In 2024
A year of milestones
Our members set another record, giving more to our recommendations in 2024 than any year before.
They donated $143M to high-impact organizations and projects last year—which is 69% more than in 2023.
We welcomed an incredible cohort.
139 new members joined the community, from companies including:
What our new members say
“Jack Fertility may be at an early stage, but it’s critical to me to lock in and make public my intention to give back from the very beginning. That’s what the Founders Pledge community is all about - creating a movement of entrepreneurs committed to making the world a better place. I’m delighted to be among them.”
Lily Elsner
Co-Founder and CEO of Jack Fertility
“When hati becomes the multi-billion-pound company I know it can be, my next chapter will be dedicated to [the causes] close to my heart. Signing the pledge makes this commitment real. It’s a promise to channel success into impact—and honestly, it’s the easiest contract I’ve ever signed.”
Zaahirah Adam
Founder of hati
“I’m excited to be the newest member of Founders Pledge…It’s a fantastic way to affirm your commitment to giving back and get support in maximizing your social impact.”
Abbie Morris
Co-Founder and CEO of Compare Ethics
An empowered community
130
members and their families advised
27
events held around the world
521
people hosted at our events
Nearly 50 members joined for our annual summer retreat.
We gathered in Morocco to explore some of the critical issues of our time, from innovation and decarbonization in rapidly developing economies, to the future of global development and impact of AI.
Leading the sessions were leaders at the forefront of their fields, guiding discussions to broaden perspectives, including:
- Ben Garfinkel, Director of Centre for the Governance of AI, who broke down what AI could mean for our future and the state of AI governance.
- Leah Rosenzweig, Director of the Market Shaping Accelerator at the University of Chicago, who explored the crucial role of innovation in transforming the lives of the poor.
- Matt Lerner, our Research Director at Founders Pledge, who shared insights into how we address nearer- and longer-term problems in a rapidly changing world.
- Lily Odarno, Director of Clean Air Task Force’s Energy and Climate Innovation Program, Africa, who discussed the dynamic relationship between energy access and decarbonization.
Hear their key takeaways in the video.
Our Research team produced in-depth reports on pressing issues.
We outlined the opportunities and risks presented by advanced AI, which tech companies are racing to build without many guardrails in place. We explain the vital need for philanthropists and civil society to support safe, aligned development. Read more.
We investigated the effects of major political shifts on the climate landscape, highlighting strategies, both before and after the election, to achieve long-term progress and support underfunded paths to impact. Read more.
We examined a root driver of catastrophic risks—the competition between great powers over transformative technologies such as AI—and how it can be addressed by increasing cooperation and communication, e.g. through Track 2 diplomacy. Read more.
We explored the most promising interventions to reduce levels of violence against women and girls, which affects around 1 in 3 women worldwide, most commonly through intimate partner violence. Read more.
We made it even easier to give effectively.
Our team enhanced our infrastructure, delivering greater capabilities for members to manage their giving and maximize their impact. We:
- Began rolling out externally managed funds to US Donor Advised Funds (DAF), providing members an option for greater levels of oversight and the ability to work with their own investment advisor—a process streamlined through our member portal.
- Migrated all Donor Advised Funds in-house, allowing us to deliver a seamless, consistent DAF program to all our members.
- Ran an Impact Multiplier campaign at the end of the year, topping up members' grants to their favorite charities when they split their grant with one of our recommendations.
- Introduced endorsements, allowing members to share their support for high-impact charities with each other.
- Started providing DAF statements and added the ability to log direct donations in the member portal, enabling members to keep track of their giving in one place.
▲ Members gathered to discuss impact at our immersive on 'Better decision making in uncertain times' in the San Francisco Bay area in 2024. ©Founders Pledge
