2021 GiveWell cost-effectiveness analysis — version 3

Abstract

This document is a workbook for cost-effectiveness analysis, intended to be a tool for donors looking to make informed giving decisions. The workbook presents a cost-effectiveness analysis of eight top charities: Against Malaria Foundation, GiveDirectly, Deworm the World, The END Fund, SCI Foundation, Sightsavers, Malaria Consortium, and Helen Keller International. The workbook further estimates the cost-effectiveness of counterfactual government spending on health, education, and social security, with the goal of assessing the relative value of funding these charities versus government spending. In making these analyses, the workbook incorporates several different types of outcomes, including the reduction of mortality from malaria, vaccine-preventable diseases, and other causes; and the increase of consumption. Several adjustments are made to account for uncertainties in the effectiveness of interventions and the likelihood of various forms of leverage and funging. – AI-generated abstract.