I'm a big fan of small, underrated acts that can have outsized positive impact (both in terms EA and in life more generally). I'd like to share one such practice I've incorporated into my life this year that brings me joy and I think some others here would enjoy: redirecting money owed to me towards Givewell recommended charities.
Whenever someone owes me money or is trying to solicit my time, instead of asking for direct payment, I request they instead contribute that amount to a GiveWell-recommended charity. This comes up in several contexts:
- Friends repaying me miscellaneous expenses
- Buyers purchasing items from me (ie selling something used online)
- Being solicited for my participation in programs or sales pitches
I appreciate this just sounds like "Isn't this just offsetting your own charitable giving?" But I believe this approach creates additional value beyond the off-set donation:
- Exposure Effect: By enabling others to donate, they learn about GiveWell, experience the act of giving, and potentially become more likely to donate to effective causes in the future. My observation is that most people who have made donations through this often feel very happy about having done so.
- Social Lubrication: With friends, arranging repayment for small amounts can be awkward. Suggesting a charitable donation instead often feels more socially graceful and reduces friction.
- Price Elasticity of Altruism: When selling items, I've noticed people are often willing to agree to a higher price if it's going to charity rather than my pocket. It's as if we're suddenly on a joint mission to do good zero sum negotiation.
- Solicitation Arbitrage: I'm contacted through my work with near constant offers to meet someone in exchange for an Amazon GC. I've found people are often willing to donate x2.5 the amount to an effective charity instead of what they'd pay me directly. It's like discovering a hidden exchange rate between corporate incentives and altruism.
- Memetic Spread: The quirkiness of this approach often leads people to share their experience, potentially spreading Givewell recommended charities further.
I don't want to pretend this has a major impact, but it brings me joy, creates positive externalities, and serves as a constant reminder of our capacity to do good in small, everyday interactions.
Great suggestion, DMMF! For roughly the same reasons, I think it is also good to involve charitable donations in bets (example), with the loser making a donation to one or multiple organisations selected by the winner (there is also room to let the loser decide which organisation(s) to pick within some options).
Thanks for doing this. For the reasons that you've mentioned, you're likely getting a bonus value as against a direct donation.
A note I would make is that the preferential treatment you've referred to when incorporating this into economic activity (selling goods, higher inducements for meetings, etc.) is the same phenomena that underlies the idea of Profit for Good businesses (businesses where charities get the profit instead of other investors).
For your convenience, I'll link to a reading list- "Making Trillions for Effective Charities through the Consumer Economy" and "From Charity Choice to Competitive Advantage" are probably the two best reads.
Reading List
This is a great approach that definitely brings extra value to the table - people you know are getting involved in charity and potentially will also adopt this behaviour. Thanks for posting it!