Rethink Priorities

Rethink Priorities (RP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit think-and-do tank co-founded in 2018 by Marcus A. Davis and Peter Wildeford. Originally launched as a project of Rethink Charity, RP spun out as an independent organization in 2020 and has since grown from a two-person team into an international research organization with approximately 60 staff working remotely across 15 countries. RP conducts empirical research across four core departments. The Animal Welfare team investigates interventions affecting farmed and wild animals, including aquaculture, insects, and invertebrate sentience. The Global Health and Development team identifies neglected health problems and viable solutions, covering infectious diseases, maternal health, and climate-health intersections. The Worldview Investigations team addresses complex philosophical and empirical challenges to improve philanthropic decision-making, developing frameworks for cross-cause resource allocation and exploring questions around digital minds and moral patienthood. The Surveys and Data Analysis team conducts polls, experiments, and focus groups to inform policy decisions on topics ranging from AI regulation to effective altruism movement building. RP also runs a Special Projects program launched in 2022 that provides fiscal sponsorship and operational support to early-stage high-impact organizations. Notable sponsees have included Apollo Research, the Quantified Uncertainty Research Institute, and the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy (IAPS). IAPS, which evolved from RP's AI Governance and Strategy team, is a nonpartisan think tank focused on AI policy research and is set to spin off as a fully independent entity in 2026. Peter Wildeford transitioned from Co-CEO of RP to focus on AI projects and serves as Chief Advisory Executive at IAPS. RP's leadership includes CEO Marcus A. Davis, President Kieran Greig, and COO Carolyn Footitt. The organization is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. Major funders include Open Philanthropy, the Survival and Flourishing Fund, and individual donors. RP has received multiple grants from Open Philanthropy totaling millions of dollars across its research programs. The organization has produced hundreds of research outputs since its founding and serves a wide range of stakeholders including philanthropists, policymakers, researchers, journalists, and nonprofits. RP has been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator with an overall score of 90%. In 2026, RP is expanding into AI strategy research, launching an AI Cognition Initiative, and establishing an Interdisciplinary Research Hub.