Comments on: Foundations and individuals http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/ Exploring how to get real change for your dollar. Thu, 17 May 2012 06:38:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Jason R http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-26599 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:26:32 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-26599 You know, we're doing this in DC. The top foundations created a publication called Catalogue for Philanthropy that vets promising small non-profits that are doing good work. That way individuals benefit from the research and can learn about groups they might not be aware of, where their dollar goes a lot further than a contribution to, say, the United Way. You know, we’re doing this in DC. The top foundations created a publication called Catalogue for Philanthropy that vets promising small non-profits that are doing good work. That way individuals benefit from the research and can learn about groups they might not be aware of, where their dollar goes a lot further than a contribution to, say, the United Way.

]]> by: Holden http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-25365 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:29:28 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-25365 mbellotti: I agree with your point of view on your friend (assuming you've described the situation accurately). We don't believe it's possible to make giving decisions based "purely" on cold hard facts, but we do believe in putting significant effort into considering whatever relevant facts are available, and filling in the gaps based on our best and most informed guess rather than on "arbitrary whims." We don't know which foundations agree with this approach and which do not; we've found most foundations reluctant to discuss their grantmaking procedures at that level of detail. mbellotti: I agree with your point of view on your friend (assuming you’ve described the situation accurately).

We don’t believe it’s possible to make giving decisions based “purely” on cold hard facts, but we do believe in putting significant effort into considering whatever relevant facts are available, and filling in the gaps based on our best and most informed guess rather than on “arbitrary whims.”

We don’t know which foundations agree with this approach and which do not; we’ve found most foundations reluctant to discuss their grantmaking procedures at that level of detail.

]]> by: mbellotti http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-25243 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:45:09 +0000 http://blog.givewell.org/2008/06/09/foundations-and-individuals/#comment-25243 Hey Elie, you know I've been following your and Holden's work for a while now and this post just triggered a thought I want to share: How do you know that foundations are evaluating and making grant decisions based on how well their programs are working? Perhaps the resistance to sharing their information you found in the beginning of your work was because many grant decisions are based on arbitrary whims instead of facts or data? Example: I have a friend who runs a very successful NGO in Africa. When she got started she was turned down for lots of grants despite the fact that the program was tripling the standard of living of the people in it. One foundation even told her 'this is such a great idea, we would totally fund it if you were black' On the surface it's always better to have a program headed and guided by a local over a foreigner ... but to the point where you turn down a good program? With hundreds of proposals coming in for grants, the deciding factors are rarely cold hard data or expert opinion. Hey Elie, you know I’ve been following your and Holden’s work for a while now and this post just triggered a thought I want to share:

How do you know that foundations are evaluating and making grant decisions based on how well their programs are working? Perhaps the resistance to sharing their information you found in the beginning of your work was because many grant decisions are based on arbitrary whims instead of facts or data?

Example: I have a friend who runs a very successful NGO in Africa. When she got started she was turned down for lots of grants despite the fact that the program was tripling the standard of living of the people in it. One foundation even told her ‘this is such a great idea, we would totally fund it if you were black’

On the surface it’s always better to have a program headed and guided by a local over a foreigner … but to the point where you turn down a good program? With hundreds of proposals coming in for grants, the deciding factors are rarely cold hard data or expert opinion.

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