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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: July 2024 Expires: July 2026

GiveDirectly

Standards Not Met
Standards Not Met
2 14 16
(646) 504-4837
Post Office Box 3221
New York, NY, 10008
https://givedirectly.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

GiveDirectly does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability:

Standard 2 (Number of Board Members)
Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.

GiveDirectly does not meet this Standard because:

  • The organization has four voting members of the board.

Standard 14 (Budget)
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.

GiveDirectly does not meet this Standard because the 2022 annual report did not include:

  • The organization did not produce a 2024 budget.

Standard 16 (Annual Report)
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

GiveDirectly does not meet this Standard because the 2022 annual report did not include:

  • Total income.
  • Ending net assets.

The BBB Wise Giving Alliance requested but did not receive complete information from the organization and is unable to verify the organization's compliance with the following Standard(s) for Charity Accountability: 1

GiveDirectly meets the remaining 16 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to reduce poverty by providing financial assistance directly to those in need."

Year, State Incorporated:
2009, MA

GiveDirectly offers a service allowing others - governments, foundations, and individual donors - to provide direct cash transfers to those in need. The organization's proprietary model re-engineeers fieldwork for the digital era, allowing it to complete the transfers securely, efficiently, and transparently. GiveDirectly locates recipients, integrates them into electronic payment networks, and monitors transfers end-to-end. The organization currently has operations in Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, and the United States. In 2022, GiveDirectly reports that it delivered over $146 million to more than 334,000 households.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, GiveDirectly's program expenses were:

International poverty assistance: $166,105,016

U.S. COVID and poverty assistance: $83,566,301

Total Program Expenses: $249,671,317

Chief Executive
Samuel Mwamburi Mwale, Interim President

Chair of the Board
Aly Sheezar Jeddy

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Director, McKinsey & Company

Board Size
4

Paid Staff Size
786

*2022 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Compensation information is not currently available for Samuel Mwamburi Wwale. In 2022, Joseph Huston, Managing Director, was the highest compensated employee, receiving $494,605.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Print advertisements

Fundraising costs were 3% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $168,143,922, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on GiveDirectly's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Source of Funds
Foundations $10,207,366
Corporations $31,189,201
Federated campaigns $13,065
Individuals $53,155,688
U.S. federal grants, foreign government and multilateral $72,410,343
Stock donations $1,031,143
In-kind contributions $137,116
Other income $49,968
Investment loss $-1,429,819
Foreign currency transactions $6,451,285
Total Income $173,215,356

Programs: 96% Fundraising: 2% Administrative: 2%

Total Income $173,215,356
Total expenses: $261,290,158
  Program expenses $249,671,317
  Fundraising expenses $5,600,745
  Administrative expenses $6,018,096
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-88,074,802
Beginning Net Assets $201,890,511
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $113,815,709
Total Liabilities $126,223,824
Total Assets $240,039,533

Note: According to GiveDirectly's 2022 audited financial statements, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $137,116 in the form of advertising ($69,436), marketing software ($60,000), and a fundraising volunteer ($7,680).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance