BeyGOOD Foundation is putting dollars behind the next generation of leaders. The organization, which was founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, awarded a $50,000 grant to In a Perfect World, a nonprofit focused on youth education, creativity, social consciousness, and leadership. The grant arrives as community organizations continue working to expand educational and enrichment opportunities for young people.
Founded and led by Manuela Testolini, In a Perfect World works with young people through programs designed to develop leadership skills and encourage civic engagement. Its initiatives include Youth Ambassadors and REACH, which supports schools and educational resources. According to the
nonprofit, its work has supported 35 school projects across eight countries, more than 500 high-poverty classrooms and 20,000 hours of youth-led service. The organization says its programs have reached 50,000 lives globally.“On behalf of Mrs. Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Ms. Tina Knowles, we are just grateful for you to be in this ecosystem now because, again, we see the good work you’re doing, and we know that you will continue to do it without a doubt,” said Allana J. Barefield, BeyGOOD’s digital editorial content manager, in a video shared on Instagram.
For Testolini, the partnership represents an opportunity to take the organization’s youth programming to more communities.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is taking young leaders from the United States to Central America to build schools for indigenous communities there, to build with them,” Testolini said. She added, “They’re young leaders here, but how do they take what they’re doing across borders? How do they help other young people find their voice and have their place in the world?”
The $50,000 grant is expected to help In a Perfect World expand
its programming to more young people. “This very generous grant is going to allow us to expand programming to hundreds more kids who need our support,” Testolini said. “Between all of the cuts to education, cuts to after-school programming, creative programming, we are so needed right now, and this could not come at a better time.”The investment also underscores BeyGOOD’s focus on partnerships with organizations working directly in communities.
Since its launch in 2013, BeyGOOD has identified education, entrepreneurship, and community response as three core pillars of its mission. The foundation says its broader goal is to
advance economic equity and help people access opportunities to create and thrive. The foundation says its community-response efforts include supporting grassroots organizations and investing in long-term resilience alongside community leaders.RELATED CONTENT: Beyoncé Gifts $2 Million To The Studio Museum In Harlem For Her 45th Birthday