We have completed our second phase of research which was to narrow a list of about thirty charity ideas to a more concise list of five top prospects worth further exploration. Below is a chart comparing these five possibilities. The rankings are relative to each other, not absolute and based on a primary and time limited review of the data on these causes.
We have written a detailed summary for each of these options elaborating on their strengths and weaknesses:
It is difficult to compare charities at this level, especially when the metrics we use to measure their respective impacts are so different (e.g. research vs. direct benefit). However, we still feel as though we have a front runner among these possibilities. SMS reminders to encourage vaccinations is currently our top pick for an intervention to pilot.
Though we are tentatively feel that our front-runner (SMS reminders) is the most promising intervention to proceed with, we have not closed the book on the other four options. We recognize that the difference in impact between the best and second best options could be very large, and thus feel that there can be “no stone unturned” with regards to making the right choice. To help make this the case, we are offering a one-time $500 prize to anyone who can significantly sway our decision by providing material that may challenge our conclusion thus far. How significant? We challenge you to change our top option by either weakening the case for SMS reminders or strengthening the case for another option. Why are we doing this? We need to make sure our decision is as airtight as possible before moving forward. Consider this an opportunity not only to get you (or a charity of your choice) $500 richer, but to make a hugely impactful contribution in the fight for global health. Email joey@charityscience.com for more information.
I guess I'm surprised to see tobacco taxation up there on personal fit grounds. While I think it's a great cause in general, I think it would be a many-year effort to gain the credibility and local knowledge to be able to influence Indian politics, especially when big money is going to be running against you.
For even the easiest to execute interventions we would have to hire domain and country experts. Any operation that involves government lobbying (tobacco and fortification) would require hiring a lobbyist who already has established connections and local knowledge. I do not feel like hiring a tobacco expert would be substantially more difficult than hiring a lobbyist for any other topic or hiring a very qualified expert for another intervention.