EA Organization Updates thread: February 2026
For the last couple of years, EA Organization Updates has been a monthly series hosted on the forum. It doesn’t normally get very much attention. Previous to that it was part of the EA Newsletter until the newsletter got far too long to host it.
Now we’re trying something new. Instead of asking organisations to write in to us, editing and posting their updates, we’re asking them to write directly here on the forum, where you can interact with them. If this goes well, we’ll continue the series as a monthly thread which stays up for a week.
Note that this thread will be less gate-kept, curated and endorsed than the previous series. This is a positive (content isn’t restricted to the organisations we have asked to write something) and negative (if the thread proves popular, we might have to spend moderation capacity removing irrelevant updates). We’ll keep an eye on this trade-off.
You can see previous updates on the “EA Organization Updates (monthly series) topic page. Notice that there’s also an “organization updates” tag, where you can find more news and updates that are not part of this consolidated series.
CEA grew the number of people engaging with our programs in 2025 by 20–25% year-over-year, beating our targets of 7.5–10% without increasing spending, and reversing the moderate decreases in engagement with our programs during 2023–24.
We were joined in January by two new Directors: Loic Watine, who will lead EA Funds, and Rory Fenton, who will lead our new Strategy and M&E function.
You can read our full 2025 progress report here.
Wild Animal Initiative attended a wild animal welfare research symposium organized by our grantees at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in the UK last month. The symposium included talks by WAI’s Science Team and grantees, interactive discussions, and networking opportunities. One of the researchers on our team also gave a lecture to 100 LJMU undergraduate students in animal behavior, wildlife management, and zoology.
This was the first time our grantees independently organized an event like this — a milestone that reflects the growth of the field. What began as funding for a single scientist’s research at LJMU is growing into a hub for researchers who are enthusiastic about wild animal welfare science and eager to adopt leading roles.
Ambitious Impact announced a new executive team to lead our scaling efforts in our new chapter. Read the full update here.
We are also excited to announce that application for the September 2026 & February 2027 cohorts of the Charity Entrepreneurship Program is now open. Learn more here. Apply before March 22nd.
More information about the recommended ideas will follow in the coming weeks!
MATS is hiring for two roles on the program team. MATS will have more than a dozen employees at EAG San Francisco 2026, so feel free to come talk to use if you are interested in joining the team.
Program Systems Associate: Build and maintain MATS’ internal infrastructure, including databases, data collection forms, and integrations. Refactor legacy systems and collaborate across teams to improve infrastructure and establish best practices. Create ambitious, shared infrastructure for the AI safety talent ecosystem. Requires strong database design skills and a product mindset; software engineering or LLM-assisted coding proficiency preferred.
Program Talent Manager: Own MATS’ full applicant process across 3+ high-volume cycles per year (100+ fellows, 50+ mentors per cohort). Interface with mentors at Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and other organizations to understand talent needs. Design applications, coordinate evaluations, manage reviewers, and prepare applicant shortlists. Develop outreach strategy to attract top talent. Requires strong judgment in evaluating technical/policy candidates and excellent project/stakeholder management; recruiting or structured evaluation experience preferred.
Coefficient Giving is hiring for a Grants Associate (remote, $123k) — apply by Monday, February 23rd to be considered.
We published a new blog post, “Our Approach to Recruiting a Strong Team,” a Q&A with Recruiting Lead Phil Zealley that covers our hiring approach and why we invest an unusual amount of effort in finding and evaluating candidates.
We launched an RFP for Humane Fish Slaughter Research/Prototypes. $7M in funding is available for projects that materially improve the welfare of fish at capture and slaughter. Learn more here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/i8om4DADPX5SfyNwP/request-for-proposals-humane-fish-slaughter-research-and
Updates from the Good Food Institute:
Reflections on GFI’s 2025 progress – video
Hear directly from GFI’s founder, Bruce Friedrich, about some of our biggest milestones from 2025 in this short (2-minute) video. Bruce highlights $3.5 million invested in open-access alternative protein R&D, the acquisition and public release of cultivated meat starter cell lines (the first time these have been made openly available), and the addition of 13 new university groups to the Alt Protein Project, supporting students entering the field.
New economic analysis on alternative proteins in Europe
In the largest GFI-funded report to date, new research examines the potential economic impact of treating alternative proteins as a strategic priority in Europe. The analysis finds that by 2040, a mature alt protein sector could contribute up to €111 billion in annual added value to the EU economy and support approximately 414,000 jobs. The report also outlines potential benefits for farmers, including increased demand for legumes and pulses, reduced reliance on soy imports, and improved farm resilience.
Plant-based meat research priorities (with FFAR)
GFI and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) released a joint report outlining priority research areas for plant-based meat. These priorities were also discussed in a workshop co-led with the Bezos Center for Sustainable Proteins at North Carolina State University. Together, these efforts aim to inform researchers across the US and internationally about high-impact, underexplored research opportunities.
