1 in 8 Americans depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, to feed their families. Starting on November 1, millions of Americans missed their monthly SNAP food benefits due to the U.S. government shutdown. Thanks to the generosity of 4,700+ donors, GiveDirectly and Propel delivered $50 emergency cash payments […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Operations
Report: risks we faced delivering cash in 2024
GiveDirectly’s work is rooted in integrity and focused on safety. We deliver unconditional transfers to people in poverty while managing the risks this creates, including fraud, abuse, and safety threats. Our code of ethics and values, along with national laws, guide staff conduct and set clear standards. We continuously improve safeguards to strengthen protection for […]
Operations
Rethinking efficiency to better reflect our diverse cash programs
Minimizing costs maximizes our impact for the world’s poorest: in a million-dollar GiveDirectly program, increasing efficiency from 75% to 80% might allow us to give an additional 100 people cash.1 But efficiency is not the only important metric, as some higher-cost programs reach more vulnerable populations or unlock new funds to go directly to people in […]
Research
Direct cash looks 3-4x more cost-effective in a new GiveWell assessment
For those unfamiliar, GiveWell is a charity evaluator dedicated to finding outstanding giving opportunities by carefully assessing evidence to help donors decide where to give. GiveWell funds charities that they believe save or improve lives most cost-effectively. They do this by assigning ‘moral weights’ to specific outcomes based on the subjective judgments from staff, donors, […]
Operations
How GiveDirectly prevents, addresses, and reports risks
If you believe you’ve observed GiveDirectly staff, volunteers, vendors, contractors, or partners engaging in misconduct (including fraud, harassment, discrimination, or any other form of unethical behavior), please file a report to whistleblower@givedirectly.org or to our third-party whistleblowing portal here→ We’re improving how we report to you on risks Giving cash directly is a proven and dignified way to […]