Hi there,

Welcome to the second email in our intro series! Today, we’ll dive a bit deeper into the principle of cost-effectiveness, which we briefly introduced last time.

But first, it’s worth noting a disconnect in how we approach buying products for ourselves vs buying for others. To illustrate what I mean, consider this:

Have you ever found yourself in the aisle of the grocery store, trying to find the best products you can for the cheapest price?

Or scouring product reviews on sites like Wirecutter or CNET to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money?

In our day-to-day lives, we care about making our dollars work for us as effectively as possible. But when it comes to charitable giving, sometimes we lose that focus on effectiveness.

In fact, one study of donor behaviour found that only one-third of donors do research before donating and only 3% choose charities based on their relative performance! (Hope Consulting, 2010)

And yet, research suggests that you can often at least 100x your impact by giving to particularly impactful charities. That’s like turning $100….into $10,000! 

At Giving What We Can, we believe that it’s both altruistic and just plain sensible to spend for others as carefully as you would for yourself. Watch our video on cost-effectiveness to see more about why and how.

We think you’ll find that searching for the best ways to give to charity is a fascinating and rewarding experience. And since you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you have the drive and initiative to do it.

We’re here to support you with resources, research, and community.

 P.S. You can give us feedback on these emails here.

Where can I find a list of the best charities?

Our research team recommends the best opportunities for donors looking to maximise the impact of their next dollar.