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. […]
Blog
Candid thoughts from staff, donors, and recipients on our work and the broader movement towards cash transfers.
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Most aid programs still use outdated lists that miss people in crisis About one in five Bangaldeshis live below the national poverty line.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 […]
Uncategorized
Event: what if conservation started with trust?
Conservation finance is failing and local communities are still shut out On June 11, more than 50 practitioners gathered in Nairobi to explore a bold question: What if we tackled conservation not by restricting communities but by trusting them? Co-hosted by Equal Right, GiveDirectly, and the Global Resilience Partnership, the “Cash for Conservation” workshop brought […]
Operations
How AI helped send cash just before floods hit in Nigeria
Getting cash to people before disaster strikes can save lives. That’s why we piloted an AI-powered flood response in Nigeria, predicting where floods would hit and delivering early cash to those most at risk. By combining cutting-edge forecasts with local insights, we reached flood-prone communities faster, more affordably, and with greater precision—delivering aid before the […]
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 […]
Opinions
Switching to more cash aid would help millions in 2025
2025 is a defining moment for the humanitarian system. The scale of aid cuts facing the sector isn’t just a short-term budget challenge — it demands a fundamental rethink of how we deliver help. The efficiency of cash means it’s one of the few answers we have to the challenge in front of us. The […]
Opinions
Bill Gates wants to give his wealth to moms – make it cash | Washington Post
May 19, 2025 By Mona Hanna and Miriam Laker-Oketta Bill Gates recently pledged to give away nearly all his $200 billion in wealth by 2045, aspiring to have no mom, child or baby die from a preventable cause. As two physicians — one in Michigan, one in Uganda — we know accomplishing such a bold goal will […]
Operations
Why we sent the largest-ever cash payment to homeless Americans
In 2024, the U.S. saw the highest number of people unhoused — 770,000 on a given night — despite $10B+ in federal spending on homelessness. There is growing evidence that a large lump sum of cash can help homeless families become stably housed, which is why GiveDirectly launched a program in Chicago doing just that. We […]