James Rayton

Crises like Gaza and Ukraine tug at our hearts, but everyday tragedies are underfunded. Here’s one way to give with head and heart.

 Balancing crisis relief and effective giving: how to think about donations

Hello, and welcome to our September newsletter!

A big thank you to everyone who wrote in after our July edition! I loved hearing your ideas and thoughtful questions — please keep them coming.

how should we think about crises like Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine when we want our donations to do the most good?

 These conflicts are heartbreaking and dominate the news. It’s natural to want to respond.

Humanitarian aid in these contexts is vital, but it’s also 

 When I was in Somalia managing the UN’s response to El Niño flooding in 2023-2024, we operated 14 helicopters for months, each flight costing over $10,000. We flew several missions per helicopter each day, delivering supplies. It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked, but when I reflected, I knew that in other areas, the funds we were using could go much further.

For example, around 15,000 children die every day from preventable diseases like malaria. We can save a child’s life for 

 doing just this! But sadly, these interventions remain seriously underfunded – because they aren’t hitting the headlines.So what’s the solution? I think it’s complex, and value-dependent. Some may feel the most compassionate choice is to give where impact is clear and outsized, especially when it’s uncertain how much emergency aid will reach those in need. Others may feel it’s worth trying anyway, given the dire circumstances and the very real injustices.

If you find these decisions hard, you’re not alone. I certainly do too.

Personally, I use three “buckets” for my spending (an idea from 

 by Prof. Paul Smeets): one for myself and loved ones, one for causes I care about even if impact is uncertain, and one — 

 — for the most effective charities I know.

I find that this balance helps me give with head and heart. 

(By the way, if the 3-bucket approach resonates, you might also be interested in using 

 for bucket 2 – it’ll match donations to your personal “favorite” charity with something more impact-driven.)

 shares what your donations have made possible:

A thank you to GWWC donors: from The Humane League

When we asked for your feedback on our newsletter last month, many of you responded that you’d like to hear more about the impact we’re driving as a community. We hear you and in short, it’s epic!

Watch out for future editions of this newsletter where we’ll share even more about our impact as a community.

For now, we wanted to share the short video above from one of the organisations you can support through our donation platform: 

, showing what Giving What We Can donors have achieved together.

Here are some of our favourite responses from people who took a 🔸

Because I want to effectively contribute to reducing the suffering that non-human animals endure in their lives.

 Because there is enormous suffering, yet so many opportunities to make the world better! 

 I consider it the very least I can do to give back to the community. I feel privileged to be in a good place economically and socially, and I want to share it with others, especially those who are in need.

Suffering is real and avoidable, and well-being is real and attainable!

 blogs, announcements, & news from Giving What We Can

 of Will MacAskill’s famous “100x multiplier”, explaining the logic & limitations behind the claim that your money goes 100x further overseas

 on Lewis Bollard’s TED talk: How to end factory farming, highlighting the reforms and strategies already moving the needle, and what we can do to help

We’re looking for partners to help make effective giving the norm! This past year, GWWC has teamed up with organisations to create new ways for people to learn about and take giving pledges – directing more funds to highly impactful opportunities. Most collaborations begin with small, low-effort experiments and grow from there. Are you/do you know an organisation who might be a good fit? 

 to connect with our Partnerships Manager, 

Highlights from our community & the wider effective giving ecosystem

, where athletes can easily raise funds for effective charities by racing for impact, not just time. Race for Impact is already live in 8+ cities globally, with 3000+ fundraisers signed up in the first full month. 

David Edmonds, the bestselling coauthor of 

, published a book on Peter Singer’s famous thought experiment! See: 

Death in a Shallow Pond: A Philosopher, a Drowning Child, and Strangers in Need

. If you’re in Oxford, you can also attend the

 with a finding that has particular relevance for our work at Giving What We Can: 

making a giving pledge boosts donations to cost-effective charities by simplifying the decision process

Pledge First, Think Later! Breaking Down the Complexity of Donations Through Pledges

 (We had nothing to do with this study, by the way!)

Oct 7th, Oxford Martin School (University of Oxford), 6-6:45 PM BST, 34 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BD

 by David Edmonds (Distinguished Research Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Institute) in Oxford. David will be in conversation with Professor Roger Crisp. This event is followed by a drinks reception. 

