Mental Health
Depression alone impacts over 280 million people, and every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide.
The cause
Despite the scale of the need, mental health remains drastically underfunded. Vetted charities in this fund are working with local communities to deliver effective, evidence-based treatments at scale, bringing hope and care to people who would otherwise go without.
Our Mental Health Fund supports high-impact organisations providing life-changing support for people currently underserved by conventional healthcare systems.
Mental Health Fundraising Resources
Examples are illustrative, not exhaustive. High Impact Athletes retains discretion to allocate funds within each cause-area portfolio, guided by impact, independent advisors and current evidence.
Impact metrics are based on cost-effectiveness data from external researchers.
Please note that HIA does not evaluate individual charities. Our causes and portfolios are based on the research of third-party, impact-focused evaluators and advisors our team has found to be particularly well-suited to help donors do the most good per dollar, according to their recent investigations.
Hear from the experts:
1 / 3Why the Mental Health FundMichael Plant, Happier Lives Institute
2 / 3What your support powersDr Mark Williamson, Action for Happiness
3 / 3Why HYROX and mental health belong togetherDr Mark Williamson, Action for Happiness
Your support provides:
$1,000 raised for the fund improves approximately 45 lives through high-impact mental health programmes when split across the fund's charities. This fund supports a dynamic range of interventions, including but not limited to the following:
- Providing free group therapy for people experiencing depression through StrongMinds' support-based model — estimated by Happier Lives Institute
- Training and supporting lay health workers through Friendship Bench to deliver talk therapy in local communities — estimated by Happier Lives Institute
- Teach people the skills to build happier, more fulfilling lives, through Action for Happiness' 800,000-strong global community — estimated by HLI & Founders Pledge
Not all charities are created equal
Most giving, however well-intentioned, delivers a fraction of the impact it could. We back only the most effective organisations on earth, vetted by the world's most stringent evaluators.
- 01Pick a causeOr let our Maximum Good Portfolio decide for you.
- 02Choose how you giveDonate, fundraise, run an athlete campaign, or take the % pledge.
- 03We route your giftCharities vetted by the world's leading researchers.
- 04Every dollar is tracked.See what your giving did, and who it helped.
$1,000 to Mental Health
45 lives improved
1 dot = 1 life improved
Best guess estimates from HIA's impact data. Last reviewed October 2026.