Recent Topic Activity
The Center for Wild Animal Welfare (CWAW) is a new policy advocacy organization, working to improve the lives of wild animals today and build support for wild animal welfare policy. Its work emphasizes near-term policy change while aiming to build longer-term recognition of wild animal welfare as a legitimate area of public policy.
Mission and approach
CWAW seeks to ensure that policymakers consider the welfare of individual wild animals affected by public decisions, including those related to urban infrastructure, fertility control, and pesticide use. The organization prioritizes interventions it views as tractable within existing policy processes, alongside broader efforts to expand political and institutional support for wild animal welfare.
Background
CWAW launched in late 2025. It was co-founded by Richard Parr MBE, a former UK Prime Minister’s policy adviser, and Ben Stevenson, a researcher with Animal Ask. CWAW operates with fiscal sponsorship from Rethink Priorities and has received support from organizations including Wild Animal Initiative and NYU’s Wild Animal Welfare Program.
Activities
CWAW engages with policymakers, politicians, media, and civil society organizations, and produces policy-relevant research and reports, including work on the current state of wild animal welfare policy. Its initial focus is on the United Kingdom, with the possibility of expanding to other jurisdictions in the future.
Related topics
Bostrom, Nick (2014) Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Leverage Research describes itself as a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1][2] and has been described by the rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan as a "cult"[3] and by a pseudonymous LessWrong poster as having the characteristics of a "high-demand group", which is a technical term for a cult.[4] The belief that Leverage Research is a cult or high-demand group is widely held in the effective altruism community.[5]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm describes itself as providing training to individuals and incubates startups.[6]
Leverage Research describes itself a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1][2] and has been described by the rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan as a "cult"[3] and by a pseudonymous LessWrong poster as having the characteristics of a "high-demand group", which is a technical term for a cult.[4] The belief that Leverage Research is a cult or high-demand group is widely held in the effective altruism community.[5]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm describes itself as providing training to individuals and incubates startups.[6]
Leverage Research describes itself a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1][2] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan as a "cult"[3] and by a pseudonymous LessWrong poster as having the characteristics of a "high-demand group", which is a technical term for a cult.[4] The belief that Leverage Research is a cult or high-demand group is widely held in the effective altruism community.[5]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm describes itself as providing training to individuals and incubates startups.[5]6]
As of June 2022, Leverage Research has received $80,000 in funding from the Survival and Flourishing Fund.[6]7]
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Evans, Jon. Extropia’s Children, Chapter 2: This Demon-Haunted World. https://aiascendant.com/p/extropias-children-chapter-2-demon-haunted-world.
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Curzi, Zoe. “My Experience with Leverage Research.” Medium, 23 Aug. 2024, https://medium.com/@zoecurzi/my-experience-with-leverage-research-17e96a8e540b.
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Brennan, Ozy. Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults? Asterisk Magazine, https://asteriskmag.com/issues/11/why-are-there-so-many-rationalist-cults.
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BayAreaHuman. “Common knowledge about Leverage Research 1.0.” LessWrong, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Kz9zMgWB5C27Pmdkh/common-knowledge-about-leverage-research-1-0.
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Carey, Ryan. Comment on "Where Would I Find the Hardcore Totalizing Segment of EA?" Effective Altruism Forum, 30 Dec. 2023, https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/gDHWC7WefiYSjeTC3/where-would-i-find-the-hardcore-totalizing-segment-of-ea?commentId=FeWsbGDoZkwqEBzJC.
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Survival and Flourishing Fund (2019) SFF-2020-H1 S-process recommendations announcement, Survival and Flourishing Fund.
Leverage Research describes itself a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1][2] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan (among others) as a "cult".[3] and by a pseudonymous LessWrong poster as having the characteristics of a "high-demand group", which is a technical term for a cult.[4]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm providesdescribes itself as providing training to individuals and incubates startups.[4]5]
As of June 2022, Leverage Research has received $80,000 in funding from the Survival and Flourishing Fund.[5]6]
- ^
Evans, Jon. Extropia’s Children, Chapter 2: This Demon-Haunted World. https://aiascendant.com/p/extropias-children-chapter-2-demon-haunted-world.
