Q: I am so lucky to have my health and my job. Knowing that many others don’t enjoy the same good fortunate right now, I am eager to contribute. Are there evidence-based approaches to charitable giving?
A: Absolutely. Here are three great options: (1) Donate $ to food banks; (2) Choose a charity vetted and scored by a data-driven charity recommendation organization (e.g. Charity Navigator); (3) Give cash directly to those in need through a trusted intermediary (e.g. GiveDirectly)
More context:
We Nerdy Girls are so heartened by how many people have asked us a variant of this question. Our followers’ collective generosity blows us away! Thank you for being beacons of hope during these turbulent times.
So why do we recommend the three options above?
FOOD BANKS:
Estimates suggest that as many as 1 in 4 children in numerous states are “food insecure” – social scientist speak for lacking adequate access to food – in many places, this represents a doubling of 2018 levels. (For more data, see the report from Feeding America in the comments). Food banks serve a crucial role in serving food insecure families, and are grateful recipients of cash donations right now as they meet surging demand. (Note: It’s best to give $ instead of food, see the related link in the comments section)
DATA-DRIVEN CHARITY RECOMMENDERS:
Several terrific groups conduct rigorous vetting of charitable organizations, including transparent and thorough ratings systems. This Nerdy Girl (Lindsey) likes Charity Navigator , a group that provides ratings of individual charities along with general evidence-based tips for donors (e.g. “Guide to Donating Your Car”).
GIVE CASH DIRECTLY:
Rigorous randomized controlled trials – designed in the same way as those done for medical treatments – have demonstrated that giving cash directly with “no strings attached” to those in need can result in sustained improvements in well-being. The strength of the related evidence base is why many economists are big cheerleaders for this “unconditional cash transfer” approach for charitable giving. GiveDirectly is a well-respected organization that serves as an intermediary. It is a leader in rigorously testing the results of its efforts and receives high marks from data-driven charity recommenders.
A final note: If you are able, please also consider giving blood, which is desperately needed across the country.
[Note: Thanks to Mark Seyadarian, MBA/MPH, for his excellent research contributions for this post!]
