What is GiveWell?

GiveWell is an independent, nonprofit charity evaluator. We perform in-depth research on charities to help people accomplish as much good as possible with their donations.

Unlike existing evaluators, which focus solely on financials, assessing administrative or fundraising costs, we focus on how well programs actually work – i.e., their effects on the people they serve.

How and why did GiveWell start?

GiveWell started as a group of donors, employed full-time in the hedge fund industry, discussing how to accomplish as much good as possible. We found ourselves fascinated by the research we were conducting, but also found that it isn’t a part-time job, and few public resources exist that can help with it. We raised $300,000 from our former coworkers and left our jobs to start GiveWell. More ...

What are you trying to accomplish?

Individual donors give over 100x as much every year as the Gates Foundation and over 6x as much as all foundations combined. (See chart)

We aim to direct as much funding as possible of this large pool to the best charities we can find, and create a global, public, open conversation about how best to help people.

How does GiveWell get information from charities?

We rely on our ability to offer funding to the best charities, through the donors that have committed to use our research. Interested charities complete an application process that gives us detailed information, which we then analyze and publish.

How does GiveWell pay its own salaries and operating costs?

We have a set of core donors who believe strongly in our mission and pay our operating costs.

How can I help?

We are always looking for people who are interested in donating, volunteering, and/or helping to spread the word. Click here to get involved.

How can I learn more?

See our:

• Frequently Asked Questions for more general information about GiveWell.
• Review of our first year for a summary of our accomplishments, shortcomings, and lessons learned from our first year, and plans for the future.
• Research summary for an overview of our research findings from our first year, with links to more detail.

Questions that aren't answered on the website? Contact us.