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GIVEDIRECTLY INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 271661997 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE P60 · Human Services · Very Large (>$50M) · givedirectly.org
revenue
$206.8M
expenses
$130.4M
net assets
$202.0M
employees
110
volunteers
5
program ratio
87%
mission · from form 990

TO REDUCE POVERTY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIRECTLY TO THOSE IN NEED.

profile · synthesized from sources

GiveDirectly is a nonprofit that reduces poverty by providing unconditional cash transfers directly to people in need. It operates in low-income regions across Africa and the United States, focusing on rural and refugee populations. The organization uses rigorous research, including randomized controlled trials, to evaluate and demonstrate the impact of direct cash giving.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Cash Plus Financial Planning
Provides cash transfers alongside facilitated financial planning sessions to improve spending decisions and intrahousehold dynamics in Liberia.
Cash Plus Mentorship
Combines cash grants with mentorship and business performance incentives for refugee and Ugandan microentrepreneurs in Uganda.
Direct Cash for Maternal and Infant Health
Supports new mothers in Flint, Michigan with a lump sum and monthly payments to reduce maternal and infant poverty.
Guaranteed Income Program
Delivers sustained monthly cash transfers to low-income families in the U.S., such as in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois, to study long-term economic impacts.
Unconditional Cash Transfers
Provides one-time or recurring cash payments directly to individuals in poverty, with no strings attached, in countries including Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Direct Financial Assistance to Individuals 3 activities
    • Emergency cash transfers in response to disasters and crises
      Provides rapid emergency cash assistance to financially vulnerable families following natural disasters, climate crises, and conflict, operating in over 130 countries. Examples include $235 mobile money transfers after an earthquake in the Philippines, aid to over 2,100 families within 18 days of a cyclone in Madagascar, and AI-driven relief for Hurricane Helene and Milton victims.
    • Guaranteed and recurring cash transfer programs in the United States
      Operates domestic U.S. cash transfer programs including monthly or lump sum payments to low-income individuals and new mothers. Programs include $500 monthly for 12 months in Chicago (5,000 recipients), a $1,500 lump sum plus $500 monthly for 12 months in Flint, Michigan, and $1,000 transfers to over 25,000 families during the pandemic.
    • Unconditional lump sum cash transfers to families in extreme poverty
      Delivers large, one-time unconditional cash transfers of approximately $1,000 (or equivalent) to families living below the extreme poverty line in Africa and other regions, with transfers delivered via mobile money. The program has delivered over $1 billion in cash to more than 2 million people since 2009.
  • Disaster Relief and Recovery Services 1 activity
    • AI and technology innovation for crisis response and targeting
      Uses AI and AI mapping in partnership with Google to identify households affected by disasters (e.g., Hurricane Ian) and deliver timely cash relief, improving targeting accuracy and response speed in emergency contexts.
  • Parenting Support for At-Risk Families 1 activity
    • Maternal and child health-focused cash transfer programs
      Implements targeted cash transfer initiatives for expectant mothers and new families to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. Includes a $1,000 transfer program in Kenya that reduced infant mortality by 48%, a pilot with 1,500 expectant mothers in partnership with Lwala Community Alliance, and the Rx Kids program in Michigan.
  • Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
    • Transparency and safeguarding reporting
      Publishes annual reports on fraud, harm, and safety incidents, and released a 2025 report documenting risks encountered during cash delivery operations, as part of a commitment to transparency and accountability.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Research on long-term impacts of cash transfers and UBI
      Conducts and publishes rigorous research on the effects of cash transfers, including the largest randomized controlled trial on universal basic income (UBI) in rural Kenya, comparing long-term (12-year), short-term, and lump sum transfers. Findings show sustained increases in income, assets, and economic multiplier effects.
    • Research on payment models and recipient communication
      Conducts research to compare the effectiveness of different cash delivery models, including lump sum vs. monthly payments, and improves communication of AI-driven payment systems using scenario-based explanations tailored to recipient understanding.
