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- Ciara & Russell Wilson's Foundation Dances Its Way to a Nearly $2.6M Boost
Ciara & Russell Wilson's Foundation Dances Its Way to a Nearly $2.6M Boost
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Ciara & Russell Wilson's Foundation Dances Its Way to a Nearly $2.6M Boost
Featured Focus:
Athlete-Driven Impact, Funding & Legacy, Youth Development
Scope of Impact: Nationwide
Power couple Ciara (singer/dancer) and Russell Wilson (New York Giants) amplify their impact through strategic giving to their “Why Not You” Foundation. Here’s the breakdown:
The Windfall: Ciara announced nearly $2.6 million raised via Dance Icon, a nationwide dance competition she spearheaded in partnership with Colossal. This initiative channels funds directly into the foundation's mission.
The Beneficiary: The Why Not You Foundation, established by Wilson in 2014, is the designated recipient. Its core mission focuses on creating opportunities for youth, particularly from underserved communities.
The Platform: The announcement leveraged Ciara's social media reach. The competition winner, Lexington Suttle, also gained visibility, winning $20,000 and a spot in Ciara's next music video.
We love the peer-to-peer aspect of this initiative. Instead of writing a check to the “Why Not You” Foundation, Ciara included her community — and her husband’s — to have a much bigger impact than the dollar amount would suggest.
Partnering with Colossal, a professional fundraising platform, to host the “Dance Icon” competition demonstrates strategic savvy to enable national scale. It’s a powerful fusion of personal passion, strategic partnership, and dedicated philanthropy.
This move showcases how celebrity influence, when authentically applied and smartly executed, can drive substantial resources toward meaningful impact.
YOUR NEXT PLAY:
The Colossal partnership got us thinking! This is a fun way to engage a community for philanthropic purposes, and to create multiple layers of impact. Dance lends itself to this format, but so do other sports. How can you incorporate a similar idea into a future initiative?
Dance Icon's website showcases the finalists, winner, and highlights from the $2.5M fundraiser. | Official website for the nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to fighting poverty through education. | A bio on the singer, songwriter, and dancer from the V Foundation — Victory over Cancer — where Ciara serves as a Board Member. |
In 2020, the couple helped revive a charter school in Seattle, which focuses on academics, personalized student plans and mentorships for underserved students. | The company behind the dance competition, which helps nonprofits create engaging events and challenges to raise funds. | In 2023, the Foundation donated $1 million to numerous city-based organizations focused on health equity, education, food security, social justice, and support for children and youth. |
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