GiveWell Grant: Open Application

Published: February 2019; Last Updated: July 2019

July 3, 2019 update: We have selected IPEN as the recipient of the $250,000 grant and VisionSpring and Vitamin Angels to each receive a grant of $25,000.

We are not accepting additional applications at this time.

We welcome applications for $250,000 in funding for charities operating programs in global health and development in any of the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam. In addition to the $250,000 grant, two finalist organizations will each receive grants of $25,000.

The application process is now open; applications are due by April 1, 2019. Grant recipients will be notified on or by July 3, 2019.

This page provides a brief overview of the grantmaking process and rationale. Interested charities should read the full details of our application process for instructions on how to apply.

Why we're making these grants

Affinity Impact, a social impact initiative founded by the children of a Taiwanese entrepreneur, is interested in providing support to charities that work in the above countries that perform excellently along GiveWell's criteria: evidence of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, transparency, and room for more funding. GiveWell has received $300,000 earmarked for three grants: $250,000, $25,000, and $25,000.

What we hope to accomplish

Enable Affinity Impact to support an evidence-backed, cost-effective charity in an area of geographic interest.
Help GiveWell better understand the giving opportunities in a geography in which we haven't previously focused, and to learn from the grantmaking process whether doing so is an effective way to engage with philanthropists who don't plan to support our current top charities.
- We last ran a similar grantmaking process in 2009, and are interested in revisiting this as a potential future outreach strategy for GiveWell.
Drive more donations to GiveWell's top charities by increasing donors' confidence in GiveWell's work and illustrating the importance of an evidence-backed approach to giving.

What interested charities should know

Application process

We hope to minimize the application and reporting burden on all but the top contenders for the grants. The application process consists of two rounds. In the first round, GiveWell and Affinity Impact will seek to answer initial questions about how well the charity's work meets GiveWell's criteria, based on a brief email and existing supporting documents from the charities.

We will seek additional information, via a phone call as well as additional supporting documents, from the smaller group of charities that proceed to the second round.

Additional details on the application process are here.

Who should apply?

We are casting the net as wide as possible. To be eligible, organizations must conduct a program that improves the lives of people in one or more of the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam. If you know of any great organizations that meet the above criteria, please make sure they know about our grant and encourage them to reach out with questions.

About GiveWell

GiveWell is a nonprofit dedicated to finding outstanding giving opportunities and publishing the full details of our analysis to help donors decide where to give.

We publish a very short list of top charities each year that stand out most by our criteria.