Effective Giving

You feel the call of tzedakah (justice and charity) and want to share your resources with the poor and aid the oppressed. But in a world with hundreds of thousands of charities, how do you know which ones are truly doing the most good? Does it matter where you donate, and are some charities significantly more effective than others?

It appears that some charitable interventions are remarkably more effective than others. Donating to the most cost-effective organizations can lead to vastly greater impact – potentially saving lives for just a few thousand dollars.

JSI, inspired by the principles of effective altruism, encourages using evidence and reason to find the best places to donate. Luckily, you don’t have to do all the research yourself.

How to Give Effectively:

• Utilize Charity Evaluators: Rely on organizations that focus on identifying the most impactful charities based on rigorous evidence.
  • GiveWell: Evaluates global poverty charities with a high bar for evidence, recommending a small number of organizations believed to do an incredible amount of good. They assess how much good a program accomplishes (e.g., lives saved) per dollar spent.
  • Animal Charity Evaluators (ACE): Finds and promotes the most effective ways to help animals, focusing heavily on farmed animals who endure significant suffering.
• Consider Expert-Led Funds: Donate through platforms like EA Funds, which employ expert teams to direct your donation to the highest-impact projects and organizations across areas like Global Health and Development, Animal Welfare, and the Long-Term Future.
• Make a Pledge: Join communities like Giving What We Can (pledging a portion of income, often 10%, resonating with ma’aser kesafim) or One for the World (pledging 1% or more) to commit to giving effectively over time.
• Connect with JSI: Discuss donation options with others in our community who have given thought to where to donate effectively.

Don’t let good intentions fall short. By focusing on effectiveness, you can ensure your tzedakah goes further and makes the biggest possible difference in repairing the world.

Ready to make your charitable giving as impactful as possible?

Join the JSI 10% Pledge Club via Giving What We Can today!