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GWWC Team

Where are the Giving What We Can team donating in 2025?

As the year ends, some staff members volunteered to share where they are giving this year, and a little bit about how they currently think about their donations.

For previous years and more on why we do this, you can read our similar posts from 

. And if you enjoy this post, we also encourage you to check out similar posts from teams at other organisations who’ve shared their personal giving this year too, such as 

 through effective animal advocacy are really extraordinary, I expect the majority of my donations this year to go to the two funds that GWWC recommends to donors in our animal welfare cause area: 

. 2025 was my first full year with a 🔸10% Pledge and, like others on the team, I’m excited to continue to reflect on and develop my giving strategy in the future!

This is an exciting year for me as it is a year where I’ve transitioned from being a student with the occasional part-time job, to a full-time job, enabling me to donate at a significantly higher level than before:

: With USAID cuts this year, this fund's flexibility felt all the more important.

Animal Charity Evaluators Recommended Charity Fund

: Since many of the corporate cage-free pledges have 2025 as a deadline, this has seemed like an important year to fund high impact charities working on these commitments.

 (through 10% salary sacrifice): It’s both motivating to donate to an organisation that has a strong 

 and to give myself an additional incentive to do my work in a cost-effective way.

I'm excited to reflect more deeply on my giving strategy in the coming years, as I'm still setting myself up for a lifetime of giving!

I'm still on a learning journey with my giving! My background is in public health, so global health has always felt like natural territory which is why roughly 70% of my giving this year has landed in global health, including through GiveWell's Top Charities and All Grants Fund and to some of Giving What We Can’s recommended programmes including the Against Malaria Foundation, Malaria Consortium, Helen Keller and New Incentives. I was also excited to begin supporting Ansh, (which was recently onboarded to Giving What We Can) and which supports the delivery of Kangaroo care for at-risk newborns in India.

Roughly 20% of my donations also went to supporting programmes focused on reducing animal suffering including the Humane League and through Giving What We Can’s Effective Animal Advocacy Fund - I think the opportunities here to reduce suffering at scale are extraordinary!

I’ve also deliberately tried to diversify my giving this year and also supported preparedness and long-term thinking through the Giving What We Can's Risks and Resilience Fund (roughly 5% of my giving).

I joined Giving What We Can in March, and took a trial pledge in June this year. The past few years—studying, starting a family, moving countries (too many times)— has meant I’ve found it often difficult to strike the right balance with giving. Taking a trial pledge has really helped simplify that and help make sure the habit sticks, even when life feels chaotic. I’m excited to continue with that pledge through 2026 and beyond.

Like many people, I’m still on a learning journey with my giving. This year I’ve deliberately tried to diversify. Why? Because it feels like a way of de-risking my impact. I don’t hold a settled view on which of the cause areas we support carry the greatest moral weight, so I hedge. That said, you’ll still see my instincts coming through: a larger share goes to global health, which has long been where my motivation and experience run deepest.

10% to Founders Pledge Climate Change Fund

While I have worked for non-profits and impact research since the start of my career, I only took the 10% pledge in May this year – right before joining GWWC.

I used to think that the salary I sacrificed vis-a-vis what a similar commercial role would offer me was sufficient. Researching GWWC as I was going through my application process made me realize something. All the convictions I already held that made me dedicate myself to non-profit work applied just as much to giving 10% of my lifetime income. So I took the pledge.

Having only donated token amounts in the past (mostly to Planned Parenthood and climate / nature conservation charities), the process of deciding how much and where I wanted to donate was much more difficult than anticipated. From what my colleagues tell me, it’s a journey, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

I’ve donated 15% of my income this year to the following causes:

I strongly believe in our multiplier and want to keep myself accountable for the impact of our work.

25% to Fondo Salud Global (23.75%) at Ayuda Efectiva (1.25%)

 Global health is one of my two core priorities, and this is the most tax-efficient way to give to GWWC’s recommended global health charities as a Spanish resident; I tipped 5% to support their operations.

Climate change is my other core priority, so I relied on GivingGreen’s research and recommendations to select a high-impact organisation close to my heart.

, I’ve capped my salary at GWWC to €25k/y, so my largest donation would be to GWWC. I believe we currently have a good multiplier on marginal funding, and it’s very tax-efficient to reduce my salary instead of donating.

Other than that, this year I gave €2k to 

match donations to my birthday fundraiser

 hosted on the Italian effective giving organisation 

, with the hope that this helped them debug/test their shiny new donation platform and get some first donations through it.

I’m mostly holding off for more donations this year, aiming to contribute ~€7k to the April round of the 

they aim to launch some great animal charities

I fundamentally believe that currently growing the total amount of money directed toward high-impact charities is a crucial bottleneck. As part of this, I’m giving 10% of my income this year to 

our multiplier at GWWC is exceptionally high

, and I’ve previously written more about why I think effective giving organisations could do with more support 

. While I’d love to give to other effective giving organisations, part of my work as 

Effective Giving Global Coordinator and Incubator

 means that I see value in avoiding any appearance of bias that could complicate my work.

