Selection methods

Doneer Effectief bases their work on a specific selection method. This method consists of three steps::

  1. Selecting a global problem
  2. Finding the best evaluators
  3. Identifying the best charities according to the evaluators

We will thoroughly explain the above steps on this page.

Step 1:

Selecting a global problem

We aim to use our resources to aid in solving major world problems – of which there are many. This means we need to prioritize and make careful decisions. The fundamental question to answer is which global problems can benefit the most from our donations. As a general rule, impact can be maximized by supporting problem areas on the basis of scale, neglectedness and solvability. We elaborate further on these ideas below.

Step 2:

Choosing the best evaluators

Despite the fact that philanthropy is a multi-billion dollar business, mutual comparison seems to be taboo. In order to determine the effectiveness of charities, we make use of research mainly from the three reputable evaluation organisations listed below. These organisations are financially independent from the charities they assess making their opinions objective. Their researchers scout the best charities worldwide and compare the impact achieved. Only the charities that really stand out as effective are included in our donation recommendations.

GiveWell Poverty & Health Read more
Founders Pledge Climate Read more
Animal Charity Evaluators Animal welfare & Food transition Read more
Step 3:

The evaluators select the most effective charities

The independent research institutions review charities and select the most effective ones. But what makes a charity effective? Evaluation organizations such as GiveWell, Animal Charity Evaluators and Founders Pledge use four criteria to determine effectiveness.

1. Proven effectiveness

The approach has been proven effective based on sound scientific research. Most people think that it does not matter much which charity they give to, or that one charity is at most one and a half times more effective than another. In reality, the difference in effectiveness can be a hundred or even a thousand times greater.

2. Cost-effectiveness

The achieved impact is in excellent proportion to the costs incurred. Each donation results in the most impact compared to other charities.

3. Growth potential

The charity has the capability to make efficient and effective use of new donations.

4. Transparency

The charity is open about its approach, results, mistakes and lessons learned in the short and long term.

Result: The most effective charities

Currently, this is our selection of the most effective charities.

These charities have all been rated as the most effective by the relevant independent evaluator in their focus area. They all score excellently in their proven effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, growth potential and transparency.

Poverty & Health

g232 path2128 1 Against Malaria Foundation
g232 g328 1 Helen Keller Vitamin A supplementation
New Incentives
g232 path2914 1 Strong Minds

Climate

g232 path2981 1 Clean Air Task Force
g232 g1803 1 Carbon 180
Future Cleantech Architects

Animal welfare & Food transition

g232 path893 1 The Humane League
g232 path1141 1 The Good Food Institute
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Why are there no Dutch charities among them?

Many Dutch charities do not work on global issues. In fact, 90% of Dutch charities spend their money in the Netherlands. This is unfortunate because The Netherlands is a rich country. All of the problems that are easy and cheap to tackle have often already been solved in rich countries. Those that remain are often expensive and difficult to define and solve. In poor countries, the simpler problems have often not yet been addressed. For this reason, you can have more impact per euro by donating to charities that focus on problems that are easy and cheap to address in poor countries4. For example, saving a life abroad is significantly cheaper. In the Netherlands, the reference value (what an extra healthy year of life gained through treatment may cost on average) is currently 80,000 euro5. Contrast this with the fact that with just over 3,500 euros you can save the life of someone from Mali by supplying vitamin A supplements. The remaining 10% of Dutch charities do not pass the strict selection of the independent evaluators. They also may not volunteer themselves to be evaluated.

Read more about effective donating

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