Donating to impactful charities is a powerful way to address some of the world's most pressing problems. Effective Altruism encourages donations that are not only well-intentioned but also supported by robust evidence of impact. This article explores how to choose which organisations to support and how tax deductibility in Belgium can amplify the value of your contributions.
There is now a dedicated organization in Belgium focused on effective giving, called Effectief Geven. They provide up-to-date information on this topic, although their resources are currently only available in Dutch. On this webpage, we've compiled everything we know in English to make it accessible to a wider audience.
Effective Altruism is about doing the most good by focusing on the world's most urgent problems. For many people, this means not only contributing their time and skills but also making financial contributions to charities that create a significant positive impact. Effective giving directs resources to organisations tackling these critical issues in a highly cost-effective manner, guided by rigorous empirical evidence. While the global challenges we face are vast and varied, the Effective Altruism community primarily focuses on funding charities working on these key cause areas:
Deciding where to donate can be challenging, but independent evaluators like GiveWell (focusing on global health and development) Animal Charity Evaluators (specialising in animal welfare) and Founders Pledge make the process easier. These organisations conducted thousands of hours of rigorous research to identify the charities with the highest impact, offering well-founded recommendations that guide donors towards the most effective organisations.
Alternatively, you can contribute to funds like Let's Fund, Effective Altruism Funds or Giving What We Can, which allocate money to important global issues. These funds are designed to make it easier for individuals to support a range of impactful causes.
It is understandable to prefer making tax-deductible donations given that donations above 40€ are eligible for a 45% tax reduction, which essentially almost doubles the impact of your contribution. However, there is often a challenge: the most effective charities do not always have a tax-deductible status in Belgium, as many of them do not operate directly within the country.
But perhaps tax deductibility shouldn’t be the primary focus here. Research shows that the impact of charities can vary significantly. Charities recommended by GiveWell, for instance, are estimated to be up to 100 times more effective than the average charity. This suggests that even without tax deductions, donations to top international charities can often achieve much greater impact than larger, tax-deductible contributions to less effective local organisations. That being said, fortunately, there is a way to support some highly impactful international charities while still benefiting from tax deductibility.
One way to make cross-border donations that are tax-deductible is through Transnational Giving Europe (TGE), a network that facilitates tax-efficient donations across European borders. In Belgium, this service is operated through the King Baudouin Foundation.
Using TGE, you can donate to several highly recommended international charities. While many top-rated organisations are based in the United States, some have a European presence, often in the UK, making them accessible for Belgian donors through TGE. Please note that a 5% contribution is deducted from the donation to support TGE’s operating costs. However, given the 45% tax deduction available, the overall benefit still makes it a highly worthwhile option.
To donate via TGE, simply make a bank transfer to the King Baudouin Foundation, including the name of your chosen charity in the transfer reference message:
Name: Fondation Koning Boudewijnstichting, Brederodestraat 21 – 1000 Brussel
IBAN : BE10 0000 0000 0404
BIC : GEBABEBB
With the following reference:
For Against Malaria Foundation : TGE – UK – Against Malaria FoundationFor GiveDirectly :
TGE – UK – GiveDirectlyFor Unlimit Health: TGE – UK – Unlimit Health
For Unlimit Health, you can also support them by donating through TGE’s online platform.
The King Baudouin Foundation will send you a tax statement each February detailing the total amount of your donation from the previous year. You may include your email address at the end of the payment reference so the Foundation can contact you if they need your address to deliver the tax certificate. By default, the certificate will be sent to your residential address as it appears in the national register.
For further information, please contact the King Baudouin Foundation at tge@kbs-frb.be or check out this page.
While many of the most effective charities are international, Belgium is also home to several promising charities that align with effective altruist principles. These organisations may not be formally evaluated by independent bodies like GiveWell or Animal Charity Evaluators, but their approaches are similarly evidence-based and promising. As they are based in Belgium, donations to these organisations are also tax-deductible.
Effective giving empowers each of us to contribute meaningfully to solving global issues, regardless of the size of our donations. By carefully selecting high-impact charities and taking advantage of Belgium’s tax-deductibility benefits, we can maximise the reach and effectiveness of our contributions. Every donation, no matter the amount, has the potential to drive significant change when directed thoughtfully.
For those looking to commit to long-term impact, consider taking the 🔸10% pledge from Giving What We Can. This initiative encourages individuals to pledge at least 10% of their income to the world’s most effective charities, creating a lasting commitment to help solve critical global challenges. By embracing effective giving—whether through one-time contributions or long-term pledges—we can all play a part in building a better, more compassionate world.
