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One for the World

What is effective giving?

A small shift in where you give can multiply the good you do

Effective Giving, Explained

Effective giving is the founding principle of One for the World.

Giving effectively directs your efforts wherever they can make the most good, no matter what or where the cause is, rather than choosing based on proximity or preference.

Through rigorous research, our partner GiveWell evaluates charities around the world by cost per life saved, making sure your money goes the farthest. Notably, the most cost effective charities are up to or over 100 times more effective than the average charity.

You might not be able to increase your giving 100 times, but you can increase its impact by giving to the most cost effective charities. When you give effectively, you empower yourself to make an impact around the world, wherever it is needed most.

One for the World has taken the guesswork out of your philanthropic endeavors by providing a list of organizations that are the most effective at improving and ultimately, saving lives of children all over the world.

Choosing Our Top Picks

  1. Stage

    1

    GiveWell rigorously evaluates the cost effectiveness of thousands of charities, publishing their “Top Picks” charities on an annual basis.

  2. Stage

    2

    One for the World leverages GiveWell's findings as a third-party charity evaluator, typically aligning with their recommendations.

  3. Stage

    3

    One for the World publishes our updated list of Top Pick charities for the year and communicates the recommendation to our 1% Pledge movement members.

GiveWell's Evaluation Criteria

GiveWell logo
  • Cost-effectiveness balance-scale illustration.

    Cost-effectiveness:

    GiveWell estimates figures such as “cost per life saved” or “cost per total economic benefit to others” for each of the charities that they consider

  • Transparency conversation illustration.

    Transparency:

    Charities must be open to GiveWell's thorough and skeptical review of programs in addition to public reporting of review materials.

  • Evidence lightbulb illustration.

    Evidence:

    GiveWell seeks to evaluate charities that have been studied rigorously and whose benefits can be reasonably applied to large populations.

  • Funding growth illustration.

    Funding:

    Each charity must be able to demonstrate that they can scale up their service with access to additional funding.

The Effective Giving Movement

One for the World is one of many organizations that focus on effective giving. Approximately 40 organizations make up the effective giving movement worldwide. These include:

We work closely with these organizations to educate and inspire people to think differently about how to do the most good with the resources they have available to them.