The “large grant made specifically for this” explanation is unconvincing without more. Did a grantor come up with this idea independently, or did CEA choose to approach a grantor with this idea (as opposed to other pitches it could have made for someone with that kind of money to spend)? If so, why did CEA decide this was the best ask for a huge grant? To the extent the “large grant” comment was meant to reassure donors that their money wasn’t used for this, money is fungible.
It’s certainly plausible the decision made economic sense, but in that case CEA needs to publish the math. That’s not an unreasonable ask for a marquee organization in a movement focused on maximing social benefit for resources devoted to charitable purposes.
The “large grant made specifically for this” explanation is unconvincing without more. Did a grantor come up with this idea independently, or did CEA choose to approach a grantor with this idea (as opposed to other pitches it could have made for someone with that kind of money to spend)?
I was the person who owned the early development of the project idea, and fundraised for it. (The funding comes from a grant specifically for this project, and is not FTX-related.) I brought it to the rest of the board of EVF to ask for fiscal sponsorship (i.e. I would direct the funding to EVF and EVF would buy the property and employ staff to work on the project).
Although I suppose it is possible he sought out a funder but the funder was only willing to pay for this specific one.
The “large grant made specifically for this” explanation is unconvincing without more. Did a grantor come up with this idea independently, or did CEA choose to approach a grantor with this idea (as opposed to other pitches it could have made for someone with that kind of money to spend)? If so, why did CEA decide this was the best ask for a huge grant? To the extent the “large grant” comment was meant to reassure donors that their money wasn’t used for this, money is fungible.
It’s certainly plausible the decision made economic sense, but in that case CEA needs to publish the math. That’s not an unreasonable ask for a marquee organization in a movement focused on maximing social benefit for resources devoted to charitable purposes.
This section of Owen’s reply seems to imply the latter:
Although I suppose it is possible he sought out a funder but the funder was only willing to pay for this specific one.