Which Cause Should I Donate To?

Written by, Gill Tataev founder of Ruthless Giving.

There are a lot of issues in this world. Sure, there’s a lot of good too, but it’s fair to say that we remain a long way from utopia.

Givers see these problems and feel compelled to fix them, which inevitably leads to a difficult decision. Unless you’ve got the resources of Bill Gates, you can’t donate to every cause. If you’re going to make a meaningful contribution, you need to pick your battles.

You need to ask yourself: of all the problems in the world, which is the most deserving of my money?

This might seem like an impossible question: one for philosophers to argue over, not for a humble philanthropist to decide. But it’s nonetheless one that you’ll need to answer to begin to make a difference in the world.

The 3 categories of causes

There are three main types of charitable causes, and finding the one that resonates with you can represent a big step in choosing the specific charity you’d like to support.

Global catastrophic risks

The risk of global catastrophe hangs heavy over our collective heads, as the Doomsday Clock reminds us, being closer to midnight now than it has ever been before. What’s your level of existential dread? If it’s closer to 10 than 1, donating to a cause that fights against global catastrophic risks might be for you! Consider charities that work on the following issues:

• Nuclear weapons: It’s a sad fact that civilization is nothing more than a mistakenly pressed button away from total annihilation, with mutual assured destruction (MAD — an appropriate acronym) the go-to strategy for nuclear-armed nations the world over. Disarmament is the only real solution, and a number of lobbying groups do great work in this space.
• Pandemics: Think COVID-19 was a one-off? Think again. If anything we’ve been extremely lucky up until this point, and the likelihood of another global pandemic will only increase into the future. At the very least the world is now more aware, and by donating to a charity that addresses the causes, we’ll hopefully avoid future effects.
• Global warming: Arguably the largest and most pressing risk on this list is also the most difficult to define. Global warming is an enormous problem that demands action at every level, from the individual to the international. Thankfully there are a wealth of charities doing incredible work in the space, whether through technological innovation, environmental protection, or governmental lobbying.

Development

Our world is one defined by inequality. On one side there are the haves, on the other the have nots. If you find yourself in the ‘have’ column, one way you can close the gap is to give some of what you have away to those who dearly need it.

• Health: A large percentage of global deaths remain entirely preventable. By donating money to aid organizations you can ensure developing areas of the globe are granted access to the vaccines, medicines, equipment, and skilled professionals that we in the developed world often take for granted.
• Education: The most effective way to accelerate development is to give people the knowledge they need to succeed. It’s the old ‘teach a man to fish’ argument, and it applies to individuals, groups and countries alike.
• Economic development: The truth is that the tools necessary for lasting economic development extend far beyond education. There are many charities that focus on providing infrastructure, transport, machinery, and technology to those who need it, supercharging economic development in the process.

Justice

A deep desire burns within many of us to right perceived wrongs. If you’re eager to advance and uphold justice, consider supporting organizations that work in the following areas:

• Human rights: Human rights should be a human right — it says it there on the packet. There are a wealth of charities that have charged themselves with fighting all manner of humanitarian issues, including trafficking, slavery, genocide, and displacement, on local, national and global levels.
• Corruption: Holding people in power to account: it’s an easier job in some countries than it is in others. Corruption is rife in much of the world, but particularly in dictatorships, autocracies, and countries that lack a truly free press. The best way to fight corruption is to reveal it, a job that many international charities have tasked themselves with.
• Animal suffering: Do you consider yourself an animal lover? Facing threats from ocean plastic, factory farming, habitat destruction and more, today’s animals are being forced to live in an increasingly human world. Happily many charities are working to redress this skewed balance.

Which is the best cause?

No matter how objective you might try to remain, your answer to the question above will be loaded with personal bias. It’ll be guided by your passions and personality, your background and lived experiences.

Some people are motivated by issues that affect them directly. Some are compelled to act when a human face is put to a cause. Some see animals as friends not food, and others see them as food not friends.

And these differences of opinion are great.

If everyone agreed that a single cause was the most deserving of donation, money wouldn’t go anywhere else. Diversity of opinion ensures diversity of donation, which in turn ensures that every worthy cause enjoys some form of support.

The best cause is simply the one that feels right to you — that compels you to donate whatever you can, and that fills you with warmth when you do.

All that’s left is to get giving.

This article is sponsored by People’s Foundation.