Director of Development Milan Ball recently spoke to the Associated Press about the strategic partnership between Mr. Beast’s philanthropic organization Beast Foundation and the Rockefeller Philanthropy to engage more young people in giving back. A shortened version of the article is below.
One of the most storied American philanthropies is teaming up with the internet’s biggest creator to instill young people with a concern for what they call the world’s “most vulnerable” populations.
Beast Philanthropy, the charitable organization started by MrBeast founder Jimmy Donaldson, and the Rockefeller Foundation announced a strategic partnership Monday. The idea is to pair Donaldson’s unique ability to capture youth attention spans with the foundation’s 112-year history of using its resources and technology to tackle global problems.
Speaking together ahead of a Nov. 21 video shoot at MrBeast’s Greenville, North Carolina, studio, the partners complimented the respective strengths they hope to exchange with each other.
“I’ve spent my entire life making YouTube videos. They’ve spent their entire lives helping people,” Donaldson told The Associated Press. “Obviously, they have a team who’s way more experienced than me in helping people, but being able to pull on their knowledge and wisdom is amazing.”
“I just want to download their brains into our team’s brains,” he added.
Dr. Rajiv Shah, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said the philanthropic sector has long failed to capture “the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of young people.” He said MrBeast can help them engage young people, inspire hope and communicate their work more accessibly.
The philanthropic sector often gets “stuck in their way of doing things,” according to Giving Compass Director of Development and Philanthropic Partnerships Milan Ball, who said Monday’s announcement represents a welcome change.
Ball, 28, found it especially powerful given Donaldson’s track record of raising millions in a single day. She suggested his videos don’t just reach children — an important audience for Rockefeller given Gen Z’s declining trust in institutions — but also their parents.
“We need more bridge building between generations, between the institutions that exist and then this new infrastructure that’s emerging,” she said.