Giving What We Can has just finished up our recent pledge campaign (December 2020-January 2021) and want to welcome our new members: 513 of you who have taken The Giving What We Can Pledge and 465 who have taken a Try Giving pledge.

2020-2021 has been our biggest campaign yet. December was a record-breaking month with 261 new members of The Pledge and January broke the record for Try Giving with 267 new pledges.

As of the end of January 2021, our community now has 5,718 total members of The Pledge/Further Pledge and 961 active Try Giving Pledges! Together we've already donated over $219 million and pledged over $2 billion. We're so excited to see our community growing, and our members being so generous.

We've learned that one of the most common ways our new members found out about Giving What We Can is from their friends. Thank you to all of our current members who have been spreading the word, from sharing your stories and running events right through to those everyday conversations.

Thank you so much for supporting us and encouraging others to give more and to give more effectively. These extra donations make a real tangible difference to lives. Because of you, there are more children safe from malaria, fewer animals suffering in factory farming, and more progress being made on preventing existential risks. This is just some of the impact you are all having.

A huge thank you again to everyone involved in our pledge campaign and to all our new members.

Your commitment to helping others inspires us.

What next for new members?

If you are a new member here's a few important things you can do now.

1. Make your first donation.
   Now that you've pledged to give, it's good to get into the habit of giving early. If it is financially viable for you, consider setting up a regular donation or using workplace giving – that way it's easier to budget and you won't forget. If you're unsure about where to donate we've collated some high-impact giving recommendations that you can read, or join us at our next Open Forum online event to discuss your decision.
2. Log your donations.
   We ask all of our members to record their donations in their pledge dashboard. This helps you see what your money is achieving and whether or not you've met your pledge for the year. This is our main source of data for assessing the impact we are having, so it's really important we get as much information as possible.
3. Get involved in the community.
   We are all trying to do the most good we can by donating a significant portion of our income to effective organisations. This means we're part of a growing community all working towards a similar goal. If you need help with something, have questions, or want moral support, then you have our community to support you:
   - Join our private groups on Facebook and LinkedIn
   - Meet other members in local effective altruism groups or at online events