In a Perfect World
Inspire, Empower, Impact
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
At In a Perfect World (IAPW) we envision a world where all people realize they have the power to make meaningful change. We inspire and empower the next generation with the opportunity, tools and voice to make an impact on the world around them. Our programs lead the next generation to become change-makers in their community by providing access to education and cultivating creativity, social consciousness and leadership. More than a charity, we’re a movement!
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
IAPW Ambassadors
Our signature Youth Ambassadors program provides teens with social emotional and leadership skills, empowering them to find purpose and develop the life-readiness and critical thinking needed to make an impact on the world. By building compassionate relationships with themselves, their communities and the wider world, Youth Ambassadors become future-ready, empathetic leaders compelled to take action on the issues they care about most.
Youth Ambassadors (YAMs) impact a broad range of cause areas that include mental health & well-being, climate change, poverty, hunger, homelessness, gender & racial equality, social justice, and access to education.
YAMs also take their service beyond borders, by traveling internationally to construct schools for rural, indigenous communities in Central America through our REACH program. An immersive and life-changing experience, this capstone project deepens their cultural competency and understanding of global education issues.
REACH
REACH - RURAL EDUCATION & COMMUNITY HARMONY
Education empowers children to reach their fullest potential and secure a brighter future. Many children in rural communities of developing countries either cannot afford to attend school or attend rundown schools that are crowded and dark. IAPW is helping break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by constructing and renovating schools in the world’s most economically poor countries. Through our coalition of partners, IAPW has built 34 schools in 8 different countries, serving 7000 students.
Dreamcatchers
Through the power of art and storytelling, we teach young kids about social issues from hunger and poverty to clean water and climate change, cultivating their natural empathy for other children (and for the planet!) and empowering them to make a difference.
Based in social emotional learning, our Dreamcatchers program teaches kids how to manage their emotions, set goals, show empathy for others, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
We use art and stories to broaden children’s awareness of the world around them and appreciate the perspectives of others. We turn their natural empathy into action, helping them to build a plan to make a difference in the world.
Love 4 One Another Project
Through Love 4 One AnotherⓇ, we harness the power of music, art, and technology to empower students in high-need classrooms. By providing musical instruments, music therapy interventions, and multimedia tools, we promote well-being and give kids the chance to strengthen their academics and have their voices heard.
Love 4 One Another® was established by In a Perfect World to honor and build upon the philanthropic work between In a Perfect World founder, Manuela Testolini, and Prince Rogers Nelson.*
After Prince’s tragic passing, L4OA also became a vehicle through which Prince’s supporters could see the collective impact of their contributions to IAPW projects honoring Prince.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Board Source 2018
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students with access to education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, People of African descent, People of Latin American descent
Related Program
REACH
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of schools built worldwide.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups, Ethnic and racial groups, Social and economic status
Related Program
REACH
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of girls enrolled in IAPW schools
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
REACH
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In the developing world, girls are often excluded from attending school. Communities where In a Perfect World funds school must agree to send boys and girls to school in equal numbers.
Number of students participating in IAPW Youth Empowerment Programs
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, Students
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
In our perfect world, young people are inspired to use their voice and equipped to make
meaningful change. IAPW supports educators & children in underserved classrooms, provides
mentorship & artistic expression to at-risk youth, builds schools in some of the poorest
countries in the world, and prepares young people to take action and make a difference.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
IAPW is a convener. We collaborate with existing, effective organizations whose missions align
with ours, to amplify our impact, expand our reach, and stretch the donor dollar even further.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
We have a skilled team through which we are able to accomplish our goals. We also cover 100% of our administrative costs so that 100% of public donations go directly to our programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We empower Youth Ambassadors to be the change through youth-led, youth-driven service, impacting thousands of people in need.
We have funded over 30 schools in 8 different countries, bringing thousands of students into the classroom.
We have supported over 500 high-poverty classrooms between Los Angeles, Minneapolis & Washington, D.C.
We have positively impacted more than 48,000 children worldwide
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
In a Perfect World
Board of directorsas of 01/18/2024
Norman Bailey
no affiliation
Norman Bailey
no affiliation
Christine Onesky
no affiliation
Manuela Testolini
CEO - Gamillah, Inc.
Andy Taylor
VP - Sotheby's Canada
Linda Livingston
no affiliation
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/04/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.