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Podcast Episode 6: Forecasting the Future of Global Health Funding

| by GiveWell Staff

In the face of potential major cuts to foreign aid, how can we anticipate the impact on global health and effectively direct resources to the areas of greatest need?

In this episode, GiveWell’s CEO and co-founder, Elie Hassenfeld, speaks with Principal Researcher Alex Cohen to discuss the forecasting work GiveWell has undertaken to better understand what the future of global health funding might look like. They explore the potential size of the funding gaps, which programs might be affected, and how GiveWell is preparing to respond in a new era for global health philanthropy.

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Podcast Episode 5: Exploring HIV/AIDS Funding Cuts and Emerging Needs

(updated on: ) | by GiveWell Staff

Historically, the US government has been a major funder of HIV/AIDS programs through PEPFAR and other initiatives, providing around $5 to $6 billion annually. With anticipated major reductions in US government foreign aid, including potential cuts of 20% to 50% to HIV/AIDS funding, GiveWell is assessing where new, cost-effective needs might emerge.

GiveWell aims to find programs where additional funding can have the greatest impact. While HIV/AIDS has not historically been a focus for GiveWell due to substantial US government support, the current funding cuts might lead to potential cost-effective opportunities within HIV/AIDS programming. In the latest episode in our podcast series, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld speaks with Program Officer Alice Redfern about our initial exploration into HIV/AIDS programming.

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Podcast Episode 4: Supporting Governments Navigating US Funding Cuts

(updated on: ) | by GiveWell Staff

Cuts to US government foreign assistance have created unprecedented challenges for global health programs. Countries that have relied on this funding must now navigate substantial gaps and make difficult decisions about program priorities.

In the fourth episode of GiveWell’s podcast series on these cuts, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld speaks with Program Officer Dan Brown about grants to create technical support units (TSUs) in six African countries. These TSUs will provide support to the ministries of health in Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia as they navigate funding transitions to maintain essential health services. The work is being led by the respective governments, and the support will be tailored to their individual priorities, as well as the work they have already done.

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Podcast Episode 3: Making Cost-Effective Grants Amid Uncertainty

(updated on: ) | by GiveWell Staff

The US government has historically spent approximately $12 billion to $15 billion annually in foreign assistance dedicated to global health. The funding cuts announced in the first few months of 2025 disrupted the global health landscape and created the possibility of enormous funding gaps that are still coming into focus. In response, GiveWell has approved around $18 million in grants to support urgent needs—but why has our research led us not to grant more funds yet?

In today’s episode, the third in our series examining the impact of these cuts, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld is joined by Director of Research Teryn Mattox to explore this question. Building on our previous conversations about program disruptions and emergency responses, they dive into the nuanced reality of the current funding landscape and GiveWell’s evidence-based approach to grantmaking during uncertainty.

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Podcast Episode 2: Addressing Urgent Needs in Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention

(updated on: ) | by GiveWell Staff

Recent cuts to US government foreign assistance have destabilized global health programs, impacting some of the most cost-effective interventions we’ve found. To address this situation, GiveWell is balancing a targeted, near-term response to urgent needs with a broad, long-term perspective of needs that may emerge. You can read about both on our recently launched webpage that shares some of the ways we’re responding and the grants we’re making.

Today, we’re releasing the second podcast episode in a series of conversations with our research team that shares timely snapshots of this rapidly evolving situation.

Our first episode shared a broad overview of the impacts of US government aid cuts and GiveWell’s initial response. This time, GiveWell Program Officer Natalie Crispin joins CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld to zoom in on a specific case, focusing on grants we’ve made to support urgent funding gaps for seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC).

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First Podcast Episode: GiveWell’s Response to USAID Funding Cuts

(updated on: ) | by GiveWell Staff

Recent US government funding cuts represent a significant shift in the global health funding landscape. The US has historically provided roughly 20% to 25% ($12 billion to $15 billion) of total global health assistance, and the administration has discussed potentially reducing that funding by 35% to 90% (though long-term effects remain uncertain and exact numbers remain difficult to ascertain). As a result, we’re seeing substantial disruption to global health programs.

Our research team has pivoted to address this situation, which is now a major focus. It is creating urgent, short-term gaps and impacting some of the most cost-effective interventions we’ve found for saving and improving lives—such as malaria nets, malaria chemoprevention, and community-based management of acute malnutrition.

We’ve created a webpage to provide an overview of how we’re responding, and we’ve started to record a series of conversations with our research team that shares timely snapshots of this rapidly evolving situation.

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