Introducing Karoteno: Expanding Effective Giving in Spain

Let’s make effective giving the default choice in Spain

TL;DR

• I’m setting up a pilot for an effective giving initiative called Karoteno.
• Karoteno aims to make effective giving more appealing to non-data-oriented Spanish donors.
• I’m looking for people to help with the pilot—if that sounds interesting, feel free to message me or schedule a chat!

Brief Introduction

I’m Guillem Lajara, born and raised in Barcelona. My curiosity has led me to explore and study a wide range of fields—from programming and psychology to ethics and music. I first became interested in effective altruism around 2021, experimenting with different ideas until one of them—originally just a “toy project”—grew into what is now Karoteno^[1].

What is Karoteno?

Karoteno is an early-stage initiative to make effective giving more accessible and engaging for mainstream Spanish donors. Our approach focuses on:

• Leading with emotional connection, then grounding it in research and measurable results.
• Gamified participation that makes generosity feel rewarding and social.
• Moving funds to high-impact charities, selected through rigorous evaluation.

The MVP will let users donate to one, two, or all three cause areas. Funds will be pooled and periodically transferred to trusted giving funds, which then distribute donations to the most cost-effective charities in each cause area:

• Global Health → GiveWell’s All Grants Fund.
• Animal Welfare → Animal Charity Evaluators’ Recommended Charity Fund.

• Future of the Planet^[2] → Founders Pledge’s Climate Fund & Global Catastrophic Risks Fund.

If interested, you can take a look at our Theory of Change.

Current Stage

• Finalizing legal structure (Spanish foundation for tax deductibility).
• Developing MVP for launch, incorporating insights from previous prototypes and initial user testing.
• Forming a core team to run the pilot and scale.

But wait—Spain already has Ayuda Efectiva. Why another Effective Giving Initiative (EGI)?

Ayuda Efectiva (AE) has impressively increased donations to highly effective charities since its inception. Given their success, it’s natural to ask whether launching a similar initiative in Spain might lead to a duplication of efforts.

While AE’s data-focused messaging appeals to donors comfortable with analytical decision-making, it may struggle to connect with those who respond primarily to emotional appeals.^[3] In contrast, Karoteno targets a broader mainstream audience by first forging an emotional connection, then reinforcing it with clear, evidence-based insights. This strategy is designed to resonate with donors who might find purely rational arguments less compelling.

Based on our conversations with AE, we're confident that Karoteno targets a largely distinct psychographic profile, so significant overlap seems unlikely. By engaging a different segment of the population, we aim to increase participation in effective giving and bring new donors into the ecosystem.

Likelihood of Success and Experimental Potential

I estimate a 10–20% chance that Karoteno could replicate AE’s growth, targeting an audience AE is unlikely to reach. With Spain ranking 78th in terms of generosity^[4], we’ll surely face significant adoption challenges.

That said, I believe this makes Spain an especially strategic place to experiment. In high-potential countries—where people are wealthier and more open to charitable giving—testing a bold new model might backfire and damage perceptions of effective giving, which could make future engagement more difficult. But in Spain, where the cultural and economic conditions are less favorable to begin with, the downside risk is lower. Even if we fail, we risk little—and if we succeed, the lessons could be highly valuable and used to inform outreach strategies in stronger donor markets.

So while Karoteno’s core mission is to increase counterfactual effective donations in Spain, I believe a large part of its value lies in the value of information it can generate for the broader effective giving ecosystem.

The Risk of Superficial Gamification and Mitigations

Gamification features—such as achievements, badges, and public statistics—risk being perceived as superficial or frivolous. This could undermine our credibility and discourage donors who take a more analytical or evidence-based approach.

Here are some mitigation strategies:

• Redirection, not alienation. Whenever we identify a donor who feels alienated by this communication approach, proactively guide them toward Ayuda Efectiva for a more data-driven, rational giving experience.
• Optional by design. Make all gamified elements subtle and dismissible, ensuring donors who prefer simplicity can easily opt out.
• Integrate playfulness with purpose. Anchor all playful elements in a strong narrative that emphasizes tangible impact and real results.
• Reward truly meaningful actions. Ensure that achievements and badges reflect significant donor engagement, such as recurring giving or successful referrals.
• Balanced messaging. Consistently highlight the seriousness and real-world impact of donations in tandem with any playful elements.

Help launch Karoteno’s pilot

I’m currently building Karoteno with occasional support from generous collaborators. To move forward with the pilot, I’m looking for people who are excited to contribute to the project’s development and help shape its direction.

If you’re curious about the potential of effective giving in Spain—and eager to test and refine a fresh approach to engage new audiences—I’d love to talk.

Experience in any of these areas would be especially valuable:

• Marketing, UI/UX design, gamification, project management, product design, or community-building.
• Bonus points if you have a strong understanding of Spanish culture and/or live in Spain.

That said, what matters most isn’t checking the boxes but having the passion to make this work. If you (or someone you know) might be interested, please reach out or share this post.

Together, we can test, learn, and help effective giving reach places it hasn't before.

Thanks for reading! Huge thanks to Lukas Robertson, Mel Brennan, and Pablo Melchor for their insights on this post and their continued support.

Please comment or DM me your feedback—it will be greatly appreciated! 😊

1. ^{^}

   For more anecdata, last year I redesigned and ran a Giving Game targeting a less data-driven audience. The responses were broadly positive, and the presentation templates & outline were translated and included on GWWC's website.

2. ^{^}

    Cause names are still under discussion.

3. ^{^}

    This is based on conversations with Pablo Melchor (Ayuda Efectiva’s founder and CEO).

^{^}

 See World Giving Index 2024.

Show all footnotes