Upcoming EAGx conferences: Berlin, Singapore, & Australasia!

EAGx conferences are great opportunities to learn from and connect with others interested in having a positive impact on the world. Read more about each conference via the links below.

 to help shape grants and support day-to-day operations within their 

Program Associates and Senior Program Associates

 to help allocate tens of millions annually to reduce catastrophic biological risks by generating project ideas, recruiting grantees and collaborators, overseeing performance, and streamlining grantmaking processes. Apply by 

Applications are open for the Impactful Philanthropy Round of 

Ambitious Impact’s Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program

! The Impactful Philanthropy Round is a special edition of the Incubation Program dedicated to improving the effectiveness of the philanthropic sector. Like the other rounds, it’s a fully cost-covered, 8-week program that supports talented people to launch new high-impact nonprofits, and will take place in June-July 2026. Applications will go through the standard application form, which means you’ll also be considered for the other two 2026 program rounds, which focus on farmed animals and global health. 

Highlights from the high-impact programmes we list on our platform along with evaluators & grantmakers in the effective giving space 

, showcasing huge steps towards building a kinder world for animals

 released a video thanking Giving What We Can donors for sparing hundreds of thousands of hens from cages

Is growing its global university chapter program, 

, which helps students advance alternative protein education, research, and innovation at universities. Kicking off the 2025-2026 school year with 13 new chapters, the now 76-campus program includes a rigorous application process, a six-week training course, KPI reporting, and more.

, a bimonthly roundup by the science team on the latest in global alternative proteins research, funding opportunities, jobs, and resources; if you’re not currently a subscriber and would like to change that, you can do so 

. The 15 research projects awarded grants this year cover a range of animal groups, from spiders to fish to badgers, and confront a range of wild animal welfare issues, from drought to disease to forestry disturbance.

 directed $397 million through 55 grants, which they estimate will reach around 34 million people and save 74,000 lives. You can access GiveWell’s full, recently-published 2024 Metrics Report via this 

—the first to feature an external guest—CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld speaks with Dr. Neil Buddy Shah, CEO of the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). They dive into the real-world impact of the foreign aid cuts: how these cuts are affecting vital programs, what it takes to build a strategic response, and how this pivotal moment could shape the future of global health. Check out previous episodes 

The sudden suspension of funding from USAID meant that Niger’s huge progress in tackling parasitic worm disease had been threatened. 

, in partnership with The Life You Can Save, is proud to have been able to 

provide critical alternative support to the Ministry of Health to deliver urgent treatment to over one million people

 in support of using AI to strengthen compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and emphasized that technology should be part of a broader strategy to support the BWC.

 of key organisational changes, decisions, and milestones from 2023 to mid-2025, including the decision to focus primarily on helping people work on safely navigating the transition to a world with AGI.

(News from evaluators, grantmakers, and incubators that relates to global health, animal welfare, or global catastrophic risk reduction is now included in the “Cause Area News” section above!)

 and stay connected with us for more news and updates.

Do you have any feedback on our newsletter or communications? 

 with Giving What We Can and effective giving.

Do you have questions about the pledge, Giving What We Can, or effective giving in general? Check out our 

Over 10,000 people have taken Giving What We Can's 10% Pledge, donating $50M in 2024 alone to high-impact charities tackling global problems.

10,000 pledgers and the impact of strategic giving

Hello, and welcome to our August newsletter!

Two weeks ago, you may have seen a special message from Sjir Hoeijmakers (our CEO) celebrating an incredible milestone:

10,000 people around the world have now taken Giving What We Can’s 🔸10% Pledge!

Giving What We Can Celebrates 10,000 10% Pledges

I’m so inspired when I think about what this number truly means. Every pledge is both an individual commitment to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems 

 part of a collective story of generosity. That generosity carries astonishing power.

In 2024 alone, pledgers donated more than $50 million, enough to save over 10,000 lives. If we keep going at this pace, our pledgers could (collectively) prevent a death approximately every hour. That’s an extraordinary thing to be a part of.

From reducing animal suffering, to protecting families from deadly diseases, to tackling some of humanity’s biggest risks, pledgers are making a real and visible difference.

