We help your donation!
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.
Known from
How we identify the most effective aid projects
Prioritizing problems
The impact of a donation depends heavily on the issue at hand. We focus on problems that are significant but neglected, and for which proven solutions exist.
Evaluating solutions
Independent experts analyze the most cost-effective approaches in these cause areas, based on scientific research.
Recommending charities
Projects that focus on cost-effective solutions to the most urgent problems are extensively evaluated. Only the best are recommended by us.
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. This does not have to be the case: The most effective aid projects in this area can save the life of an infant for less than CHF 5,000.
Mitigating Climate Change
We are currently heading for global warming of more than
2.5°C with considerable consequences. This does not have to be the case: The most effective climate protection projects can save a ton of CO2 for less than a euro.
Improving Animal Welfare
Billions of animals live and die in horrific conditions every year. This does not have to be the case: The most effective aid projects in this area can help numerous animals living in inhumane conditions with just one franc.
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
People 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.
Philipp Augenstein,
Country Manager Switzerland
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 donate is, of course, entirely your own decision. You may find some inspiration in our articles “How much should I donate?” and “Why and how I donate”.
Can I deduct my donation from my taxes?
Yes, you can deduct your donation from your taxes in Switzerland. Effektiv Spenden Schweiz (ESS) (UID: CHE-175.741.919) is on the list of tax-exempt organizations of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, and is therefore recognized in all cantons as a charitable organization to which donations are tax-deductible.
We automatically email you one donation receipt for all your donations at the end of February of the following year. You don’t need to do anything. Once it has been issued, you will also find it as a PDF in your donor account.
(If you want to deduct your donation in Germany, Austria or Czechia, which is possible in all of these countries, please select the relevant country at the top right of the donation form.)
I don’t want to donate online. Can I pay by bank transfer instead?
Yes! Just choose Bank transfer as the payment method in the last step of the donation form. You will then receive our bank details and can transfer your donation. Please use your personal payment reference (starting with “ES-”) so that we can match your transfer automatically.
What fees apply in Switzerland? Does 100% of my donation go to effective projects?
We use donations to our giving funds in full to carry out outstandingly effective projects together with partner organizations, and keep nothing of your donation for ourselves. However, the payment provider we work with charges fees for credit card and TWINT donations, and these are deducted from your donation. For donations within Switzerland, they are:
- Bank transfer: free
- Credit card/Apple Pay/Google Pay: 2.7% + CHF 0.30 for Swiss cards (3.25% + CHF 0.30 for international cards)
- TWINT: 1.9% + CHF 0.30
For donations over CHF 10,000, we recommend a free bank transfer.
Similar fees apply at every organization that collects donations. We have negotiated with all payment providers and get particularly favorable terms for non-profits.
We fund our own work through donations too, completely separately. You can read more about this on our transparency page.
How can I change, pause or cancel my recurring donation?
Do you donate by standing order? Then the payment runs through your bank, so you can only change the amount, pause or cancel there, by adjusting, suspending or deleting the standing order. Please still let us know in your donor account if you change the amount or cancel. Otherwise you will receive an automated payment reminder, which you can simply ignore.
If you donate by card or TWINT, you can change, pause or cancel your recurring donation directly in your donor account at any time, without giving a reason.
Prefer email or phone? We’re still here for you: schweiz@effektiv-spenden.org or +41 44 244 27 38.
How do you cover your costs?
Effektiv Spenden is made possible by private funders. Their support covers all the costs of our educational work and of running the platform. This allows us to use your donation to our giving funds in full for effective projects with our partners. Of course, we also welcome donations to us as a platform. You can find out more about how we are funded on our transparency page.
“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)
“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)
"Limiting the risks of artificial intelligence is important to me. The technology is developing rapidly, also thanks to Switzerland as an AI location. In addition to my lectures, I therefore specifically support organizations that are working on safe and socially acceptable AI via the ES Giving Fund."
Severin Trösch (Head of AI, Datahouse AG)
"After more than twenty years of working in the climate sector, I don't know of any better tips for climate donations than on this site. I also use Effective Donations because they think radically from the recipient's perspective."
Dominic Roser (Teaching and Research Council at the Interdisciplinary Institute for Ethics and Human Rights at the University of Fribourg)
"In the past, I often had to spend hours researching for myself which animal welfare organization would use my money most effectively. Thanks to Effektiv Spenden, this work is done for me by specialists and I can always see transparently where my money goes."
Dieter Ammann (Director SME Switzerland, Coty Beauty Swiss SARL)
“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)
100x MEHR
Stories of how your donation really makes a difference – our new book, in German
“Do you really want to make a difference with your money? Then read this book.”
Rutger BregmanHistorian and bestselling author 
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