GiveDirectly

Abstract

What do they do? GiveDirectly (givedirectly.org) transfers cash to households in developing countries via mobile phone-linked payment services. It targets extremely low-income households and people affected by humanitarian crises. Does it work? We believe that this approach faces an unusually low burden of proof, and that the available evidence supports the idea that unconditional cash transfers significantly help people. GiveDirectly has a track record of effectively delivering cash to low-income households. GiveDirectly’s work has been studied in multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs). What do you get for your dollar? The proportion of total expenses that GiveDirectly has delivered directly to recipients is approximately 83% overall. This estimate averages across multiple program types and relies on several rough assumptions about what costs to include and exclude. Is there room for more funding? We believe that GiveDirectly is highly likely to be constrained by funding in the next three years. With additional funding, it could significantly increase the number of cash transfers it delivers in six countries and potentially expand to additional countries. Over 2021-2023, we estimate that GiveDirectly could productively use several hundred million dollars more than we expect it to receive.