Thanks for your interest in donating to GiveWell!
GiveWell can accept one-time and recurring ACH (Automated Clearing House) donations from donors with US bank accounts via our online donation form. (Note that ACH has a limit of $1 million; for donations greater than $1 million, please make a wire transfer.) After providing your desired allocation and amount, choose “bank account” as the payment method and enter the appropriate banking information. Please note that ACH transactions typically complete in two or three business days, but may take up to five business days depending on your bank.
GiveWell is charged 0.8% + $1.00 account validation fee on each initial ACH transaction, but the overall fees on an ACH donation are capped at $5.60. (For recurring monthly or quarterly donations, GiveWell is charged 0.8% + $1.00 on the initial transaction and 0.8% + $0.40 per transaction on each subsequent transaction, up to $5.60.)
Because the costs to GiveWell are capped, this is the most cost effective way to make large donations. If you donate $100, Givewell will receive $98.20. If you donate $1000, GiveWell will receive $994.40. There is no additional administrative work for GiveWell to process ACH transactions.
If you have any questions about how to donate via ACH, please email us at donations@givewell.org before making your donation.
Donations to GiveWell are not refundable except under exceptional circumstances. GiveWell retains sole discretion in determining whether we will issue a refund. If you have a question about your gift or would like to request a refund, please contact us at donations@givewell.org. GiveWell will never issue a refund after donated funds have been granted to another organization. GiveWell’s board retains final discretion over grant decisions.