EA Forum Podcast (Curated & popular) “How to actually give money away” by NickAllardice
May 6, 2026
Nick Allardice, longtime philanthropist and leader at GiveDirectly, shares practical giving habits. He explains why people delay donating and how to avoid it. He recommends setting an annual giving budget, picking and writing down core causes, building a diversified giving portfolio, using giving "index funds," keeping operations lean, and making giving a recurring, scheduled practice.
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Nick's Direct Experience With High-Volume Giving
- Nick Allardice has processed millions of donations as Change.org CEO and now runs GiveDirectly with 160k donors.
- He also gave 10–20% of his income for 17 years, informing his practical lessons on giving.
Default Pathway Is Perpetual Deferral
- Most people who intend to give large sums delay and the money sits in DAFs or 'someday' plans.
- Nick Allardice calls this the default pathway and explains a feedback loop: fear of loss → deferral → growing wealth → higher stakes → more caution.
Set A High Meaningful Annual Giving Floor
- Set a giving floor that actually matters: 10–20% of income or at least 5% of net worth while still earning.
- Treat 5% of $100 million as $5 million per year and use equity gifts now rather than waiting for exits.