Thank you for being part of this community – whether by pledging, exploring our charity recommendations, sharing our resources, or simply following our work. Together, we’re growing the number of people who are committed to meaningful, strategic giving: the kind of giving that’s reshaping what’s possible.

Here are some of our favourite responses from people who took a pledge last m

What motivated you to take a pledge with Giving What We Can?

As mentioned above, we reached 10,000 active 10% Pledgers!

If you’ve been to our website recently, you may have noticed that things look a little different – check it out and 

Our research team has started work on our annual 

evaluations of impact-focused charity evaluators

, with reports and updated charity recommendations expected in time for giving season.

We interviewed one of the bloggers behind 

 – who also happens to be a 10% Pledger. Read about his family’s interesting take on giving and living in our new blog post: 

Bentham’s Bulldog🔸 explored some of the ethical reasons to take the 10% Pledge in his new post: 

Why I just took the Giving What We Can Pledge

. We thought it was a compelling, provocative reflection and highly recommend giving it a read!

recently included in TIME’s “The 100 Best Podcasts of All Time

”. In this “Trolleyology” episode, Josh talks about moral psychology, effective charitable giving, bridging political divides, and more. 

Pablo Melchor🔸, co-founder and president of 

, has written a Spanish-language book exploring the principles of effective giving and the 10% Pledge! You can 

read more about the book and preorder here

Fauna Connections: September 18th, online

Faunalytics is proud to present Fauna Connections, a free, virtual research symposium designed for animal advocates. This event brings together academics and scientists from the social and behavioral sciences and related fields to share original research with direct applications to animal advocacy. You can 

EA Global: New York City, 2025: Oct 10th-12th, The Sheraton, Times Square

EA Global is coming to New York for the first time! The conference is a great place to meet experts working on some of the world’s most pressing issues across animal welfare, global health & development, AI safety, biosecurity, and more. There’s an event app to make 1-on-1 networking easy – plus talks, workshops, and targeted meetups. With both DC and Boston just a train ride away, this event is uniquely positioned to connect you with media, policy, and philanthropy folks. 

Learn more and apply here by September 28th.

EAGx conferences are great opportunities to learn from and connect with others interested in having a positive impact on the world. 

. You can find these and other open roles on 

We've just opened applications at Giving What We Can for a part-time 

Growth and Marketing Operations/Analytics

 expert to be the analytical engine behind our growth strategy. This person will build and maintain the systems, processes, and analytics infrastructure that enables our marketing and growth teams to scale efficiently while maintaining our high standards.

Applications are still open at Giving What We Can for the 

NTI | bio is now accepting applications for the 

2025 Next Generation for Biosecurity Delegation

 to the December BWC Meeting of States Parties in Geneva, Switzerland. This opportunity brings together students and early-career professionals (ages 18 – 35) from around the world to: network with leading scientists, diplomats, and civil society changemakers; showcase your ideas on strengthening biosecurity; and join a dynamic community of rising leaders driving the future of biosecurity. 

Does your passion for making a difference extend to your career? The Centre for Effective Altruism is running a free, 4-day online bootcamp to help accomplished professionals who are interested in 

. In the bootcamp, you’ll identify career paths that match your skills, apply to opportunities, and build a network to support you. 

Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Program

, run by Ambitious Impact. If you are entrepreneurial, fast-moving, evidence-based, and care deeply about doing good in a cost-effective way, then consider signing up for Ambitious Impact’s 

 to learn more about the program and the 

2026 Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation program

Good news from the Open Wing Alliance’s 2025 cage-free egg fulfillment report: 

92% of cage-free commitments (with deadlines of 2024 or earlier) have been upheld

 – a global coalition to end the abuse of chickens – is a project of 

renowned climate and nature expert and former President of the Rainforest Alliance, joins as GFI’s new CEO starting today, August 26th! With decades of leadership across science-based nonprofits, Nigel brings deep experience driving systemic solutions to global challenges. 

The world’s first master’s degree in alternative proteins has launched in Spain! Developed with input from GFI Europe’s scientific team, this new program at Real Centro Universitario María Cristina will equip students with the skills needed to lead in sustainable food innovation – from science and business to policy. 

