A US based philanthropic organisation is very keen to fund me for something here in Australia. They have a shit-tonne of money. Though, it’s not in a uncertain effectiveness cause error (GiveWell says they aren’t ready release their OPP report on it yet). It’s stressful pitching this opportunity for career capital against the impact I could have putting my time and resources in an ‘effective’ cause area. If I assume effectiveness will become increasingly valued in the world, taking their funds (which isn’t even diverting it from better causes since it’s cause specific funding) might actually NOT be good career capital. It’s a pretty controversial area that doesn’t command popular support. The scope of the funding probably isn’t broad enough to do policy research stuff, which could be useful to the Open Philanthropy Project, but it is probably narrow enough to do evaluation efforts of whatever I experiment with, which could inform other EA’s decisions (but that’s probably not that unique, at the margin, eh?). Any advice?
A US based philanthropic organisation is very keen to fund me for something here in Australia. They have a shit-tonne of money. Though, it’s not in a uncertain effectiveness cause error (GiveWell says they aren’t ready release their OPP report on it yet). It’s stressful pitching this opportunity for career capital against the impact I could have putting my time and resources in an ‘effective’ cause area. If I assume effectiveness will become increasingly valued in the world, taking their funds (which isn’t even diverting it from better causes since it’s cause specific funding) might actually NOT be good career capital. It’s a pretty controversial area that doesn’t command popular support. The scope of the funding probably isn’t broad enough to do policy research stuff, which could be useful to the Open Philanthropy Project, but it is probably narrow enough to do evaluation efforts of whatever I experiment with, which could inform other EA’s decisions (but that’s probably not that unique, at the margin, eh?). Any advice?
Where your funds come from isn’t very important for career capital. The important thing is what you do with it.
Yes but those funds are tied to a specific cause area. I’ll be reprimanded for using them for other purposes.
I think it’s difficult to analyse that case without knowing the cause area you are speaking about.