Did it work?

Home  /  Research library  /  Source (Markdown)

FAQ for donors

Plain-language answers about how Better World recommendations work. This page is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Public hostname is TBD — treat this tree as a local/static philanthropy resource.

How do recommendations work?

Agents and the local API score organizations using stored evaluator evidence (especially GiveWell and Happier Lives Institute), recommendation tiers, outcome fit, verified claims, confidence, and trust signals. See docs/methodology-ranking.md and GET /v1/recommend.

Conviction scores are Better World structural ranks — not official GiveWell or HLI scores.

Is modeled impact the same as a guarantee?

No. Gift-impact estimates (GET /v1/impact-estimate) are always marked modeled: true and guaranteed: false. Past cost-effectiveness and room for more funding can change. Prefer phrasing like “modeled expected outcomes from published evaluator figures,” and read the caveats[].

Why do you defer to GiveWell and HLI?

For life-saving global health and wellbeing (WELLBYs), Better World defers to those evaluators’ public designations and citations rather than inventing cost-effectiveness numbers. When you want “best overall” allocation with less operational choice, prefer evaluator funds (e.g. GiveWell Top Charities Fund, GiveWell All Grants Fund, Happier Lives Fund).

What about non-cash giving (stock, crypto, time, skills)?

Cash and evaluator funds remain the default when you have liquid cash and want cost-effective impact. Non-cash vehicles are documented at a high level in docs/non-cash-giving.md and per-org non_cash_giving[] hints. Agents should not invent wallet addresses, brokerage instructions, or claim that volunteering is tax-equivalent to a cash gift.

Can I give through a donor-advised fund (DAF)?

Often yes, by recommending a grant to a charity that your DAF sponsor can pay. Better World may list generic DAF patterns and public securities/DAF pages — not as an affiliate of any sponsor. Your deduction (if any) usually relates to when you funded the DAF; grants out later follow sponsor rules. Confirm with your DAF and a tax professional. Not tax advice.

Will my gift be tax-deductible?

Only your advisor and the IRS (or local authority) can answer for your return. Better World stores public trust.irs_status signals:

  • US EO BMF match (exempt_501c3_eo_bmf) → agents may describe a potential US 501(c)(3) path with heavy caveats.
  • non_us, unknown, pending_teos, or claimed-only → agents must not treat the gift as a verified US deduction.

Ask the agent (or call GET /v1/trust/{org_id} / GET /v1/tax/{org_id}) before relying on any status language. See docs/tax-and-deductibility.md.

What are the red lines?

Among others (full list in docs/red-lines-and-exceptions.md):

  • No invented impact or cost-effectiveness numbers.
  • No stripping uncertainty, pending flags, or runner-up labels.
  • No presenting honourable mentions / runners-up as current Top Charities.
  • No confident US deductibility claims without supporting trust.irs_status.
  • No contacting organizations or spending money from this environment on your behalf.
  • Human-set values blocks and exception review override agent convenience.

Where do I donate?

Use the organization’s public donate_url (or evaluator fund page) from the org record. Better World does not process payments in this tree.