Charitable decisions are hard to make. Shouldn't people practice making them?
Our goal is to teach people to be better donors by giving them an opportunity to practice. How? By allowing volunteers to choose where to give a donation that we provide. This fall, students at colleges across the US and Europe will be encouraging their friends to learn how to transform good intentions into good outcomes.
What might this look like? Here are some examples:
Our goal is to teach people to be better donors by giving them an opportunity to practice. How? By allowing volunteers to choose where to give a donation that we provide. This fall, students at colleges across the US and Europe will be encouraging their friends to learn how to transform good intentions into good outcomes.
What might this look like? Here are some examples:
- A group of Education majors vote on whether a $250 donation goes to their school's endowment or to Harlem Children's Zone.
- A college sports team decides whether a $250 donation is given to Against Malaria Foundation (recommended charity of independent charity evaluator GiveWell) or their school's athletic department.
- A group of friends read The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer, and discuss it as a group. Later, they decide whether a $500 donation goes to AMF or a local food kitchen.
- A school's pre-med students listen to a panel discussion about the ethical ramifications of rationed health care. They then choose whether to donate $1,000 to the American Cancer Society or SCI (GiveWell's other top recommended charity) which gives de-worming medicine to people in the developing world for less than a dollar per treatment.
- An large audience gathers to listen to a series of speakers give unique perspectives on charity. After a Q&A session, the audience votes on whether a $2,500 donation should go to the Khan Academy (an innovative non-profit enabling anyone anywhere to get a free world-class education) or the Future of Humanity Institute (An Oxford University institute dedicated to asking big-picture questions that will clarify the choices that will shape humanity’s long-term future).
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Through playing these games, players will have access to world class donor resources. With this one step, participants could become some of the best donors in the country.
Why? Sadly, because the bar is so low. Most of us give to charity and many communities have strong traditions of giving generously. But few donors conduct any research into their decision, and only a handful actively seek out the best charities they can find. Does the next generation of donors want to behave the same way? We have an enormous opportunity, and we're already making exciting progress. Play one of our online games now, and see for yourself! Or, learn about other ways to get involved and join our quickly growing team! |