We search for and support programs that save or improve lives the most per dollar.
We research the most cost‑effective ways to save and improve lives, share our work openly, and direct donations to the programs we believe will do the most good.
Backed by 70,000+ hours of research each year
We’ve been researching and funding global health and development programs since 2007. Our work aims to understand how programs work and how much they help the people they serve.
Only the best, according to our high standards
We’ve reviewed hundreds of programs. Very few meet our high bar for funding.
GiveWell takes zero fees
Our operations are funded by donors who choose to support us. 100% of all other donations (minus standard bank and credit card fees) will go to the fund or organization of your choice.Dig into our Expansion
We want to help donors save and improve lives as much as we can, so we’re building our capacity to have an even greater impact. Here are a few recent highlights of our progress.
Making our largest grant to date
As part of our ongoing efforts to direct more money where it can do extraordinary good, GiveWell recently made its largest grant ever: $276 million to fund the purchase and distribution of malaria nets in DRC through the Against Malaria Foundation. Find out more about the research that informed our decision.
Looking for new opportunities
As our research team grows, so does our ability to search for cost-effective programs across a much wider range of issues. Listen to a recent podcast episode with the lead of our New Areas research subteam where we discuss three grants that illustrate how we’re approaching this work.
The gold standard for giving.
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Our Giving Funds
Recommended
All Grants Fund
How will my donation be used?
Your donation will be granted to the highest-impact programs across all our grantmaking in global health and well-being. Some programs may be much more cost-effective than our Top Charities, but we may also be much more uncertain about their impact.Is there a downside?
It’s riskier than our Top Charities Fund. For example, we may not have as much confidence in the evidence base or may not have the same extensive history working with the grantee.Best for
If you want the highest possible expected impact and are comfortable with higher risk, donate to the All Grants Fund.Top Charities Fund
How will my donation be used?
Your donation will be granted to one of our Top Charities. These are the most reliably high-impact and cost-effective programs we’ve identified. We’ve evaluated them extensively and have high confidence that donations to them will do a lot of good.Is there a downside?
We have a high bar for the evidence and scalability of these opportunities. This may limit the cost-effectiveness ceiling for these grants.Best for
If you want high confidence in the effectiveness of your donation, donate to the Top Charities Fund.Unrestricted Fund
How will my donation be used?
Your donation can be spent on any GiveWell priority, including grantmaking and our own operating expenses.Is there a downside?
You cannot designate a specific use for these funds, so donating to the Unrestricted Fund requires trust in GiveWell’s judgment about the best use for donations.Best for
If you’d like to support GiveWell’s grantmaking and underwrite our ability to continue doing what we do, donate to the Unrestricted Fund.
More than 150,000 donorsiBased on our records of donors who’ve contributed either to GiveWell or to our recommended charities.
— Learn more have trusted GiveWell to direct their donations. Together, they have given over $2.6 billioniBased on our records of the money we’ve directed to organizations and grants we’ve recommended since 2011.
— Learn more to the organizations we recommend.
These donations will save over 340,000 lives.iBased on our cost-effectiveness analysis and our records of money we’ve directed to our Top Charities since 2009.
— Learn more