GiveWell’s 2026 Strategy: A $500 Million Plan for Global Impact

Philanthropy faces a constant challenge: how to make the biggest difference with limited resources. In 2026, GiveWell is tackling this head-on with an ambitious plan to direct at least $500 million toward the most effective global health and development programs. This strategy focuses on expanding research to find high-impact opportunities and funding interventions that demonstrably improve health, survival, and well-being worldwide. To achieve this, GiveWell has significantly grown its research team, now employing around 60 specialists across various critical sectors.

Expanding Research Capacity

GiveWell’s approach to research is designed to identify not just proven interventions, but also new opportunities with the potential for large-scale positive effects. The organization has structured its research into specialized units, each focusing on a specific area of global health and development. This allows for deep dives into complex issues and the development of targeted strategies.

The research structure includes dedicated teams for:

• Malaria prevention and treatment
• Nutrition programs
• Vaccination efforts
• Water quality improvements
• Livelihoods and poverty reduction
• New and emerging global health issues
• Research that spans multiple areas
• The operations that support research
• Quality assurance and review of research findings

Each team works towards the common goal of ensuring that donated funds are used in the most effective way possible, generating the greatest benefit for each dollar spent.

Malaria: A Top Priority for Research

Malaria remains a major global health threat, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, particularly among young children in Africa. GiveWell’s malaria research division is its largest, with 15 specialists working on different aspects of the disease.

Antimalarial Medicines Research

This team looks at medicines that prevent and treat malaria. In 2026, their work includes:

• Optimizing Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC): Continuing to support successful SMC programs, like those run by the Malaria Consortium, while focusing on key research questions.
• Expanding SMC Coverage: Finding ways to reach more people with malaria prevention and looking at different organizations that can help deliver these services.
• Developing New Prevention Methods: Exploring approaches such as year-round prevention, treatment after a malaria diagnosis, preventive care for school-aged children, and better ways to give SMC.
• Improving Treatment Access: Addressing gaps in malaria treatment services that have emerged due to changes in global health funding.

Malaria Vector Control Research

This area focuses on controlling the mosquitoes that spread malaria. Key priorities for 2026 involve:

• Expanding Insecticide-Treated Net Distribution: Identifying areas with significant shortages of mosquito nets, especially in countries where aid cuts may have reduced access.
• Exploring New Mosquito-Control Technologies: Investigating future investments in areas like regular net distribution systems, spatial repellents, special insecticide-treated wraps for babies, and other innovative ways to control mosquitoes.
• Strengthening Partner Capacity: Working with key organizations to improve their ability to deliver malaria control programs effectively.

Malaria Cross-Cutting Research

This team challenges current ideas and looks for entirely new solutions to malaria. Their focus includes funding pilot projects for new ideas, improving how malaria is diagnosed, studying what happens when malaria cases rebound, refining cost-effectiveness models, and publishing research for expert review. The aim is to constantly improve malaria funding strategies and find overlooked opportunities.

Nutrition: Combating Malnutrition

Nutrition is a highly effective area for improving health in lower and middle-income countries. GiveWell’s Nutrition Team focuses on interventions for vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anemia, acute malnutrition, and other micronutrient deficiencies.

Vitamin A Supplementation

GiveWell continues to support programs that provide vitamin A supplements in areas where deficiency is common and child mortality is high. For 2026, researchers will look for new places to expand these programs, conduct studies, and improve how the impact of these supplements is measured.

Addressing Anemia in Africa

Anemia affects many children and women in Africa. The team is studying different ways to fight anemia, including iron supplements, fortified foods, and multiple micronutrient supplements. They are also looking at how iron interventions interact with malaria infections. The results of this research could lead to significant new funding opportunities.

Reducing Malnutrition Treatment Costs

While treating acute malnutrition saves lives, many current programs are not as cost-effective as GiveWell aims for. To fix this, GiveWell plans to talk with program managers and donors, find ways to cut costs, fund pilot projects, and test new treatment models.

Exploring Other Health Opportunities

Researchers are also investigating broader nutrition-related areas, such as preventing cardiovascular disease, looking into new public health interventions, and building a pipeline for future grants.

