Your donation can do more!
Support the world's most effective aid organizations. Selected on the basis of scientific studies and recommended by independent experts. So you can be sure that your donation not only gets through, but really makes a difference.
Support the world's most effective aid organizations. Selected on the basis of scientific studies and recommended by independent experts.
How we identify the most effective charities
Prioritizing problems
The impact of your donation depends heavily on the cause you choose. We focus on problems that are large but neglected, and for which there are proven solutions.
Evaluating solutions
Independent experts analyze the most cost-effective approaches in these cause areas, based on scientific research.
Recommending charities
Organizations that focus on cost-effective solutions to the most pressing problems are thoroughly evaluated. We recommend only the best.
effective donations
committed donors
hours of research per year
What do you want to achieve with your donation?
Fighting Poverty
Thousands of children die every day as a result of extreme poverty. They don't have to: The most effective charities in the field can save a child's life for less than €5,000.
Mitigating Climate Change
We are currently on course to exceed 2.5°C of global warming, with significant consequences. It doesn't have to be that way: The most effective climate charities can avoid a tonne of CO2 for less than €1.
Improving Animal Welfare
Billions of animals on factory farms live and die in appalling conditions every year. This doesn't have to be the case: Through the work of the most effective charities in the field, as little as one euro can help countless animals living in inhumane conditions.
Preserving the future and Controlling AI
Humanity faces a range of existential threats, such as a potentially even more aggressive pandemic, nuclear war, or how we can control AI. Our donation fund supports the most effective measures to effectively counter these risks.
Defending Democracy
Democracy is under threat worldwide. With our Giving Fund, you can support initiatives that effectively defend democracy in key countries and critical situations.
Your personal advice
Those who donate want to make a difference. We are happy to help you achieve the greatest possible impact in line with your ideas and values. Simply make an appointment for your personal consultation.
Anne Schulze,
Co-founder & Managing Director
Why donating with us is better
The most effective charities
We introduce you to the aid organizations that have been rated as outstandingly effective by leading experts in an international comparison.
Conveniently donate through us
You choose the cause or project that moves you the most and can support it directly and without deductions via our platform.
Deduct donation from tax
We forward your donation without deducting any fees and issue you with a donation receipt—even for aid organizations based abroad.
Maximum
impact
With your donation, you support demonstrably outstandingly effective organizations in the areas that are particularly close to your heart.
FAQs
How much should I donate?
How much you want to donate is of course ultimately your own personal decision, but perhaps you will find some inspiration in the articles "How much should I donate?" or "Why and how I donate".
Can I deduct my donation from my taxes?
Yes, you can deduct your donation from your taxes in Germany, no matter how you split it across our different donation options (funds, individual organizations).
We will automatically email you a donation receipt for all your donations at the end of February of the following year. You don't need to do anything else.
(If you would like to deduct your donation in Switzerland, Austria or Czechia – this is possible in all of these countries too – please select the relevant country at the top right of the donation form.)
I don't want to donate online, can I also transfer the money?
Yes! Simply select the payment method "Bank transfer" in the last step of the donation form. You will then receive our account details and can transfer your donation. Please use your personal payment reference (beginning with "ES-") when making the transfer, so that we can match it automatically.
What are the fees? Do you forward 100% of my donation?
We process donations free of charge, i.e. we do not keep any of your donation for ourselves. However, depending on the payment method, the payment services we work with may charge fees. These fees are then deducted from your donation. They are calculated as follows:
- Bank transfer: Free of charge within the SEPA payment area
- SEPA direct debit: 0.35 Euro
- PayPal: 1.5% + 0.35 Euro
- Credit card Germany: 1.2% + 0.25 Euro for European cards except Amex (2.9% + 0.25 Euro for Amex and international cards)
- Credit card Switzerland: 2.7% + 0.30 francs for Swiss cards (3.25% + 0.30 francs for international cards)
As a payment method, we recommend SEPA direct debit for donations below 10,000 euros, as it is particularly easy for us to process (unfortunately not available in Switzerland), and the free bank transfer for amounts above 10,000 euros. For security reasons, we only offer direct debit for amounts below 10,000 euros, and PayPal and credit card are not advisable for large amounts because of their cost.
Comparable fees would also be incurred for a direct donation to the respective organizations. We have already negotiated with all payment services and receive particularly favorable conditions for non-profit organizations.
We also finance ourselves through donations, but completely independently. You can find out more here.
How can I cancel my recurring donation?
You can cancel your recurring donation at any time and without giving reasons. Simply send us an informal email to spenden@effektiv-spenden.org or call us at +49 30 26035519.
How do you cover your costs?
Effektiv Spenden is made possible by private sponsors. This support enables us to cover all administrative costs. This allows us to pass on your donation in full to our top organizations. Of course, we also welcome your donation to us as a platform. You can find out more about our funding here.
“I deliberately seek the exchange with experts on the topic of foundation efficiency, such as Stefan Shaw, who previously headed the Reimann Family Foundation and built the platform effektiv-spenden.org.”
Raoul Rossmann (Entrepreneur)
“Yes, there are a whole series of examples of ineffective aid organizations. But that just means you have to do your own research. Where can you find the most effective donation projects in the world? On effektiv-spenden.org.”
Rutger Bregman (Author and historian)
“Through good research, we can measure better and better what is most effective in supporting people in extreme poverty. The aid organizations on effektiv-spenden.org are among the most effective that we know of so far. That's why I focus most of my donations on these organizations.”
Dina Pomeranz (Professor, University of Zurich)
“I base my work on scientific evidence. Why should I take a different approach to donations? If I support projects that are proven to be highly effective through effective donations, I not only know that my donation will be received, but that it will achieve an extraordinary amount on the ground.”
Andreas Hackethal (Professor Goethe University Frankfurt)
“As the fight against extreme poverty is literally a matter of life and death, I cannot be satisfied if my donation only reaches a fraction of what is possible. That's why I only donate to the most effective aid organizations.”
Thomas Smettan (priest in the diocese of Fulda)
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