Accreditation for GFI’s online course
GFI’s online course, The Protein Transition, received accreditation from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). This accreditation is expected to increase the course’s reach and provide additional validation for scientists and researchers considering participation.
Cultivated meat and halal certification in Malaysia
GFI APAC supported engagement that contributed to Malaysia’s Islamic authority declaring cultivated meat halal. This marks the first such ruling in a Muslim-majority country and follows similar decisions in Singapore, South Korea, and guidance from a major Islamic authority in Saudi Arabia. Given that close to 2 billion people aim to eat halal, this decision is an important step toward broader understanding of the science and potential benefits of cultivated meat.
We’re hiring:
Responsable des affaires publiques, France– 18-month fixed-term contract, remote
Research Fellow – Full-time, home-based (UK, Netherlands, or Germany), temporary (26 weeks)
Capital Mobilization Manager – Remote (United States)
Thought Leadership and Partnerships Advisor (Temporary)– Remote (United States)
Evidence Action is expanding Deworm the World to Tanzania, where we target reaching 10 million children. We will support the government in reshaping strategy to direct resources to the areas with the greatest need.
The dual HIV/syphilis rapid diagnostic test, the cornerstone of Evidence Action’s Syphilis-Free Start program, has dropped to a record low price of $0.84. This is just $0.04 more than the HIV-only test. Procuring these key supplies will now be more accessible and sustainable for the countries that need them most.
Evidence Action is hiring for three positions:
Executive Vice President, Global Programs will provide executive leadership for a dynamic portfolio of large-scale, evidence-based global health and development programs. This role’s location is flexible. US-based pay range: $200,000 - $230,000.
Senior Program Manager, Syphilis-Free Start will provide strategic leadership and oversight for the current country portfolio. Location: remote within the United States. Expected pay range: $98,700 - $110,000.
Associate, Global Operations will lead the hands-on coordination and implementation of many of our initiatives. Location: based out of our Washington, DC office. Expected pay range: $50,200 - $56,000.
Faunalytics
Faunalytics released a deep dive exploring the research on humane education — programs that teach the consequences of animal agriculture and/or respect for animals — examining how these initiatives influence dietary choices, shape attitudes toward animals, and inspire lasting compassionate action.
The organization is now accepting applications for their Community & Research Coordinator role. This mid-level role sits at the intersection of research, communications, and community engagement, building strong relationships with advocates and translating research findings into practical, accessible resources that support real-world advocacy. Applications are due March 15, 2026.
Jobs
Anima International is hiring for a Campaigner in Denmark (hybrid, salary DKK 26,500–36,000). Find out more and apply by February 22nd.
Updates
For the past six years, we’ve campaigned alongside other organizations in Norway to end the use of fast-growing chicken breeds – one of the cruelest practices in modern animal farming. Last month, Norway’s meat industry announced complete elimination of fast-growing chickens by the end of 2027. These birds currently make up ~60% of over 70 million chickens farmed for meat in the country each year. The industry also announced introducing in-ovo sexing of egg-laying chicks to end the killing of male chicks in egg production. More in our blog post by Niklas Fjeldberg.
As we continue working to end cages for hens in Poland, the percentage of hens in cages dropped to 63.68% by the end of 2025. Following dialogue with us, several companies fulfilled their cage-free commitments in January, including retail chain Netto (~287,000 hens per year), Stokrotka, Qubus hotel, and bakery chain Sowa – the target of a campaign we wrote about in a previous update.
In Denmark, we helped raise 78,396 signatures (triggering a parliamentary debate) on a citizens initiative calling for amending the Animal Welfare Act to improve the lives of farmed pigs. The proposed changes include a ban on tail docking (illegal in the EU), ban on cages for pregnant and nursing sows, and better living space requirements, potentially affecting ~28 million animals each year.
Meanwhile, in Bulgaria, our petition calling for a ban on cages for calves was discussed in the Parliamentary Committee on Civil Participation, with broad support from the politicians. It will now be discussed by the Agricultural Committee.
Opportunity for action
The European Commission is expected to respond to the Fur Free Europe European Citizen Initiative by the end of March. Despite the recent ban in Poland (EU’s largest fur producer), the Commission is considering regulations that will not meaningfully address the suffering of animals farmed for fur. Send an email to the Commissioners in support of an EU-wide ban on fur farming and import of fur products.
Impactful Policy Careers — AD5 support for high-impact EU policy roles
The European Commission will open applications for AD5 Administrator roles in Feb–March 2026. The last AD5 competition was in 2019, making this a rare entry point into high-leverage EU policy work across cause areas such as global health and development, and animal welfare.
At Impactful Policy Careers, we’re offering selective support for mission-driven candidates considering AD5. This includes guidance on eligibility and applications, structured preparation for EPSO assessments, and broader career support for navigating EU policy roles where impact at scale is possible.
AD5 is extremely competitive, but we believe strong preparation and targeted support can meaningfully improve candidates’ chances of success — and help more impact-oriented people enter influential policy positions.
You can learn more and register your interest here.