Finding ways to give other than direct monetary donations - Easy
Sam is a college student who does not have a steady flow of income and has tons of student loans to pay off, so he finds it difficult to donate to charities even though he’d like to. He finds that he lets a lot of meal swipes go to waste every week because he misses meals, and wishes there was some way for that money to go to a good cause. Sam volunteers at community service events that he hears about, but he sometimes does not enjoy/is not good at the tasks at these events. He enjoys painting and arts and crafts and wishes there was some way to give charitably while doing things he enjoys.
Learning about effective charities - Hard
Sharon is a recent college graduate who is pursuing a career in social work. Now that she has a steady flow of income, she wants to give some of that money to a good cause and is having a bit of difficulty deciding which one. She has heard positive things about certain charities, and is considering whether she wants to donate to or otherwise support them. She wants a summary of the charities’ goals, contact info, and/or sources of more information. Sharon is very careful in this decision so does her research on the effectiveness of different charities through websites such as Charity Watch and Give Well. However, she finds herself being overwhelmed by all these different charities and how difficult it is to get specific information on specific ones that interest her. Slightly frustrated, she just picks the one she’s currently viewing that sounds reasonable, and makes a donation.
Staying updated on charities that have benefited from past donations - Moderate
Tim used to donate to charities very frequently but had done so less often in recent years because it seemed as though his donations weren’t making a difference so he lost interest. It was hard for him to stay updated on how the charities that he donated to are doing and how his donation is being used. Tim finds it hard to keep up with what the charities are doing. At this point, the operations of the organizations receiving the donations are totally opaque to him, and he has no idea how the money is being spent and what effect it’s having. He would like to help change the world for the better but feels as though his donations just disappear without a trace.
Giving effectively without having to sacrifice too much convenience - Moderate
Nancy works two jobs to take care of her children. She’s very busy and hardly has time to think about much else other than keeping her family happy. However, she always donates money to her local church that she attends every Sunday and whenever she sees any charity representatives in public asking for donations. Nancy does not have the time to research what charities are effective, nor does she have enough of a desire to do so. There are plenty causes near her that she feels that she could help with. She thinks that it might be nice to give to causes outside her community but she feels as if she does not have the time to do so.
Discussing and collaborating with others about having the most impact - Hard
Brian runs a group at his college called “Effective Altruism” where students gather to discuss how they can have the most effective impact with their donations. Brian knows that discussion and collaboration are key components to effective altruism, but he does not know how to promote conversations about giving effectively outside his campus community. While interacting with another student, he learns that they are interested in donating to charity. Brian would like to encourage the other student to think about their donation strategy and give more “effectively”.
Understanding the impact you can have - Easy
Erica is a junior in college and doesn’t have a steady income stream besides a couple hundred dollars a semester as a teaching assistant. She uses the cash for small purchases, but other than that she doesn’t think she has much money to give to charity. Although she cares about some causes, such as supporting animal welfare and sustainable living, she doesn’t give to them frequently since she can’t imagine a $5 donation would help all that much.