Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg Why it's so hard to have confidence that charities are doing good (with Elie Hassenfeld)
Mar 16, 2022
Elie Hassenfeld, co-founder and CEO of GiveWell, discusses how their focused methodology sets them apart in the charity sector. He explains why they recommend only a few high-impact charities and the complexities of measuring charitable effectiveness. The conversation touches on the philosophical dilemmas of saving lives versus improving well-being, challenges in evaluating charities, and a major cost miscalculation in deworming programs. Hassenfeld emphasizes the role of empirical evidence in effective giving and addresses misconceptions about poverty management.
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The Brittleness of Doing Good
- Doing good is brittle, requiring precise variables and steps for significant impact.
- Unexpected downsides and plan failures are common due to unforeseen complications.
Impact of the Average Charity
- Elie Hassenfeld believes most charities helping the poor provide meaningful good, though far from optimal.
- He bases this on the assumption that even basic services offer some improvement.
Lack of Overall Impact Reporting
- Many charities report project effectiveness but lack overall impact assessments.
- This information gap makes it difficult to assess real-world effectiveness.
