Giving What We Can

Giving What We Can (GWWC) was founded in November 2009 at Oxford University by philosophers Toby Ord and Will MacAskill, along with Bernadette Young. Inspired by the writings of Peter Singer on the moral obligation to help those in extreme poverty, Ord committed a large proportion of his own income to effective charities and worked with MacAskill to build an international community around this idea. The organization launched with 23 founding members who pledged a combined $21 million in future donations. GWWC's central program is the 10% Pledge: a public, lifelong commitment to donate at least 10% of one's income to whichever organizations can most effectively improve the lives of others. As of early 2026, over 12,000 people across 100+ countries have taken the pledge, and the community has collectively donated more than $500 million. The organization also offers a Trial Pledge for those wanting to try giving 10% for one year before committing fully. In addition to pledge promotion, GWWC operates a donation platform that makes it easy to give tax-deductibly to a curated list of high-impact organizations and cause-area funds spanning global health, animal welfare, and global catastrophic risk. GWWC does not charge fees to donors or recommended organizations. The organization was originally housed within the Centre for Effective Altruism and later the Effective Ventures Foundation (EVF). In August 2024, GWWC completed a spin-out to become a fully independent legal entity, registering as a UK charity (number 1207964) and a US 501(c)(3) (EIN 93-3629215). The organization is led by CEO Sjir Hoeijmakers and a team of 16 core staff as of 2025. GWWC's 2026 budget is approximately $4.2 million, funded primarily by a major grant from Coefficient Giving (~50%), individual donations from members and staff (~30%), and interest income (~20%). As of February 2026, the organization was still fundraising roughly 60% of its 2026 operational budget. GWWC targets a giving multiplier of 6x on its operational spending, meaning each dollar spent is estimated to generate $6 in additional donations to highly effective charities.