If the best projects already have enough money, and are hiring significantly less people than the total number of potentially full time EAs, its possible that funding the next “tier” of worse-than-best projects is worthwhile. And it’s not clear that we have the money to do that.
I would disagree with that line of reasoning—as donors, we should be seeking to channel money into the most effective places it can do good, not trying to spread out the opportunity to do good to different individuals within the EA movement.
So if donor A can create 10 utils by donating $1 to Org Z, or create 5 utils and one new EA job by donating $1 to Org Y, the choice seems to be clear. My understanding is that our current research suggests that this is the case. (I also agree with Arepo, however, about donors potentially being irrational.)
When people say all of the top orgs have enough money, my interpretation is that I can’t really create any value at all by donating to them. That is, donor A can create 0 utils by donating to $1 to Org Z, because doing so doesn’t actually allow Org Z to scale in a meaningful way.
If I also can’t work at Org Z, then donating to Org Y looks like my next best option.
That makes sense — on a second look, I misread your first comment. Absolutely agree that the community shouldn’t have a go big or go home mentality, ie it shouldn’t be seen as impossible to do good if you can’t get an ultra selective job at one of these organizations.
If the best projects already have enough money, and are hiring significantly less people than the total number of potentially full time EAs, its possible that funding the next “tier” of worse-than-best projects is worthwhile. And it’s not clear that we have the money to do that.
I would disagree with that line of reasoning—as donors, we should be seeking to channel money into the most effective places it can do good, not trying to spread out the opportunity to do good to different individuals within the EA movement.
So if donor A can create 10 utils by donating $1 to Org Z, or create 5 utils and one new EA job by donating $1 to Org Y, the choice seems to be clear. My understanding is that our current research suggests that this is the case. (I also agree with Arepo, however, about donors potentially being irrational.)
When people say all of the top orgs have enough money, my interpretation is that I can’t really create any value at all by donating to them. That is, donor A can create 0 utils by donating to $1 to Org Z, because doing so doesn’t actually allow Org Z to scale in a meaningful way.
If I also can’t work at Org Z, then donating to Org Y looks like my next best option.
That makes sense — on a second look, I misread your first comment. Absolutely agree that the community shouldn’t have a go big or go home mentality, ie it shouldn’t be seen as impossible to do good if you can’t get an ultra selective job at one of these organizations.