Philanthropy Action

News & Commentary

Are Efforts to Help Donors Give Better Misdirected?

If more outreach and information about reform is directed towards those working in non-profits, organizations might change before all their funders know why it’s necessary.

Jan 13, 2010

Advice for Donors to Haiti

As the relief effort in Haiti ramps up, donors should think about lessons learned from recent disaster relief efforts.

Jan 07, 2010

Is Agro-Imperialism Really Agro-Opportunity?

Investors from countries with a lot of money but very little arable land—such as Saudi Arabia, South Korea and India—have purchased the rights to develop millions of acres for agriculture and export the yield for sale in their native countries. Observers implicitly conclude that the lease of Ethiopian land to foreign developers amounts to nothing less than exploitation of the poor by the wealthy. But does it have to be?

Dec 21, 2009

The Neocolonialists?

Recently I was listening to Rory Stewart’s The Places In Between, the story of his walk across Afghanistan. Near the end of the book Stewart turns his attention to the aid agencies, public and private, that had come rushing into Afghanistan. His observations are worthwhile reading for anyone interested in making international aid more effective, so I’m excerpting them here.

Dec 11, 2009

Mint Gets It Dead Wrong on Picking a Charity

Mint gives terrible financial advice, getting it dead wrong on how to pick a charity this year.

Dec 04, 2009

The Best Way to Pick A Charity This Year

None of the efforts to evaluate charities’ effectiveness are perfect and none of them provide a quick answer—but givers also have to understand that if they want their dollars to do the most good, they are going to have to devote some time to investigating and learning. You can make a quick donation or an effective donation. If your emphasis is on quick, you’re likely to get a commensurate return on the dollars you’ve invested.

Dec 01, 2009

The Worst (and Best) Way to Pick A Charity This Year

Picking a charity based on the lowest overhead ratio is like buying the cheapest car that money can buy. You might spend less in the short run but it’s inevitably going to let you down.The question donors should be asking is, “How much of your budget are you spending on making sure your programs are effective?“

Nov 19, 2009

More Evidence of Evidence Failure

Tests on the ground show that American patients do not take drugs expressly for cancer prevention.

Nov 13, 2009

The Source of Donor Illusions

If you would only give to an intermediary in order to help someone on the street outside your home, why do you want to do away with intermediaries between you and a person on the other side of the world whose circumstances you don’t understand at all?

Nov 11, 2009

Big Climate Impact for Little Climate Dollars

For substantially less than $10 million you can have a big impact on climate change by using the tools of behavioral economics to help individuals conserve energy. Specifically the widespread deployment of real-time use meters and commitment contracts can help people who want to save energy meet their goals—and it requires very little external funding.

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