If a charity demonstrates that its core program has changed lives in the past, is likely to change lives in the future, and gets great “bang for your buck,” is this enough reason to donate to it? We say no. The missing piece: Will more funding lead to more of the good program(s)? We generally…
The GiveWell Blog
All posts by Holden
Charity isn’t about helping?
One person who’s more critical of charity than we are or than David Hunter is is the economist Robin Hanson. He has stated that “charity isn’t about helping” and spelled out this view somewhat in a post about the founder of Rite Aid: when folks like Alex spend their later years trying to “do good”…
Comment on Barron’s “25 Best Givers” list
In concept, I like the idea of showering praise on people based on their philanthropic impact, not merely dollars given (or dollars made). But I am skeptical as to whether Barron’s did the research necessary to base its piece on facts as opposed to guesses. Taking a look at this list, what jumps out at…
Estimating the cost-effectiveness of microfinance charity
Note: I’ve responded to the most recent batch of comments. A lot of work has been put into estimating the “bang for your buck” in health initiatives. In the area of microfinance, though, things appear very murky. Microfinance advocates say things like “As our clients repay the loans, the money is loaned again and again…
Global Giving’s spot check and why it should worry you
Aid Watch: “Local people may be the experts, but for outsiders deciding where their donations can do the most good, getting access to local knowledge and acting on it appropriately requires real-time feedback loops that most aid projects lack. Over a little more than a year, GlobalGiving combined staff visits, formal evaluation, third-party observer reports…
What we know about Robin Hood (almost nothing)
One of the charities we’re often asked about is the Robin Hood foundation. Partly because we used to work at a hedge fund and Robin Hood is big in the hedge fund world; partly because we emphasize analytical, impact-focused giving and Robin Hood has a reputation for analytical, impact-focused giving. Robin Hood works mostly in…