    • Universal and community-wide cash distribution programs
      Delivers cash transfers to all adults in entire villages or high-poverty areas, rather than targeting individual households. Uses mobile phone payments to distribute $650–$950 per adult, often in two installments, and has implemented such programs in Uganda and other African countries.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$206.81M
Contributions & grants$201.02M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$2.91M1%
Other revenue$2.88M
expenses
Total expenses$130.41M
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$33.26M
Grants paid out$81.91M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$246.02M
Cash$15.95M
Investments$193.48M
Liabilities$44.05M
Net assets$201.97M
Liquid reserves19.3 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +47.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 9
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
SAMUEL MWAMBURI MWALE PRESIDENT UNTIL 07/2024 40 $438K
REBECCA FRANK VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNOLOGY 40 $297K
SARAH MORAN VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT 40 $291K
NICKOLAS ALLARDICE PRESIDENT & CEO AS OF 07/2024 40 $288K
YOLANDE WRIGHT VICE PRESIDENT, PARTNERSHIPS 40 $285K
SAMUEL KRETER DIRECTOR, PROGRAM TECHNOLOGY 40 $238K
HARRIS ROBERTS VICE PRESIDENT, GROWTH 40 $215K
DOUG KIRKE-SMITH VICE PRESIDENT, PROGRAMS 40 $211K
MICHAEL FAYE EXECUTIVE CHAIR 15 $150K
board members · 3
  • ALY JEDDY — CHAIR
  • PAUL NIEHAUS — DIRECTOR
  • ROHIT WANCHOO — TREASURER
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • 3ie (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation) Partner — Hosts a database of studies on cash transfers used by GiveDirectly to reference evidence.
  • Bakolo Music International Partner — Referenced as a celebrated Congolese music group in cultural content shared by GiveDirectly staff in DRC.
  • Calp Network Network — References research and data from Calp Network to support the effectiveness of cash in emergencies.
  • GiveWell Partner — Collaborates with GiveWell to test novel approaches for increasing cost-effectiveness of cash transfer programs.
  • Google Partner — Partnered with GiveDirectly to use AI mapping for targeting cash aid to Hurricane Ian victims.
  • In Her Hands Partner — Program delivering cash to low-income women in Georgia, implemented by GiveDirectly
  • Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Partner — Research partner on multiple randomized controlled trials in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
  • Kenyan community health provider Partner — Partnering to deliver cash transfers to expectant mothers in Kenya
  • Lwala Community Alliance Partner — Partner organization in a maternal and child health pilot in Kenya, providing community-based health services alongside GiveDirectly's cash transfers.
  • Rx Kids Partner — Program delivering cash to new mothers and babies in Michigan, implemented by GiveDirectly
  • University of Chicago Inclusive Economy Lab Partner — Partner on the guaranteed income study in Chicago, Illinois.
  • World Bank Government — Cited as a source for extreme poverty data in Africa.
  • World Bank Government — Cites World Bank data and publications on poverty, fragility, and climate change to inform program design and context.
  • businesses Network — Provides funding for GiveDirectly's programs
  • foundations Network — Provides funding for GiveDirectly's programs
  • governments of Malawi and Rwanda Government — Partnering to run cash transfer programs integrated with national development plans
  • institutions Network — Provides funding for GiveDirectly's programs
  • researchers Partner — Collaborating on studies evaluating the impact of UBI and cash transfer programs
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Evidence-Based Program Optimization and Learning
    methodology: evidence_based_optimization
    By integrating rigorous research into program design and decision-making, we improve the effectiveness of cash transfer models across contexts, because first-principles reasoning and objective evidence allow for continuous learning and adaptation that outperforms traditional aid paradigms.
  • Local Economic Stimulus via Cash Transfers
    methodology: economic_multiplier
    By injecting cash directly into low-income communities, we stimulate local economies and increase business revenues, because recipient spending generates multiplier effects that benefit both recipients and non-recipient households in the same area.
  • Unconditional Cash Transfers with Recipient Autonomy
    methodology: unconditional_cash_transfers
    By providing unrestricted cash directly to people in poverty, we enable them to address their highest-priority needs and improve well-being, because trusting individuals to make their own decisions preserves dignity, increases efficiency, and leads to more effective and personalized outcomes than in-kind aid.