Vaccination: Reaching Every Child

Vaccines are powerful tools for public health. However, millions of children still miss out on essential vaccines due to distance and logistical problems.

Expanding Vaccination Outreach

GiveWell has supported programs that bring vaccines to people in several countries. In 2026, the organization plans to start more vaccination programs, reach remote communities, conduct independent surveys to check vaccination rates, and measure how effective these programs are.

Caregiver Incentive Programs

Based on successful programs that offer small financial rewards to caregivers for vaccinating their children, GiveWell is exploring similar initiatives. The goal is to find new organizations to run these programs, test different ways to operate them, and expand successful approaches.

Supporting Malaria Vaccine Rollout

Researchers will look for opportunities to help with the distribution of malaria vaccines, improve the supply chain for vaccines, support new ways to deliver them, and fund research and development.

Water Quality: A Global Health Imperative

Over a billion people still lack access to safe drinking water. Unsafe water leads to many deaths each year from diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid.

Exploring New Water Treatment Technologies

GiveWell is looking beyond simple chlorine treatment. They are considering technologies such as ultraviolet purification systems, water filters, water kiosks, and direct clean-water delivery.

Partnering with Development Banks

A promising strategy involves working with large infrastructure projects funded by international development banks to include water treatment solutions. This could open up significant future funding possibilities.

Investing in Water Innovation

Researchers are supporting improvements in how water contamination is tested, developing low-cost chlorine sensors, and working on initiatives to shape the market for clean water solutions. These efforts aim to make clean water more effective and widely available.

Livelihoods: Reducing Extreme Poverty

GiveWell has recently increased its focus on programs that improve people’s economic well-being. The organization is testing whether livelihood programs should receive more funding in the future.

Cash Transfers

Researchers are studying how giving money directly to people affects their spending, housing, local economies, and prices. The findings could help make future poverty reduction programs more effective.

Ultra-Poor Graduation Programs

These programs combine giving people assets like tools or animals, providing training, offering temporary financial support, and encouraging savings. Evidence suggests they can help people escape extreme poverty permanently. GiveWell is evaluating newer, potentially more cost-effective versions of these programs.

Microfinance Innovation

The team is exploring modern approaches to microfinance that might offer better results than older models. Research priorities include financing for income-generating assets, new ways to identify who needs help, and improved methods for delivering financial services.

New Areas: Expanding Focus

GiveWell is actively researching health interventions that have historically received less funding. Potential areas include tuberculosis, medical oxygen, improving drug quality, using artificial intelligence in global health, and addressing issues like hypertension, HIV, family planning, and strengthening health systems. The organization plans to increase its grantmaking in these new areas by about 20% compared to 2025.

Leveraging AI and Advanced Research

A key innovation for GiveWell in 2026 is the use of artificial intelligence in its research. AI can help with tasks like reviewing scientific literature, synthesizing evidence, supporting research efforts, and making operations more efficient. GiveWell is also carefully evaluating AI’s performance to see how future advancements can improve how philanthropic decisions are made.

Strengthening Research Quality

As GiveWell plans to give out more money, maintaining high research quality is essential. The teams supporting this effort will focus on hiring and training researchers, reviewing past grants, monitoring and evaluating programs, managing knowledge, improving processes, and coordinating with partners. These actions are designed to ensure that larger funding amounts continue to lead to significant positive impacts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GiveWell’s main goal for 2026?

GiveWell’s main goal for 2026 is to direct at least $500 million to the most effective global health and development programs to maximize positive impact.

Which areas are receiving the most research focus from GiveWell?

Malaria prevention and treatment is a top priority, with significant research also dedicated to nutrition programs, vaccination efforts, and water quality improvements.

How is GiveWell using technology in its 2026 strategy?

GiveWell is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to help with research tasks, analyze data, and improve the efficiency of its operations and philanthropic decision-making.

What new areas is GiveWell exploring for funding?

GiveWell is researching interventions that have historically received less funding, such as tuberculosis, medical oxygen, improving drug quality, and using AI in global health.