Colossal Opens Voting for Next Rising Star Contest
The charitable competition allows children to compete for a $20,000 prize while raising funds for the Why Not You Foundation.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Colossal has opened public voting for its Next Rising Star competition, which awards a $20,000 grand prize and media features to child performers. The event serves as a charitable fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting the Why Not You Foundation through grantmaker DTCare.
Why it matters
The competition integrates charitable fundraising into a performance-based marketing model, relying on public engagement to drive donations. Operators in the marketing and philanthropic sectors use these mechanisms to leverage social capital and achieve scale in non-profit funding.
Colossal has raised over $256 million for DTCare and AIT since 2022, while the grand prize for the current competition stands at $20,000. These figures support a broader trend of large-scale fundraising efforts, compared to the $10 million invested by the Why Not You Foundation in 2025.
The players
Colossal
A fundraising organization that facilitates large-scale digital competitions to generate capital for charitable grantmakers.
Why Not You Foundation
A non-profit organization founded by Russell Wilson in 2014 that focuses on health, education, and social issues.
DTCare
A grantmaking non-profit entity that manages charitable distributions collected through organizational partnerships.
The details
The competition utilizes a public-voting model where supporters cast one vote every 24 hours to determine the advancement of child performers aged 5 to 17. Parents and guardians act as the primary operational interface, managing entries and utilizing digital tools to share competitor profiles to maximize exposure. Funds collected are channeled through DTCare, a grantmaking entity that directs proceeds to the Why Not You Foundation.
Timeline
October 30, 2026: Colossal opened public voting for the Next Rising Star competition.
November 4, 2026: Registration closes for eligible child participants.
Market Landscape
This competition follows the standard operational pattern for charitable grantmaking under IRS 501(c)(3) frameworks. It leverages the structure of using an intermediary grantmaker to distribute donor-funded capital to registered non-profit beneficiaries.
Operators considering similar engagement models should evaluate the administrative cost of managing user-generated entries against the fundraising yield. Ensuring clear disclosure of how entry fees or votes translate into specific grant contributions is essential for maintaining transparent beneficiary relationships.
The takeaway
Large-scale charity competitions demonstrate how digital marketing and public voting can be leveraged to sustain recurring donor interest. Businesses managing such platforms should track the ratio of participant acquisition costs to long-term charitable outcomes.
What happens next
Registration for child participants ages 5 to 17 closes on November 4, 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on how organizations manage capital campaigns, see the Philanthropy section.
More information
To review eligibility requirements or view submission guidelines, visit the Next Rising Star competition website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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