Superstar singer and actress Ariana Grande is directing proceeds from her Chicago performances towards community programmes supporting Latinx, LGBTQ+ and gender-expansive people through her Brighter Days Ahead Foundation.
The funding will support ALMA Chicago’s advocacy, leadership development and community services, connecting Grande’s international entertainment platform with an organisation that has served communities in Chicago for more than three decades.
ALMA Chicago announced in August 2026 that a portion of proceeds from Grande’s Chicago shows would support its work, with the final contribution to be confirmed following the performances.
The organisation works to strengthen Latinx LGBTQ+ communities through advocacy, leadership development and connections to affirming services and resources.
The partnership will support ALMA Chicago’s efforts to advance protections and equity, develop community leaders and help LGBTQ+ young people and families access culturally responsive services.
Grande established the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation to provide direct funding to organisations working with communities across a range of social causes.
Rather than establishing its own network of community programmes, the foundation supports organisations with existing experience, services and relationships with the people they serve.
Its work is organised through several funding areas supporting civil rights and community protection, mental health and wellbeing, representation, animal welfare and emergency humanitarian assistance.
Mental health is one area receiving support.
Through its Heal & Dream Fund, the foundation supports organisations including Backline, Jack.org, the National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network and Trans Lifeline.
Their work includes mental-health education, peer and crisis support and improving access to culturally responsive mental-health resources.
The foundation is also supporting projects designed to improve the experiences of children and families.
At Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in the United Kingdom, funding is supporting the development of a medical-grade cinema designed to accommodate children using hospital beds, wheelchairs and medical equipment.
The project will give young patients receiving treatment an accessible space where they can watch films and spend time away from the clinical environment.
Through its Emergency Support Fund, the foundation has also directed resources towards organisations responding to humanitarian and community needs.
These include Save the Children UK, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Humanity Crew, New York Cares, This Is About Humanity and Troop 6000.
Grande has also connected merchandise associated with her career to the foundation.
Her official store offers dedicated Brighter Days Ahead Foundation merchandise, with 100% of Grande’s artist net proceeds from the foundation hoodie going towards the initiative.
This provides another way for the commercial activity surrounding her music to generate resources for organisations delivering community programmes.
The Chicago partnership follows the same approach by connecting Grande’s performances with direct support for an established community organisation.
For ALMA Chicago, the partnership provides both financial support and exposure through Grande’s international platform, potentially introducing its work to audiences beyond the communities it currently serves.
Grande’s foundation continues to use different parts of her entertainment career — including performances, merchandise and public visibility — to support organisations already working directly with beneficiaries.
In Chicago, that approach will now help strengthen programmes providing advocacy, leadership opportunities and access to services for Latinx, LGBTQ+ and gender-expansive communities.
This is the news article. We then developed the separate six-minute explainer around it, which became the foundation for the new Social Impact Spotlight — The Impact Behind the Name series.
