Solutions which do more than feel good
We all want to do good at the holidays. And we want to make sure that our efforts do the most good possible. The Copenhagen Consensus takes this approach all year long, identifying and publishing the smartest solutions that have the greatest positive effects on people’s lives.
Doing $100,000 worth of good with $100
Some will send out a card certifying the donation of a goat to a poor family. That is undoubtedly good. An independent Red Cross study showed each dollar spent on a goat in Rwanda would generate $1.6 of social good for the receiving family.
But you can send out an even better donation card, that will support the Copenhagen Consensus Center's evidence-based work with a $100 donation.
This will help our 300+ economists create the crucial information required for policy makers and philanthropists to focus on programs and policies with high social benefit to cost. The impact can be astonishing.
Smart nutrition programs can do $12-$27 of social good for every dollar spent. One dollar spent on smart health programs can do $15-37 of social good. Getting more effective government procurement through e-bidding can produce an astonishing $600+ of social good per dollar.
By supporting the Copenhagen Consensus with just $100, you can help give tailwind to the smart solutions supported by data and analysis, rather than the solutions supported by pictures of crying babies, cute animals and good PR campaigns.
Getting it a bit less wrong makes a huge difference
Leverage will make your dollars do even more good than the individual benefit-to-cost ratios.
Governments, philanthropies and aid spends billions of dollars. Shifting just a small fraction to more efficient solutions effectively leverages these many billions.
This year, our research has gotten into the hands and minds of millions of voters and decision makers in Bangladesh. This has helped a small but significant shift in the Bangladeshi national budget towards tuberculosis treatment, e-procurement, and nutrition & micronutrients for small children, among others. Over the coming years, this will shift the spending of at least hundreds of millions of dollars. Each smarter solution will do tens of dollars more good, generating billions of dollars of benefits for millions of dollars of costs. $100 has generated $100,000 of economic, social and environmental good in Bangladesh.
Likewise, our Haiti Priorise research project which will conclude next year, informs the Haitian government and donors where each dollar spent can do the most good. In the coming years, we will work with Tata Trusts to help states in India to prioritize better.
So, if you're thinking of sending the gift of a good donation, click below, and we'll send your $100,000 holiday card to your favorite person.
Happy holidays,
bjorn
PS. If you click and order "The $100,000 Holiday Card" here before December 19, your card should get out to your family and friends almost anywhere in the world before December 24.
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