Rihanna has never shied away from challenging norms.
The artist, who has won nine Grammys, has transformed her extensive collection of hit songs, such as "Umbrella" and "Work," into a vast business empire valued at approximately $1.4 billion. This places her among the top positions on last year’s Forbes ranking of America’s wealthiest self-made women. Born in Barbados, she astonished audiences across the globe when she announced her pregnancy during her solo performance at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show. Additionally, her innovative Fenty Beauty line disrupted the cosmetic market with its broad range of inclusive shade options.
However, it isn't the mega-star turned mogul's highly anticipated sequel to the "Anti" album from 2016 that is making headlines this year; instead, it's her charitable work that is grabbing attention.
Inspired by Rihanna’s grandparents and backed partly via her enterprises, the Clara Lionel Foundation has undergone an update aimed at channeling greater resources towards combating climate issues and fostering women-led businesses in less-supported areas such as East Africa, the Caribbean, and the southern United States. Following 13 years of operating with limited public attention, this charitable organization is now prepared to increase its profile.
"Ours is a leader—a female visionary hailing from a tiny island country with worldwide influence,” stated Executive Director Jessie Schutt-Aine. “She’s not just an entrepreneur; she’s also a mother and a creative mind. We aim for our organization to embody her dynamic essence and vigor. Bold and aspirational, she consistently introduces novel ideas. Her approach is refreshingly unconventional, making her truly transformative.”
Specialists indicate that it’s uncommon to witness such purposefulness amongst renowned philanthropists. The Clara Lionel Foundation has likewise received acclaim for adopting “trust-based” granting, allowing beneficiaries to receive funds without specific restrictions.
Nick Tilsen, who founded NDN Collective, stated that CLF enables his Indigenous-focused organization to "operate on our own terms" for empowerment initiatives, and he believes other funding entities should follow this approach.
"Their role isn’t one of constant oversight; they keep their involvement minimal,” Tilsen stated. “Instead, they offer support, recognize our efforts, and grant us the freedom to carry out necessary tasks.”
The personal origins of Clara Lionel Foundation
After her grandmother passed away due to cancer-related issues in 2012, Rihanna initiated the foundation with a donation of $516,000. In the same year, she set up an oncology facility at Barbados’ principal medical institution to enhance cancer detection and care services. For most of the past ten years, this emerging organization has centered its efforts primarily on health services and specifically targeted improvements within Barbados.
By 2019, however, CLF started focusing on emergency preparedness. In 2020, grant-making increased significantly to over $33 million, primarily for essential pandemic aid and support of racial justice initiatives. Tax documents indicate that after the downturn following the pandemic, they experienced an internal shift during this period.
An updated team and sharpened focus align with its expanded goals. The addition of a new director for women’s entrepreneurship, located in South Carolina, aims to strengthen those initiatives. Co-founder of the Black Feminist Fund, Amina Doherty, currently leads the organization’s programs and evaluates their impact. Completing the framework of these five new areas are climate solutions, arts and culture, healthcare accessibility and equality, along with support for future generations.
Ashley Lashley, a 25-year-old who runs a foundation that has collaborated with CLF to tackle environmental issues in her home of Barbados, praised the emphasis on young people. She noted that although many leaders frequently assert that 'young individuals represent the future,' such declarations seldom result in genuine backing.
Lashley stated that Rihanna’s foundation exemplifies how influential women can support initiatives happening within local communities.
Rihanna stated to The Associated Press that she wishes CLF will keep being a driving force behind "global inclusivity in philanthropy."
In a statement, she pondered upon the organization's evolution over 13 years: "Now we operate globally, yet the idea of cherishing our local community and heritage remains deeply embedded within the core identity of this foundation."
Identifying collaborators — large and small
The most recent instance of this progression is a collaboration with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. According to a statement from Mellon, Barbados’ “crucial history” as “a vital part of the larger narrative of the African diaspora” is at risk due to climate change impacts.
In unison, the two foundations declared their intention to support "artist-driven projects" aimed at safeguarding that culture while also fostering new stories and global prospects.
Schutt-Aine sees the collaboration with Mellon — the foremost charitable backer of the arts in the United States — as a significant achievement for CLF. According to Justin Garrett Moore, who leads Mellon’s Humanities in Place initiative, the organization was suggested by associates when his team sought recommendations for potential collaborators.
Moore stated, "We believe the Clara Lionel Foundation possesses an extraordinary platform through its founder, which can enhance the clarity and prominence of support for the organizations set to benefit from their initiatives. Additionally, this could aid in amplifying the impact of art within our society as a whole."
One of the recipients includes a developmental performing arts initiative that offers complimentary social services to students in Bridgetown, the capital city. According to Janelle Headley, who founded Operation Triple Threat, the Clara Lionel Foundation assisted the non-profit organization in acquiring a warehouse equipped with acoustic panels, audio gear, and a dance area.
The partnership started with a small grant aimed at funding scholarships. Now, Operation Triple Threat gets broader financial backing — an “innovative” move, according to Headley, since philanthropic contributions typically specify particular projects. This adaptability turned out to be particularly advantageous during the pandemic as shifting conditions led to unexpected demands such as providing tablets for online education.
Frankly, it’s rare for someone to make a significant unconditional contribution and state, ‘We believe in you and your vision,’" Headley remarked. "This demonstrates their progressive thinking.
An exclusive framework for stars' charitable giving
The approach is unique, according to Mary Beth Collins, the executive director of the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She finds that celebrities typically engage in philanthropy only when necessary.
But Collins said CLF appears to think long-term about its partners and deliberately in its bottom-up funding. The strategies align with her own recommendations to engage expert professionals, address root causes, select focus areas important to founders and lift up leaders living those issues.
"We want to see funds and resources from the more endowed people in the world going to those leaders on the ground that really know the place and the experience and the issues best," Collins said.
CLF employed that model towards the end of last year when it offered extra financial support to a clean energy non-profit organization affected by Hurricane Helene. Melanie Allen, who serves as the co-director of The Hive Fund for Climate and Gender Justice, mentioned that they unexpectedly got approximately $60,000 to swiftly allocate amongst pre-approved organizations in areas hit hard by the disaster.
The donation was made during a period when organizations similar to hers, focused on assisting women of color, have been facing growing hostility. This challenging climate has led certain donors to cut back on their contributions. Allen expressed her enthusiasm regarding CLF's "strong dedication to the Southern region moving ahead."
While others cut back on resources, CLF aims to attract additional philanthropic partners. They intend to host a summertime gathering for grant recipients to broaden their connections. As stated by CLF’s Doherty, the key message they want to convey is “We remain committed to supporting you.”
Doherty mentioned that some individuals might view the situation as grim, but he believes it presents an opportunity for something new.
Schutt-Aine gleaned the significance of staying connected with the communities they serve during her extensive 25-year career in global health.
As the former Chief of Equity, Gender, and Cultural Diversity at the Pan American Health Organization, Schutt-Aine has dedicated her career to combating some of the world's most lethal diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.
She stated that if you intend to work on malaria, you must have experienced living alongside mosquitoes.