From Performative To Transformative: Navigating Equity & Inclusion Across A Diverse Animal Advocacy Movement

, explores how farmed animal advocacy organizations can approach diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in ways that are aligned with their mission, strategy, and values. Drawing on interviews with BIPOC advocates and analysis of over 200 organizations, the report identifies key barriers and opportunities for making DEI efforts meaningful rather than symbolic. With practical recommendations for advocates, leaders, and funders, this resource is designed to help the animal advocacy movement grow stronger, more inclusive, and more effective.

 attended the NYU Wild Animal Welfare Program's two-day summit in July, which brought together researchers studying disease, welfare measurement, the welfare consequences of biological invasions, and human attitudes toward wild animals. At the summit, Executive Director Cameron Meyer Shorb and Strategy Director Mal Graham were panelists in a group discussion about 

 in wild animal welfare, and Strategy Researcher Simon Eckerström Liedholm also gave a lightning talk on how 

 could result in lower population densities, potentially increasing population welfare.

 has released two new podcast episodes on various aspects of their work.

GiveWell has recommended over $1 billion to malaria programs, averting an estimated 200,000+ deaths - mostly in young children. Now, major anticipated funding reductions threaten to create substantial gaps in life-saving malaria programs. In a recent 

, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld and researchers Alex Bowles and Rosie Bettle discuss the potential impacts of these funding shortfalls. 

Learn more about the foreign aid funding cuts and how you can help

Over the past year and a half, GiveWell has been investigating family planning services that help people decide whether and when to have children. In their 

, GiveWell CEO and co-founder Elie Hassenfeld and Senior Research Associate Dilhan Perera discuss the complexities of evaluating family planning programs, diving into the types of programs GiveWell is considering and key questions they are working to answer. Read more on this work 

 about the life-saving work a recent GiveWell grant will enable.

 announced the results of a large randomized study in rural Kenya tracking 100,000 births: giving families a one-time $1,000 cash transfer cut infant mortality by 48%. 

Learn more about the results and see what GiveDirectly is doing in response

 sharing stories of how adolescents in Uganda are experiencing the impact of talk therapy, and how this is beginning to reduce stigma in schools and families.

On its work to advance biotechnology governance frameworks:

Biosecurity Innovation Risk Reduction Initiative

 meeting in July, which brought together experts from across industry, the scientific community, international organizations, and national governments to discuss potential safeguards for rapidly advancing bioscience and biotechnology capabilities across three key areas: DNA synthesis screening, AIxBio capabilities, and mirror life risks.

On its work to enhance transparency for bioscience R&D: NTI | bio launched a 

 with recommendations for enhancing transparency in bioscience research and development to strengthen the global norms against biological weapons. Report authors call for stronger international mechanisms to uphold the norm against bioweapons, including capabilities to better detect, attribute, and hold states accountable for bioweapons development or use.

an episode of the podcast Public Health on Call

 to discuss the CDC’s deactivation of the US’s H5N1 emergency response, why fewer bird flu cases doesn’t necessarily mean an end to the bird flu emergency, and how to prepare for migratory birds returning this fall.

 on the climate implications of Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, arguing that “when it comes to long-term global decarbonization, all is not necessarily lost.” According to the retrospective, the bill leaves most of the important policy infrastructure in place, leaving potential for transformative energy technology breakthroughs. Founders Pledge’s work was also featured in 

We loved seeing so much engagement and celebration from our community around the 10,000 pledgers milestone — 

! And if you’re a pledger, you can help keep the momentum going: repost the milestone video and/or use our 

You already donate a portion of your income regularly and have no intention of stopping. Should you still take a giving pledge?

Read "Why pledge when you already donate"?

James is the Head of Community and Partnerships at Giving What We Can. 

With a background as an aid worker, James has spent much of his career leading international development and humanitarian teams. From 2019 to 2024, he lived and worked across Somalia, Kenya, and Rwanda

He holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.

Outside of work, James is an avid hiker and adventure enthusiast, happiest when exploring the outdoors and connecting with nature. 

James is the Head of Community and Partnerships at Giving What We Can; helping to support and grow our network of givers. His background is in international development in East Africa.

James Rayton

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Articles

Balancing crisis relief and effective giving: how to think about donations

10,000 pledgers and the impact of strategic giving