. At the GENYOUth Super School Meals Closing Rally and live from Media Row, our youth reporters asked what keeps people hopeful through challenges. These moments spotlighted the strength of community and the power of young people to inspire.
2024
February
Curated youth-led town halls in collaboration with California Senator Laphonza Butler to discuss and present actionable insights on improving youth mental health in the state of California and beyond.
July
Announced the international expansion of the Kindness in Community Fund grant with support from our partners at Cotton On, giving $3,000,000 to 65 youth-centered organizations across 10 countries meeting the diverse mental health needs of young people globally.
October
Partnered with UTA Next Gen to bring our Channel Kindness Storytellers Club workshop and a kindness activation to ZCON, a youth-led conference bringing together Gen-Z changemakers and brands.
October
Reunited with Cotton On for the Kinder, Braver Together campaign to expand international awareness of the Be There Certificate. 100% of net proceeds from the line also supported Born This Way Foundation’s mental health initiatives and programming.
December
Cynthia Germanotta delivered the “Empowering Youth: Advancing Mental Health and Wellness” keynote at the Bloomberg American Health Summit for the Adolescent Mental Health pillar, centered on young people’s leadership in reaching mental health solutions.
2023
January
Announced our Youth Advisory Board, composed of 31 advisors across 6 continents between 15 to 24 years old who are dedicated to supporting youth mental health in their communities and advising Born This Way Foundation’s work, including campaigns, programs, and research.
March
Launched #BeKind365, an online platform with a variety of features that invite people to take intentional, daily kind action in services of themselves, their loved ones, their communities, and the planet.
May
Received the Shorty Award for Fitness, Health, and Wellness for the Be There Certificate in partnership with Jack.org.
June
Released the 2023 Kind Communities Survey in partnership with Benenson Strategy Group, following the initial 2017 survey exploring young people’s perspectives on mental health and the impact of kindness on their wellbeing.
October
Launched the Kinder, Braver Together campaign with Cotton On to expand the reach of our Be There Certificate program, invite international nominations for the Kindness in Community Fund, and create a range of limited-edition products - with 100% of net proceeds donated to Born This Way Foundation’s mental health initiatives.
December
Dispersed over $250,000 across 40+ local organizations in the United States working to directly support LGBTQ+ youth mental health resources.
2022
January
Released findings from the survey “Peer Counseling in College Mental Health” in partnership with The Mary Christie Institute.
May
Released findings from the survey “Kindness in the Workplace in partnership with Indeed.
July
Fully funded 232 classroom projects in 209 schools reaching students from majority low-income households through our partnership with DonorsChoose.
August
Expanded the Kindness in Community Fund, investing in nonprofit, youth mental health organizations across the country in conjunction with The Chromatica Ball Summer Stadium Tour.
2021
January
Launched billboards with #PleaseStayPledge messaging, sharing urgent suicide prevention tools.
May
Released 'Kindness Is Action' survey identifying how young people define kindness and its impact on mental wellness.
May
Fully funded 1,238 classroom projects focused on mental health in 793 schools through partnership with DonorsChoose.
May
Welcomed a new Advisory Board cohort of 29 young people from across the globe to inform the work of the Foundation and serve as ambassadors.
June
Further supported LGBTQIA+ youth by contributing to and amplifying organizations that serve them and creating live-event activations.
September
Launched fourth annual #BeKind21 campaign, recruiting over 400 partners, 6.8 million participants, and 143 million pledged acts of kindness.
November
Released 'Youth Mental Health in Las Vegas,' a survey noting changes in prioritization, access, and preference of resources among young people.
December
Updated ChannelKindness.org to include action steps and resources with stories, a 'For Educators' page, and an interactive map of kind acts and stories.
December
Teamed up with corporate partners to meet unmet needs of nonprofits across the country for second annual Channel Kindness Holiday campaign.
2020
February
Kicked off the Channel Kindness Awards to support youth-led projects.
April
Established the Kindness in Community Fund to support local nonprofits and Black-led organizations.
April
Created #TeaWithMrsG video series to provide online resources and encouragement during the pandemic.
May
Produced #BTWFTalks to promote mental health awareness across communities, generations, and sectors.
May
Launched #BeKindBeThere with Jack.org to support youth mental health education.
July
Initiated the #KindlyMask campaign to raise awareness on the importance of wearing a mask as an act of kindness.
September
Organized the third annual #BeKind21 campaign.
September
Published CHANNEL KINDNESS: Stories of Kindness and Community.
October
Developed the #PleaseStayPledge with Find Your Anchor to offer support and resources.
2019
January
Las Vegas Youth Mental Health survey results helped explore youth perception of mental health and access to key mental health services in Las Vegas.
