Where can we donate time and money to avert coronavirus deaths?

post by Elizabeth (pktechgirl) · 2020-03-18T04:50:13.629Z · LW · GW · 5 comments

This is a question post.

Contents

  Answers
    7 dsj
    4 Jayson_Virissimo
    4 Jayson_Virissimo
    3 SamDeere
    2 Elizabeth
    2 John_Maxwell
    2 philh
    2 ofer
None
5 comments

There are a lot of people who desperately want to give away their time, money, and expertise for other people’s lives right now. Where should they go? What projects already exist that need their resources, and specifically what do they need? What successful projects can be copied (e.g. hyperlocal lobbying efforts)? What projects should exist but don’t yet?

Answers

answer by dsj · 2020-03-19T10:43:26.804Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

There's a forum for COVID-19 projects looking for volunteers, and separately, a shared spreadsheet created by Sam Altman for project pitches.

answer by Jayson_Virissimo · 2020-03-27T05:03:01.982Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

flattenthecurve.com is an informational website about the coronavirus with (as of this comment) over one million visitors. It has since become open source and is hosted on GitHub here.

Consider contributing to the project.

See here for a successful interaction involving the removal of an anti-mask wearing section (partially inspired by information obtained here on LessWrong).

answer by Jayson_Virissimo · 2020-03-27T00:17:38.945Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

My co-worker and her husband, partially backed by my current employer, have modified the design of a device invented in Taiwan for reducing the exposure of ER doctors/nurses to COVID-19. If you have basic fabrication skills you can build your own using the instructions here or else donate here to help them manufacture more to ship to hospitals already on their waiting list.

EDIT: Signal boosted by @RealSexyCyborg here.

answer by SamDeere · 2020-04-09T09:28:31.992Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

EA Funds now supports donations to NTI Biosecurity and the Centre for Health Security at Johns Hopkins. The Open Philanthropy Project has made grants to both orgs previously. Both seem like strong donation options, both for their immediate role in coordinating COVID-19 response efforts, and for their work on the more general problem of biosecurity and pandemic preparedness.

answer by Elizabeth · 2020-03-24T16:52:12.535Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Front line medical professionals can volunteer for this prophylactic hydrochloroquine + other treatments study: https://www.covidtrial.io/

answer by John_Maxwell · 2020-03-22T01:45:37.268Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Someone created an /r/CoronavirusArmy subreddit which is trying to figure out how to donate time:

https://www.reddit.com/r/CoronavirusArmy/

Here are some threads discussing how to donate money:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4147495108609573/permalink/4269273023098447/

https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/wEptzwAyFbzZiz944/are-there-any-public-health-funding-opportunities-with-covid [EA · GW]

I think the most valuable projects are those that could be feasibly be deployed in a developing country if COVID-19 were to take root there.

answer by philh · 2020-03-19T23:21:40.282Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

I haven't read it yet, but this post on the EA forum tries to answer the money question.

answer by Ofer (ofer) · 2020-03-18T07:27:11.665Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

For donating money:

It may be worthwhile to look into the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund (co-created by WHO). From WHO's website:

The Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund is a secure way for individuals, philanthropies and businesses to contribute to the WHO-led effort to respond to the pandemic.

The United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation have created the solidarity fund to support WHO and partners in a massive effort to help countries prevent, detect, and manage the novel coronavirus – particularly those where the needs are the greatest.

The fund will enable us to:

  • Send essential supplies such as personal protective equipment to frontline health workers
  • Enable all countries to track and detect the disease by boosting laboratory capacity through training and equipment.
  • Ensure health workers and communities everywhere have access to the latest science-based information to protect themselves, prevent infection and care for those in need.
  • Accelerate efforts to fast-track the discovery and development of lifesaving vaccines, diagnostics and treatments

5 comments

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comment by philh · 2020-03-18T22:37:36.414Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

GiveWell seems like a natural recommendation. They've said they're looking into it: https://imgur.com/lsXsJ7T

But if they already have a lot of cash lying around, donations to them now might not increase the amount of good they can do with it short term. Their 2018 financial statement says they had $26m cash compared to $36m donations from that year, but I don't know how much of that they'd be able to use for this purpose. Oh, I guess "net assets without donor restrictions, $12m" is the relevant number for that?

Still, they're currently my default.

Replies from: adamzerner
comment by Jayson_Virissimo · 2020-03-27T00:16:52.377Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

My co-worker and her husband, partially backed by my current employer, have modified the design of a device invented in Taiwan for reducing the exposure of ER doctors/nurses to COVID-19. If you have basic fabrication skills you can build your own using the instructions here or else donate here to help them manufacture more to ship to hospitals already on their waiting list.

EDIT: I meant this to be a new answer, not a comment.

Replies from: Raemon
↑ comment by Raemon · 2020-03-27T00:21:34.382Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

(you can move comments back and forth between Answers/Comments using the triple-dot menu on the right of the comment)

Replies from: Jayson_Virissimo
↑ comment by Jayson_Virissimo · 2020-03-27T04:42:35.009Z · LW(p) · GW(p)

Whoops, I already created another "answer". Thanks, did not know about that feature.