THE REAL PHILANTHROPIC MENTAL HEALTH FUND
Investing in new solutions.
Changing lives at scale.
Mental health touches us all. Many of us have been there ourselves, and we know that we are not alone in that.
What we've also seen is how often the solutions that exist often don't reach the people who need them. Not because they aren't good enough, but because funding stands in the way.
The REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund exists to help change that, by supporting the innovations and infrastructure that can make mental healthcare more effective and more accessible at scale.
Our mission is to reach 10 million men and beyond. The Fund is one way we get there, but we need your help.
Together, we'll ensure those solutions reach more people, faster. Join us in building the future of mental health, because we can't do it alone.
$1 trillion
in annual productivity losses
8 DAYS
average missed per employee
79%
of suicides are males, over 36,000 annually in the US
9%
of people with depression receive adequate treatment
Over a billion people are living with a mental health condition, and services require urgent scale-up.
World Health Organization, 2025
The cost of Inaction
Widespread. Undertreated.
Under-resourced.
Three ways the Fund drives impact.
01
CLOSE THE
ACCESS GAP
By investing in solutions that remove barriers to mental healthcare, we can expand access for millions of people who need support.
02
DEPLOY INTO SCALABLE SOLUTIONS
By deploying capital into scalable mental health innovation, we can accelerate solutions that improve care, expand access and create lasting impact.
03
SUSTAIN
THE MODEL
By recyling any investment returns back into the fund, every dollar has the potential to fuel future innovation, creating a sustainable cycle of long-term growth and impact.
Mental health innovations are emerging every day, but too many never reach the people who need them because they lack the resources to grow. THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund was created to bridge that gap by providing catalytic capital to organizations and solutions with the potential to improve mental healthcare at scale. By investing in innovation and infrastructure, the Fund helps accelerate meaningful change so that more people can access effective mental health support.
Unlike traditional philanthropy or venture capital, THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund is designed to bridge the gap between innovation and impact.
The Fund invests in promising mental health solutions that seek to generate both measurable social impact and market-rate financial returns. By supporting organizations with the potential to scale, the Fund helps accelerate innovations that can improve access to care and create lasting change for millions of people.
THE REAL’s mission is to mobilize $10 billion into mental health by 2030 through conversation, community, and capital.
The REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund is one of the primary ways we’re bringing that mission to life, with the goal of directing $100 million of philanthropic capital into the mental health ecosystem.
The REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund exists to change that. To flip the switch on a system that has been too slow for too long, and back those building the next generation of mental healthcare for the millions who need it.
The Fund is supported through three primary sources:
-
Grassroots donations from THE REAL’s community of Ambassadors and Allies
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Charitable donations to THE REAL Mental Health Foundation, including donor-advised funds and strategic philanthropic commitments
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A portion of the revenue generated by THE REAL Mental Health Company, LLC
The majority of charitable contributions made to THE REAL are directed into the Fund. The Fund is evergreen, meaning any investment returns are recycled and reinvested into future opportunities, creating a lasting source of philanthropic capital for mental health.
-
Mental health solutions need different types of capital.
Some solutions are best supported by charitable grants. Others require investment capital to grow, scale, and reach more people.
We believe philanthropic investment capital plays a unique role by expanding the capital available to the people and organizations developing promising mental health solutions while complementing traditional philanthropy and private investment. Any investment returns generated by the Fund help support this long-term approach.
Mental healthcare must become more accessible, more effective, and more readily available to millions of people who are underserved today. We look for opportunities with the potential to improve outcomes, expand access, strengthen the infrastructure of mental healthcare, and improve how care is delivered.
The Fund primarily invests alongside specialized mental health fund managers and, in select cases, directly into companies advancing these solutions.
Examples include AI-enabled healthcare, digital therapeutics, neuroscience, psychedelics, healthcare infrastructure, and other emerging approaches with the potential to transform mental healthcare.
There are many ways to become part of the movement.
You can join THE REAL’s community of Ambassadors and Allies, make a charitable donation to THE REAL Mental Health Foundation, recommend a grant through your donor-advised fund, explore a larger philanthropic commitment, or introduce us to people and organizations who share our mission.
Every contribution helps move more investment into mental health.
To learn more, we’d love to start a conversation.
Learn more about the Fund
Amy J Bennett
Advisor
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund
Amy Bennett brings more than 20 years of experience spanning global financial services, impact investing, and international development. She has held senior leadership positions with BlackRock's iShares, Guggenheim Investments, Altegris, and ImpactAssets, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. An active angel investor with experience in investment due diligence, governance, and strategic partnerships, Amy leads the Fund's strategy, development, and growth.
About the team
Shawn Lesser
Founder
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Foundation
Shawn brings more than 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, finance, and capital formation. Through his work in impact investing, he has represented more than 200 impact and sustainable private capital funds, built one of the industry's largest impact investor communities, and convened more than 5,000 investors through over 60 investor events. These relationships and experience shape the Fund's vision and connect its mission with investors, fund managers, and strategic partners committed to advancing mental health.
About the team
Amy J Bennett
Advisor
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund
Amy Bennett brings more than 20 years of experience spanning global financial services, impact investing, and international development. She has held senior leadership positions with BlackRock's iShares, Guggenheim Investments, Altegris, and ImpactAssets, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. An active angel investor with experience in investment due diligence, governance, and strategic partnerships, Amy leads the Fund's strategy, development, and growth.
Shawn Lesser
Founder
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Foundation
Shawn brings more than 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, finance, and capital formation. Through his work in impact investing, he has collaborated with more than 200 impact and sustainable private capital funds, built one of the industry's largest impact investor communities, and convened more than 5,000 investors through over 60 investor events. These relationships and experience shape the Fund's vision and connect its mission with investors, fund managers, and strategic partners committed to advancing mental health.
About the team
Amy J Bennett
Advisor
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund
Amy Bennett brings more than 20 years of experience spanning global financial services, impact investing, and international development. She has held senior leadership positions with BlackRock's iShares, Guggenheim Investments, Altegris, and ImpactAssets, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. An active angel investor with experience in investment due diligence, governance, and strategic partnerships, Amy leads the Fund's strategy, development, and growth.
Amy J Bennett
Advisor
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund
Amy Bennett brings more than 20 years of experience spanning global financial services, impact investing, and international development. She has held senior leadership positions with BlackRock's iShares, Guggenheim Investments, Altegris, and ImpactAssets, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer. An active angel investor with experience in investment due diligence, governance, and strategic partnerships, Amy leads the Fund's strategy, development, and growth.
Shawn Lesser
Founder
THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Foundation
Shawn brings more than 30 years of experience in entrepreneurship, finance, and capital formation. Through his work in impact investing, he has collaborated with more than 200 impact and sustainable private capital funds, built one of the industry's largest impact investor communities, and convened more than 5,000 investors through over 60 investor events. These relationships and experience shape the Fund's vision and connect its mission with investors, fund managers, and strategic partners committed to advancing mental health.
Help shape the Fund.
Launching October 22, 2026.
We welcome your questions, ideas, and feedback as we prepare for launch
Prefer to email us directly?
Shawn Lesser
Founder, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
shawn@thereal.care
Amy Bennett
Advisor, THE REAL Philanthropic Mental Health Fund
amy@thereal.care