January
Launched an in-venue presence at the Park MGM, coinciding with Lady Gaga’s residency, to invite concertgoers to engage with interactive kindness experiences.
March
Published “Youth Mental Health in America: Understanding Resource Availability and Preferences” survey.
March
teen Mental Health First Aid expanded to eight additional schools across the United States.
April
Presented at Milken Institute’s 2019 Global Conference focused on evidence-based approaches that help build mental and emotional resilience in youth.
May
Together with California’s Mental Health Services Oversight + Accountability Commission, we surveyed over 400 young people in California on mental health and access to resources.
May
Cynthia appointed World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health.
June
teen Mental Health First Aid expanded to 20 additional high schools around the country.
June
With The Starbucks Foundation, we launched our #BornThisWayFoundationxStarbucks campaign, raising over $200K to support mental health programs and LGBTQ+ youth wellness.
August
Funded more than 160 DonorsChoose.org classroom projects in response to the shootings in California, Ohio, and Texas.
August
For our second annual #BeKind21 campaign, we partnered with over 130 organizations and generated over 41M pledged acts of kindness and over 300M social media impressions.
September
teen Mental Health First Aid expanded to 35 additional high schools around the country.
October
Presented at the Nevada Suicide Prevention Conference and led a “Youth Voice on Mental Health” panel focused on suicide prevention.
2018
January
Released “Digital Communities: Youth Mental Health and Online Behavior” survey.
March
Through DonorsChoose.org, fully funded 673 mental and emotional wellness projects at 405 schools.
May
Generated over 1,000 sign-ups for the National Council for Behavioral Health’s Mental Health First Aid training through the #BeKindBeTheDifference campaign.
August
Kicked off our inaugural #BeKind21 campaign, generating over 8M pledged acts of kindness and over 17M social impressions.
September
Presented at United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
October
Together with United For Global Mental Health, launched the #Someone2Turn2 campaign to promote healthy conversations about mental wellness, reaching over 5M social media impressions.
November
Teamed up with Starbucks to support and amplify the work of local nonprofit organizations for World Kindness Day.
December
Launched the #MultiplyYourGood campaign by offering to match every kind act and generating over 150M social media impressions.
2017
January
Coinciding with Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl Half Time performance, launched the #KickOffForKindness campaign, inviting individuals to host kick-off parties focused on engaging in acts of kindness.
July
Released “Kind Communities: A Bridge To Youth Wellness” survey to better understand the perception of mental health among young people.
August
Launched the #KindFor30 campaign to encourage our community to perform an act of kindness each day.
August
December: Engaged with over 40k community members in 30 cities during Lady Gaga’s Joanne World Tour, including 8 youth-led service projects and over 150k people trained in Mental Health First Aid.
2016
January
Launched Hack Harassment to provide safer, more inclusive online experiences in partnership with Intel, Vox Media, and Re/code.
February
Announced #KindMonsters, launching a year-long campaign to promote kindness and acceptance with Mattel’s Monster High.
July
Announced the #CityofKindness movement, asking 300 mayors to join us in creating a kinder, braver world. Lady Gaga joined the Dalai Lama and the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation to discuss the power of kindness and compassion.
August
Launched a Research Advisory Board led by Dr. Sue Swearer of the University of Nebraska.
September
Launched Channel Kindness.
November
Hosted the #KindMonstersEDU event and worked with hundreds of Los Angeles middle school students and teachers.
December
Partnered with TODAY and NBC Universal’s to curate the #ShareKindness Experience at 30 Rockefeller Center - a curated journey of kind acts supporting the campaign’s goal of inspiring one million acts of kindness throughout that month.
2015
April
Partnered with Tony Bennett’s foundation, Exploring The Arts, to highlight the work of exceptional local youth-oriented nonprofits across the country.
August
Welcomed the 2nd Youth Advisory Board.
September
Hosted a conversation on ending campus assault alongside the release of Lady Gaga’s song ‘Til It Happens To You.
October
Hosted the Emotion Revolution Summit at Yale University, welcoming teens from across the country to discuss the importance of emotions, unveiling the results of an online survey of 22,000 high school students, and starting the #IAmNotJust campaign, which received 1 billion impressions.
2014
April
Partnered with Mental Health Creating Community Solutions on the #TextTalkAct campaign.
August
Invited 50 young people to the Born Brave Retreat to uplift youth voices, support youth activism, and inspire leadership skills.
August
Born Brave Study findings presented at #APA2014, the largest annual gathering of school psychologists to improve student success.
2013
February
Born Brave Research study launched, in partnership with University of Nebraska, Lincoln
June
Partnered with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's Empowerment Initiative to encourage “a national conversation to increase understanding and awareness about mental health.”
2012
February
Born This Way Foundation launches at Harvard University.
July
Inaugural Advisory Board announced, composed of 26 young people from across the country.