Why is it generally better for individuals to donate to 501(c)(4) organizations than to (c)(3)'s? I'm deeply ignorant in this space, so it's a genuine question.
My super naive read is that c3's are tax deductible (which is nice), presumably you think there is more than a 50% bonus in effectiveness of c4's?
Not necessarily. It's more that funding gaps of c3's can be more easily filled by big foundations (which are also c3's), whereas donations from c3's to c4's are restricted. That makes it more valuable, ceteris paribus, for individuals to fill c4 funding gaps.
Also, the "50% bonus" only applies if you itemize deductions; many people use the standard deduction, including some people who earn more than six figures.
Makes sense, thanks!
I've been influenced by Tristan Williams' post about why the Center for AI Policy (CAIP) recently shut down, which argues that EA donors aren't giving enough to advocacy that brings policy proposals out of the ivory tower and into the Beltway. The post lists several other organizations that are doing good work in this space, some of which are actively seeking funding:
Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI)
- "Funding status: ARI’s received large grants for both its c4 and c3 work from Open Phil, making it likely the safest bet here but also meaning that they’re not as funding constrained at the moment."
Future of Life Institute (FLI)
- "Funding status: FLI received a very large grant from Vitalik Buterin and doesn’t seem to have been very active in fundraising since, indicating a marginal donation to FLI’s c4 might not be as impactful. It’s at least not clear to me what further funding here would buy."
AI Policy Network (AIPN)
- "Funding status: Actively looking for funding."
- "Funding status: Encode received a fairly large grant from FLI and a smaller grant from SFF, so a marginal donation here might not be as impactful, but they are still actively looking for funding."
Secure AI Project (SAIP)
- "Funding status: They are seeking funding for their 2026 and 2027 operations. They’re especially excited about bringing on more individual donors at any amount (donation link here) as it would show a broader base of support."
Center for AI Safety Action Fund (CAIS AF)
- "Funding status: Actively looking for funding."
- "Funding status: Actively looking for funding."[1]
I agree that it's generally better for individuals to donate to 501(c)(4) organizations than to (c)(3)'s, but it's hard to tell at a glance which ones are the most funding-constrained or which ones are the most effective at advocacy. In your opinion, which organizations (on this list or not) are the best use of marginal dollars?
This excerpt from Appendix A5 is used under the EA Forum's Creative Commons license.
I have a decent understanding of some of the space. I feel good about marginal c4 money for AIPN and SAIP. (I believe AIPN now has funding for most of 2026, but I still feel good about marginal funding.)
There are opportunities to donate to politicians and PACs which seem 5x as impactful as the best c4s. These are (1) more complicated and (2) public. If you're interested in donating ≥$20K to these, DM me. This is only for US permanent residents.