Past Research Discussions
We put a lot of effort into making our research process and reasoning transparent. GiveWell holds conference calls and research meetings where we discuss our charity recommendations and answer questions.
This page also contains transcripts and recordings of events we've hosted that focus on the Open Philanthropy Project. As of June 2017, the Open Philanthropy Project is no longer part of GiveWell.
2022 research and recommendations
- June 22, 2022: Zoom video call about the research of water quality interventions. Speakers include Michael Kremer from Development Innovation Lab, Brett Sedgewick from Evidence Action, and Catherine Hollander, Stephan Guyenet and Elie Hassenfeld from GiveWell.
- Audio recording of the event (M4A)
- Written transcript (PDF)
2021 research and recommendations
- December 9, 2021: Zoom video call of a conversation with journalist Matthew Yglesias and GiveWell CEO Elie Hassenfeld on GiveWell’s origins, evolving role, and latest research.
- Audio recording of the event (M4A)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- Video recording of the event (MP4)
- Written transcript (PDF)
2020 research and recommendations
- December 3, 2020: Zoom video call to discuss our 2020 giving recommendations and a special look at our new top charity New Incentives.
- Video recording of the event (MP4)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- PowerPoint slide deck (PDF)
- July 8, 2020: Zoom video call to discuss our charity research and organizational updates in light of COVID-19.
2019 research and recommendations
- December 12, 2019: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- December 9, 2019: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity research and organizational updates.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- November 11, 2019: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity research and organizational updates.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- April 30, 2019: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity research and organizational updates.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- April 23, 2019: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity research and organizational updates.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
2018 research and recommendations
- December 4, 2018: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- December 4, 2018: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- November 1, 2018: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations.
- June 26, 2018: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations.
- June 19, 2018: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
2017 research and recommendations
- December 11, 2017: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 4, 2017: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- November 30, 2017: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- June 6, 2017: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- May 22, 2017: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
2016 research and recommendations
- December 13, 2016: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 5, 2016: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 1, 2016: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- June 20, 2016: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- June 14, 2016: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
2015 research and recommendations
- December 14, 2015: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 1, 2015: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- November 18, 2015: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- July 7, 2015: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- June 26, 2015: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- June 11, 2015: In-person event in New York to discuss our charity recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project
2014 research and recommendations
- December 15, 2014: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our new recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 7, 2014: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- December 4, 2014: In-person event in New York to discuss our new recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project.
- December 3, 2014: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations.
- June 19, 2014: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our progress researching evidence-based international aid charities and causes in the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- April 17, 2014: In-person event in Boston to discuss our progress researching evidence-based international aid charities and causes in the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- April 10, 2014: In-person event in New York to discuss our progress researching evidence-based international aid charities and causes in the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
2013 research and recommendations
- December 11, 2013: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our new recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- December 4, 2013: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- November 18, 2013: In-person event in New York to discuss our upcoming recommendations and progress on the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- June 5, 2013: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our research progress in 2013.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- April 29, 2013: In-person event in New York to discuss our research progress in 2013.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
2012 research and recommendations
- January 10, 2013: Conference call with some of GiveWell's close supporters to discuss our recommendation of GiveDirectly.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- December 6, 2012: Conference call to discuss our new recommendations and other aspects of our research.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- December 3, 2012: In-person event in San Francisco to discuss our new recommendations and other aspects of our research.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (PDF)
- November 26, 2012: In-person event at our New York office to discuss our new recommendations and other aspects of our research.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (DOC)
- November 20, 2012: Conference call with some of GiveWell's close supporters to discuss our planned recommendations and solicit feedback.
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (DOC)
- May 9, 2012: Research event giving an update on our recommended charities and the Open Philanthropy Project (known at the time as GiveWell Labs).
- Audio recording of the event (MP3)
- Written transcript (DOC)
- March 8, 2012: Question and answer session on annual review and plan.
2011 research and recommendations
- December 8, 2011: Conference call discussing GiveWell's updated charity recommendations for December 2011: Audio (MP3) and Transcript (PDF)
- November 21, 2011: Pre-publication call discussing forthcoming research: Transcript (DOC)
- August 18, 2011: Mid-process meeting to discuss ongoing research: Transcript (DOC)
Progress and Plans Discussions with GiveWell's Board of Directors
We hold periodic calls with members of our Board of Directors to update them on our progress and plans and to get their feedback. These calls are more informal than our official board meetings.
Calls are monitored for (a) comments that are both easily misinterpreted and insignificant; (b) compromise agreements of confidentiality that GiveWell has made to obtain information that does not belong to it. These comments are then removed.
On October 15, 2012, we held a call to discuss GiveWell's partnership with Good Ventures, donor outreach, recent research, staff recruiting, and other topics.
- Audio recording of the call (1 hour). There were six removals from the audio, totaling about 6 minutes.