Episode 36 - Effective Altruism - An Interview with Eric Freidman, Author of Reinventing Philanthropy

The challenge we face:

Donors are becoming more sophisticated when it comes to charitable giving. One philosophy and social movement around philanthropy is effective altruism. Through effective altruism donors try to determine and support nonprofits that combine the most effective and cost efficient programming to impact our world. Fundraising professionals and nonprofit leaders need to be aware of this growing attitude toward funding nonprofits and ensure that our interactions with donors communicates clearly the value proposition of our organization.

In this episode we’ll discuss:

Effective altruism’s approach to thinking about charitable giving and philanthropy
How the approach fundraisers take to donors might be affected by effective altruism
Does your fundraising communication plan need to change to address new questions about effectiveness that go beyond concerns about the cost of overhead?
How donors interested in effective altruism may change their donation habits over time
Can fundraising be one of the ten most harmful jobs on earth?
How effective altruism considers both effectiveness and cost effectiveness of your programs
Whether nonprofit fundraisers need to consider the effectiveness of their nonprofit in deciding if their work lives up to their own ethical standards and desires
How effective altruism shifts the focus from storytelling to research around nonprofits
What mindsets are needed for a donor to employ an effective altruism approach to their charitable giving

How you can make your voice heard!

There will be two polls in the Philanthropy Podcast Facebook group this week. The questions we’re asking are:

You can join our Philanthropy Podcast Facebook Group to share ideas, get advice, and simply enjoy the company of other listeners.

Learn more about this episode’s guest, Eric Freidman:

Eric Friedman is an individual donor who has spent several years trying to understand how to maximize the impact of his giving, including traveling to Africa to see his giving in action. He is an actuary and graduated from Stanford University with majors in mathematics and economics.