GiveWell, founded in 2007 by former hedge fund analysts, began with a question that seemed obvious once articulated: which charities do the most good per dollar? The answer, it turned out, was not intuitively obvious and was not reflected in charity ratings that focused primarily on administrative efficiency rather than impact. The effective altruism movement that emerged from this inquiry applies consequentialist ethics and rigorous empirical standards to philanthropic decision making, seeking to direct charitable resources toward interventions with the strongest evidence of impact per dollar spent.
What the research shows about high impact giving
GiveWell's top charities , which include malaria prevention (insecticide treated bed nets), direct cash transfers to extremely poor households, and vitamin A supplementation programs , are selected based on evidence quality, cost effectiveness analysis, and room for additional funding. Direct cash transfer programs, which distribute cash to extremely poor households with minimal conditions, have been particularly notable: randomized evaluations show recipients use the money productively, with positive effects on food security, asset accumulation, and economic activity that persist over time. The implication for donors is uncomfortable but important: geography and familiarity do not correlate well with impact, and giving where the evidence is strong often means giving far from home.
