蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Valuing Information as a Philanthropic Funder
蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
vol. 115,
May 2025
(pp. 308–12)
Abstract
GiveWell directs around $10 million per year to fund new randomized controlled trials. Funding for new research has a high opportunity cost, as it requires us to spend less directly on programmatic activities. However, it may enable us to direct substantially larger sums of money more cost-effectively in the future if it updates our views about the program. We present the value of information framework, which we use as one input to assess whether to fund new research and show examples where the studies we funded affected tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in subsequent programmatic grants.Citation
Brown, Dan, Adam Salisbury, and Meika Ball. 2025. "Valuing Information as a Philanthropic Funder." 蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings 115: 308–12. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251021Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- L31 Nonprofit Institutions; NGOs; Social Entrepreneurship
- O14 Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration