Personally, I think the Centre for Health Security might be a pretty good bet, as they genuinely are doing prominent COVID-related work, but were also already an excellent donation opportunity from an x-risk/ālongtermist perspective (in my view, based largely on Founders Pledgeās recommendation and Open Philās donations, rather than separate new info of my own). So Iād guess that CHS passes the ārelated to COVIDā test for non-EAs.
CHS may fail the ādoing something tangible and easy to understandā test. If you think thatād be an issue for your networks, maybe the best option from Sanjayās post would be Univursa Health or Development Media International (just based on my impression after reading that postāI have no prior knowledge of Univursa).
I would also be cautious about just trying to point out to non-EAs that non-COVID things will be especially neglected, as they may find that reasoning callous or misguided if their first exposure to it is during this crisis. But you could try to first suggest what the best donation opportunities that are COVID/āpandemic-related are, and then point out in a very non-pushy way how other things may be especially neglected right now, and thus especially valuable to donate to. Sort of like an intellectual point that they can take or leave, with you having first accepted and respected their starting point of interest in COVID specifically.
This is roughly what I plan to do in a Facebook fundraiser for CHS. Inspired partly by your question, I wrote up my planned text for the fundraiser, my rationale for it, and my open questions here.
Note: I lean towards longtermism. For people more convinced by arguments for other cause areas such as global health and development or animal welfare, I think thereās probably more of a real tension between (a) trying to gently steer people interested in supporting work on COVID towards more effective donation opportunities, versus (b) recommending what you truly think is at least highly effective.
But maybe (not sure) this would be a time for just doing (a) anyway, given that thereās a lot of scope for that right now. This could be based on moral uncertainty, or could be a sort of moral trade with longtermists. Alongside this, such people could personally continue to donate their resources to whatever they think is highest value.
But you could try to first suggest what the best donation opportunities that are COVID/āpandemic-related are, and then point out in a very non-pushy way how other things may be especially neglected right now, and thus especially valuable to donate to. Sort of like an intellectual point that they can take or leave, with you having first accepted and respected their starting point of interest in COVID specifically.
Thatās sounds like a good approach. Iām the only EA I know of so just spreading the ideas /ā principles that resonates with my peers is difficult.
As someone still fairly new to EA myself, Iām considered longtermism but havenāt done enough time investment to change my donation strategy as I prioritize direct interventions for global health.
Let me know how the fundraiser goes! I am going to wait until I hear something from GiveWell, but will definitely look into CHS.
Personally, I think the Centre for Health Security might be a pretty good bet, as they genuinely are doing prominent COVID-related work, but were also already an excellent donation opportunity from an x-risk/ālongtermist perspective (in my view, based largely on Founders Pledgeās recommendation and Open Philās donations, rather than separate new info of my own). So Iād guess that CHS passes the ārelated to COVIDā test for non-EAs.
CHS may fail the ādoing something tangible and easy to understandā test. If you think thatād be an issue for your networks, maybe the best option from Sanjayās post would be Univursa Health or Development Media International (just based on my impression after reading that postāI have no prior knowledge of Univursa).
I would also be cautious about just trying to point out to non-EAs that non-COVID things will be especially neglected, as they may find that reasoning callous or misguided if their first exposure to it is during this crisis. But you could try to first suggest what the best donation opportunities that are COVID/āpandemic-related are, and then point out in a very non-pushy way how other things may be especially neglected right now, and thus especially valuable to donate to. Sort of like an intellectual point that they can take or leave, with you having first accepted and respected their starting point of interest in COVID specifically.
This is roughly what I plan to do in a Facebook fundraiser for CHS. Inspired partly by your question, I wrote up my planned text for the fundraiser, my rationale for it, and my open questions here.
Note: I lean towards longtermism. For people more convinced by arguments for other cause areas such as global health and development or animal welfare, I think thereās probably more of a real tension between (a) trying to gently steer people interested in supporting work on COVID towards more effective donation opportunities, versus (b) recommending what you truly think is at least highly effective.
But maybe (not sure) this would be a time for just doing (a) anyway, given that thereās a lot of scope for that right now. This could be based on moral uncertainty, or could be a sort of moral trade with longtermists. Alongside this, such people could personally continue to donate their resources to whatever they think is highest value.
Thatās sounds like a good approach. Iām the only EA I know of so just spreading the ideas /ā principles that resonates with my peers is difficult.
As someone still fairly new to EA myself, Iām considered longtermism but havenāt done enough time investment to change my donation strategy as I prioritize direct interventions for global health.
Let me know how the fundraiser goes! I am going to wait until I hear something from GiveWell, but will definitely look into CHS.