Outside of my 10% pledge, I’ll give to 

 to offset my annual carbon footprint and to a variety of animal welfare charities, inspired by 

, to offset the harm caused by my (minimal) animal product consumption as a vegetarian.

This year, I decided to give 50% of my income (I wrote about why 

, because this is what I recommend to most people without expertise in charity evaluation, and I want to practice what I preach.

, because these are building new infrastructure to make more high-impact giving happen, and they can productively use more funding.

 itself (via salary sacrifice), because they quite reliably provide a strong 

, which are two projects I co-founded and have close context on, and I know could productively use extra funding as well.

Alana Horowitz Friedman

Suriyaa Sundararuban

From growing up in poverty to pledging 10% of his income, Suriyaa Sundararuban shares how effective giving  and the 10% Pledge became part of his path to lasting impact.

Pledger Spotlight: Suriyaa Sundararuban

Meet Suriyaa Sundararuban, an entrepreneur and Oxford Cambridge Fellow living in Munich, Germany. 

We recently spoke about what effective giving, the 🔶 

, and Giving What We Can mean to him.

“I grew up in poverty,” Suriyaa told me. “My parents lost everything during the Sri Lankan civil war and came to Germany with nothing.”

Despite these struggles, Suriyaa has always valued giving back. As a child, he admired the legacies of philanthropists like Carnegie, Rockefeller, Gates, and other public figures. But it was the classic 2007 Tamil film 

 that really hit home. The film had a profound influence on Suriyaa, shaping many of his core beliefs:

“Some of the values that led me to take the Pledge are actually lessons from that movie: 

Take action because others won’t. Lead by example. And be a role model – even if you have to overcome obstacles to do so."

Suriyaa took the Pledge In January 2023. Since then, his giving streak has remained uninterrupted.“The realisation that effective giving doesn’t require extraordinary wealth was liberating,” he told me. 

“I’ve always wanted to give back, but traditional charities often proved less impactful than I hoped. When I discovered that there are more effective options, everything changed.”

Here's more about Suriyaa and his approach to giving.

1. Tell us about yourself. What keeps you busy and what makes you tick?

I would call myself a tech enthusiast. I’m constantly exploring innovations that shape the present and the long-term future. Professionally and personally, I enjoy diving into new technologies, collaborating with builders, and creating solutions that move society forward. I’m passionate about using my income and wealth to help others and create better systems for social mobility, and I’m fueled by creative problem-solving and ambitious goals.

2. What are the issues in the world that you care most deeply about?

Poverty reduction and health improvement are my top priorities, as they lay the foundation for human flourishing and opportunity.

3. Which organizations do you give to (and why)?

. These organizations embody rigorous evidence-based approaches and deliver measurable impact for those most in need.

4. Do you ever find it difficult to give?

At the start, allocating 10% of income was challenging. But it becomes second nature, especially after setting up systems and habits that make regular giving seamless.

5. Do you try to effect change in any other way?

In addition to financial giving, I contribute through volunteering, Open Source projects to make technology more accessible, and other initiatives that empower others — like teaching coding on StackOverflow before the AI era, investing in high-impact startups, and mentorship.

6. What effective giving tips would you like to share?

Start small! Donate just 1% of your monthly income and gradually increase. Set up automatic transfers to savings accounts dedicated to giving; this makes budgeting easier and giving regular.

7. What suggestions do you have for other people considering the 

Don’t just promise, take action. Be a doer! The real impact comes from follow-through, not intentions.

My vision is to lead and build transformative organizations that positively impact billions, creating enduring prosperity for humanity across generations. Some of my startups and innovation projects include an initiative to make Open Source the new primary industry standard, projects to empower the “unbanked” (those who lack access to financial services), and healthcare to address chronic diseases.

9. Have you found anything to be helpful in talking to people about effective giving?

Absolutely. Sharing personal experiences and insights has inspired others to explore effective giving themselves. The ripple effect is real!

The Pledge connected me with some of the smartest, most principled people globally. I felt so inspired to join this global community where integrity and impact come first. I’m really interested in getting to know other pledgers and driven people who want to make the world a better place, and think the 

 helps us connect and empower each other. This community has enriched my perspective and strengthened my commitment – it’s been a real privilege.

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 

Blog

Where are the Giving What We Can team donating in 2025?

Pledger Spotlight: Suriyaa Sundararuban

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

How to end factory farming - and what you can do today

Can money go 100x further overseas?

10,000 pledgers and the impact of strategic giving

Give more, live...better?

A radically unfair world, and how we’re responding

What I learned about effective giving in Nigeria

A spotlight on Against Malaria Foundation's Post-Distribution Survey (PDM) process