Many donors, especially those giving at smaller scales, struggle to identify the most effective charities to support—particularly at the local level. While high-end consulting services exist for major donors, there’s a gap in affordable, data-driven guidance for everyday contributors. Local nonprofits, such as bail funds or community organizations, also lack resources to rigorously demonstrate their impact, making it harder for donors to evaluate them. One way to address this could be a consulting service that provides tailored charity recommendations at a lower cost, paired with a public database of findings to increase transparency and accessibility.

How It Could Work

The service could start by analyzing niche areas like local bail funds or city-based nonprofits, producing reports that assess effectiveness based on criteria such as scalability, cost-efficiency, and community impact. These reports could then be compiled into a searchable database, allowing donors to filter by cause, location, or performance metrics. To keep costs low, the consulting service might charge a fraction of what high-end firms do (e.g., $1,000–$5,000 per analysis), making it feasible for small to mid-sized donors. Over time, the scope could expand to broader causes or regions.

Stakeholders and Incentives

• Donors would gain confidence that their contributions are making the greatest possible impact without needing extensive research.
• Charities could attract more funding by having their effectiveness validated and publicly documented.
• The service itself could sustain operations through consulting fees, grants, or premium database features (e.g., advanced analytics for subscribers).

Execution and Growth

A simple starting point could involve offering pro bono or low-cost analyses to a handful of local charities, publishing the findings to demonstrate value. From there, a basic searchable database could be built, followed by tiered consulting options as demand grows. Partnerships with existing charity evaluators might help expand coverage while differentiating the service through a focus on local or understudied causes.

By making high-quality charity analysis more accessible, this approach could help donors at all levels make better-informed decisions while boosting support for effective local organizations.