Giving decisions can be difficult
There are many structural obstacles to good giving decisions. A recent study of the nonprofit marketplace observed that “data measuring outcomes for beneficiaries are notoriously difficult to capture. Moreover, there is no uniformly accepted way to measure social impact, and no single repository for information about nonprofit activities and results. This information-poor environment makes it difficult to have honest conversations about performance, limiting opportunities for learning and improvement.”[1]
Human nature also make it difficult to be a great donor. Donors are motivated by many unconscious factors, even when they’d rather not be. Emotional appeals, such as the picture of a suffering child, evoke generosity. But that emotional connection can be diminished by the very information needed to make strategic giving decisions. Researchers observe that “there is mounting evidence that thinking and deciding in a calculating manner, as would seem to be required when processing information about the objective scope of human suffering, can directly undermine emotions that can lead people to make charitable donations.”[2] Donors are also normal people, with busy lives. Most donors want to research their giving decisions, but few find the time to do so, and even fewer are able to locate pertinent information.
Human nature also make it difficult to be a great donor. Donors are motivated by many unconscious factors, even when they’d rather not be. Emotional appeals, such as the picture of a suffering child, evoke generosity. But that emotional connection can be diminished by the very information needed to make strategic giving decisions. Researchers observe that “there is mounting evidence that thinking and deciding in a calculating manner, as would seem to be required when processing information about the objective scope of human suffering, can directly undermine emotions that can lead people to make charitable donations.”[2] Donors are also normal people, with busy lives. Most donors want to research their giving decisions, but few find the time to do so, and even fewer are able to locate pertinent information.
But it's easier to be a great donor than ever before
Charity evaluators like GiveWell.org and GuideStar.org are moving beyond simplistic metrics like overhead ratios, and are providing donors with meaningful assessments of non-profit performance.
Researchers are increasingly studying the "choice architectures" that can help donors can become more satisfied with their own decisions, while helping others more too. As more donors take advantage of the resources available to them, the real beneficiaries will be the people around the world who need the most help.
Researchers are increasingly studying the "choice architectures" that can help donors can become more satisfied with their own decisions, while helping others more too. As more donors take advantage of the resources available to them, the real beneficiaries will be the people around the world who need the most help.
Giving Games let everyone help in their own way
By playing Giving Games, anyone can:
- Help causes they care about for free
- Develop their personal giving strategies
- Learn new ideas in an entertaining and social way
By funding Giving Games, donors can:
- Dramatically leverage the impact of their existing donations
- Show support for multiple causes at once
- Get public recognition for their generosity
By organizing Giving Games, philanthropic groups can:
- Spread awareness of high impact charities and donor resources
- Engage new members and build communities of effective altruists
- Use tested arguments to advocate for high impact philanthropy
By designing Giving Games, academics can:
- Apply their knowledge to promote beneficial behavior
- Test hypotheses about giving behavior
- Recruit volunteers for field experiments
- Test whether laboratory results generalize to the field
By leading Giving Games, teachers can:
- Help their students prepare for important, real world dilemmas
- Teach in an environment where students are eager to learn
- Explore practical applications of their expertise
- Connect with students outside the classroom
By studying Giving Games, nonprofit professionals can:
- Learn what environments promote good giving decisions
- Compile an extensive data set about donor preferences and the factors that influence them
- Disseminate lessons throughout nonprofit marketplace
- Generate hypotheses about giving behavior and ways to test them
[1] The Nonprofit Marketplace: Bridging the Information Gap in Philanthropy. Hewlett Foundation white paper.
[2] From "Donate Different" by Huber, Van Boven, and McGraw. Chapter 11 of The Science of Giving.
[2] From "Donate Different" by Huber, Van Boven, and McGraw. Chapter 11 of The Science of Giving.