Which Charity to Donate To? A Strategic Guide for High-Impact Giving

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Choosing which charity to donate to is not merely an emotional decision — it is a capital allocation problem. 💡 Donors should evaluate impact efficiency, governance transparency, mission alignment, and scalability before contributing.

If you are considering donating through Science DAO, this guide clarifies how to decide strategically.

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Define Your Philanthropic Objective

Before selecting a nonprofit, ask:

• Do you want to reduce immediate suffering?
• Support long-term scientific breakthroughs?
• Fund open-source technology?
• Reform research funding systems?

Different objectives imply different evaluation criteria.

For example:

• Humanitarian relief → short-term measurable outputs.
• Scientific infrastructure → long-term systemic leverage.
• Open-source funding → public goods sustainability.

Science DAO positions itself in the systemic reform + science funding category.

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Evaluate Structural Efficiency

High-impact charities share several properties:

Transparent Fund Flow

Donors should understand:

• Where funds are stored.
• How funds are distributed.
• Who decides allocation.

Science DAO receives donations through Victor Porton’s Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

🔗 Donation page:
https://science-dao.org/donation/

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Consider AI-Based Allocation Models

Traditional grant systems rely on:

• Committees
• Institutional networks
• Manual grant writing

Science DAO proposes AI-driven merit distribution through:

AI Internet-Meritocracy (AIIM)

AIIM aims to:

• Distribute crypto donations algorithmically
• Remove degree requirements
• Eliminate grant-writing overhead
• Support under-promoted scientific contributors (“coveries”)

🔗 AIIM homepage:
https://science-dao.org/meritocracy/

👉 Science DAO Donations:
https://science-dao.org/donation/

This model targets publication bias and insider capture in science funding systems.

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Assess Governance Risk

When donating to innovative structures like science DAOs:

• Is there a legal entity behind it? ✔
• Is the custody of funds clear? ✔
• Is the allocation method described publicly? ✔

Science DAO operates with a nonprofit proxy while experimenting with decentralized and AI-based funding allocation.

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Compare With Traditional Alternatives

You may alternatively donate to:

• University endowments
• Established research charities
• Cause-specific NGOs

However, those systems often:

• Favor institutional incumbents
• Require formal academic credentials
• Depend on manual review committees

AIIM proposes algorithmic evaluation instead of institutional gatekeeping.

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High-Leverage Philanthropy

If your goal is to:

• Improve global research efficiency
• Reduce “coveries” (ignored discoveries)
• Support independent scientists and free software authors
• Experiment with AI-driven meritocracy

Then donating to Science DAO and AIIM aligns with systemic reform philanthropy.

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Final Decision Framework

Use this checklist:

Question	If YES →
Do you believe AI can reduce bias in funding?	Consider AIIM
Do you value open science and free software?	Consider Science DAO
Do you want tax-deductible US donations?	Donate via Victor Porton’s Foundation
Do you prefer traditional institutional research?	Choose established charities

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Donate

Support systemic reform of science funding:

Science DAO Donations:
https://science-dao.org/donation/

AI Internet-Meritocracy (AIIM) Page:
https://science-dao.org/meritocracy/