In the midst of post-election protests in November 2024, our cash program in Mogovolas, Mozambique was hit by a wave of false accusations. A social media post claimed that GiveDirectly was placing recipients under house arrest, acting as a political agent of the ruling party, and even recruiting for armed groups. The lies spread quickly, […]
Blog
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
Operations, Research
Can cash accelerate the end of extreme poverty? Taking the next big step in Malawi
In Malawi, we’re answering a new question: can cash not only transform individual lives but entire communities, accelerating the end of extreme poverty? The evidence is clear that large, unconditional cash transfers help people escape extreme poverty. Now we’re testing how it works at scale and learning how to make it even more effective along the […]
Operations
Oyin Solebo joins GiveDirectly Board of Directors
With nearly $1 billion delivered to people in poverty, GiveDirectly is entering a bold new phase: scaling our programs while innovating faster to meet our goal of delivering $5 billion by 2035. At this inflection point, we’re proud to welcome Oyin Solebo to GiveDirectly’s Board of Directors. Solebo brings unmatched experience at the intersection of […]
Research
New research: Cash for pregnant moms in Flint led to healthier births and millions in healthcare savings
A statewide study of GiveDirectly’s Rx Kids program in Flint, Michigan found that giving every pregnant woman in the city $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 monthly postpartum in cash led to healthier births and saved millions in healthcare costs. The findings highlight that poverty itself is a health risk factor for mothers and babies — […]
Operations
Five things we’ve learned using mobile data and AI/ML to identify people in need
Natural disasters, conflict, pandemics, and other crises are hitting more frequently and affecting more people. Unconditional cash transfers — delivered quickly before or after a shock — help families withstand these shocks. But to deliver cash quickly, governments and aid organizations need to solve a basic problem: How do you find the people most in need […]
Donation Info
Charitable Donation Deadlines for 2025
If you’re planning to make a donation around the holidays, we’ve pulled together details below on United States tax deadlines.
Research
Study: Giving cash to mothers cut infant deaths in half
In rural Kenya, giving poor families a one-time $1,000 transfer cut infant deaths nearly in half, one of the largest reductions ever recorded for a poverty program. With global aid budgets shrinking and funders under pressure to do more with less, the findings point to cash as a powerful, underused tool to reduce preventable deaths. […]
Operations
From proven to fit-for-purpose: what we’re doing next with cash
This year, GiveDirectly will hit a milestone few thought possible: $1 billion committed to people in poverty, alongside 25+ independent studies rigorously testing how that cash was spent, what changed, and why. Now we’re raising the bar. GiveDirectly has set an audacious new goal: deliver $5 billion by 2035 to accelerate the end of extreme […]
Operations
In Bangladesh, AI targeted aid faster, cheaper, and often more accurately than manual methods
Most aid programs still use outdated lists that miss people in crisis About one in five Bangaldeshis live below the national poverty line. The government runs over 100 social protection programs reaching nearly 30m people. But many rely on static registries that fail to capture real-time need, like when a cyclone hits, a breadwinner loses […]
Donation Info
Updates to our basic income & refugee donation options
As we look to simplify our donation options and optimize for effectiveness, GiveDirectly will no longer be accepting donations for basic income and refugee programs through our website, and will be shifting active donations to fund our general Africa poverty relief programs. We’re focused on scaling our large, one-time cash transfer work in Africa, and […]