Help build the next generation of effective charities
Every year, ambitious people apply to start charities tackling some of the world's most pressing problems. We help them turn research-backed ideas into effective organisations.
By supporting Ambitious Impact, you help launch charities that go on to be recognised by leading evaluators and expert grantmakers.
70+
charities incubated
16+
charities selected for grants by leading evaluators
53M+
people reached by their work to date (in expectation)
10B+
animals lives improved by their work to date (in expectation)
Woman accessing modern contraceptives through Lafiya (Incubated 2023)
Why fund Ambitious Impact?
We believe some of the world's biggest problems remain unsolved, not because people don't care, but because the right organisations don't yet exist.
Our role is to change that.
We identify where new charities are needed most, support exceptional founders and help launch organisations tackling neglected problems at scale.
Since 2019, we've helped launch more than 70 charities, many of which have gone on to receive funding or recognition from organisations including GiveWell, Animal Charity Evaluators, Founders Pledge and Rethink Priorities.
What your support makes possible
Research:
Finding exceptional charity opportunities takes thousands of hours of investigation. Your support helps us identify the ideas most worth pursuing.
Incubation:
We help founders develop the skills, confidence and support network they need to launch effective organisations.
Launch:
We provide early funding and ongoing support to help new charities get off the ground and grow.
Ways to support our work
Whether you're interested in seeding new charities, accelerating our best performers, or scaling our work to incubate them, there are ways to get involved:
Join the Seed Network
Back charities from day one.
Our Seed Network is a community of donors who provide the first grants to charities launching through our incubation program.
Twice a year, members receive research reports and project proposals for four to eight new charities. You review the materials, attend a short meeting and decide which, if any, to fund. Most members spend two to ten hours per funding round.
This is high-risk, high-reward giving. Around 20% of seed-stage charities close in their early years. But those that succeed can become some of the most effective organisations in the world. LEEP, for example, is projected to protect 46.6 million children from lead exposure at an estimated cost of just $1.66 per child.
Who it's for:
Donors who are comfortable with risk and excited by the opportunity to support the next GiveWell-level charity from the ground up. Most members give $10k to $200k per year.
Support growing charities
Bridge the gap between launch and scale.
The hardest stage in a young charity's life isn't the beginning. It's a couple years in. After an initial grant gets them started, many enter a "valley of death". They've shown early results but don't yet have the track record to attract major institutional funders. Without bridge funding, promising work can stall.
A grant of $50k to $300k at this stage can fund program improvements, monitoring and evaluation, and expansion into new countries. This helps charities build the track record needed to attract major funders such as GiveWell.
We work with mid-stage donors in a variety of ways, depending on their interests and goals.
Who it's for:
Donors looking to make larger, catalytic grants that support continued testing, innovation and growth. Typical contributions are $100k to $500k per year.
Fund Ambitious Impact
Strengthen the engine behind the charities.
Every charity we launch depends on the research, training and support that Ambitious Impact provides. Funding Ambitious Impact directly supports the work that makes everything else possible. It helps our research team identify the next generation of charity ideas, and it helps our incubation program train exceptional founders and provide ongoing support as charities grow.
This is giving with a multiplier. Every contribution strengthens our ability to launch more charities and support them as they grow.
Who it's for:
Donors who want to support the full portfolio and the model behind it, rather than choosing individual charities.
Charities from our portfolio
Lead Exposure Elimination Project
FOUNDED 2020
Lead Exposure Elimination Project partners with governments across 40+ countries to eliminate lead paint. Their programmes are projected to prevent lead exposure in 46.6 million children. Founders Pledge estimates it costs just $1.66 per child to do this, making LEEP one of their most cost-effective recommendations.
Family Empowerment Media
FOUNDED 2020
FEM has reached ~20 million listeners in Nigeria through radio dramas promoting informed family planning choices. Founders Pledge estimated their work at 22x more cost-effective than cash transfers. Rethink Priorities suggests it may be even higher.
Ansh
INCUBATED 2023
Ansh builds healthcare capacity for Kangaroo Care across Rajasthan, India — skin-to-skin contact for premature babies that reduces neonatal mortality by approximately 33%. In their first year, Ansh saved an estimated 100 lives and received a scaling grant from GiveWell.
Let's talk about how you can help.
Considering a major gift?
Fill out a brief form (under 3 minutes) to tell us about your interests, and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss the best fit and arrange the details.
Want to give today?
Any amount helps us launch the next generation of effective charities.