- ^
Curzi, Zoe. “My Experience with Leverage Research.” Medium, 23 Aug. 2024, https://medium.com/@zoecurzi/my-experience-with-leverage-research-17e96a8e540b.
- ^
Brennan, Ozy. Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults? Asterisk Magazine, https://asteriskmag.com/issues/11/why-are-there-so-many-rationalist-cults.
- ^
BayAreaHuman. “Common knowledge about Leverage Research 1.0.” LessWrong, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/Kz9zMgWB5C27Pmdkh/common-knowledge-about-leverage-research-1-0.
- ^
- ^
Survival and Flourishing Fund (2019) SFF-2020-H1 S-process recommendations announcement, Survival and Flourishing Fund.
Leverage Research describes itself a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1][2] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan (among others) as a "cult".[2]3]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm provides training to individuals and incubates startups.[3]4]
As of June 2022, Leverage Research has received $80,000 in funding from the Survival and Flourishing Fund.[4]5]
- ^
Evans, Jon. Extropia’s Children, Chapter 2: This Demon-Haunted World. https://aiascendant.com/p/extropias-children-chapter-2-demon-haunted-world.
- ^
Curzi, Zoe. “My Experience with Leverage Research.” Medium, 23 Aug. 2024, https://medium.com/@zoecurzi/my-experience-with-leverage-research-17e96a8e540b.
- ^
Brennan, Ozy. Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults? Asterisk Magazine, https://asteriskmag.com/issues/11/why-are-there-so-many-rationalist-cults.
- ^
- ^
Survival and Flourishing Fund (2019) SFF-2020-H1 S-process recommendations announcement, Survival and Flourishing Fund.
Leverage Research isdescribes itself a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science. However, Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[1] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan (among others) as a "cult".[2]
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm provides training to individuals and incubates startups.[1]Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[2] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan (among others) as a "cult".[3]
As of June 2022, Leverage Research has received $80,000 in funding from the Survival and Flourishing Fund.[4]
- ^
^Curzi, Zoe. “My Experience with Leverage Research.” Medium, 23 Aug. 2024, https://medium.com/@zoecurzi/my-experience-with-leverage-research-17e96a8e540b.
- ^
Brennan, Ozy. Why Are There So Many Rationalist Cults? Asterisk Magazine, https://asteriskmag.com/issues/11/why-are-there-so-many-rationalist-cults.
- ^
- ^
Survival and Flourishing Fund (2019) SFF-2020-H1 S-process recommendations announcement, Survival and Flourishing Fund.
Leverage Research is a nonprofit research institute that conducts research in early stage science.
Leverage Research has a sister organization called Paradigm Academy. Paradigm provides training to individuals and incubates startups.[1]
Leverage Research has been credibly accused of serious wrongdoing[2] and has been described by rationalist blogger Ozy Brennan (among others) as a "cult".[3]
As of June 2022, Leverage Research has received $80,000 in funding from the Survival and Flourishing Fund.[2]
- ^
- ^
Survival and Flourishing Fund (2019)Curzi, Zoe. “My Experience with Leverage Research.” Medium, 23 Aug. 2024,SFF-2020-H1 S-process recommendations announcementhttps://medium.com/@zoecurzi/my-experience-with-leverage-research-17e96a8e540b,. - ^
Brennan, Ozy.
Survival and Flourishing FundWhy Are There So Many Rationalist Cults? Asterisk Magazine, https://asteriskmag.com/issues/11/why-are-there-so-many-rationalist-cults.
Another related concept is that of a crucial consideration, or a consideration that warrants a major reassessment of a cause or intervention. A crucial consideration may be regarded as a reason for rejecting a belief which is currently a crux for some cause or intervention, especially one considered to be high-priority.
The Forethought Foundation for Global Priorities Research (FF) was a global priorities research center that operated from 2018 to 2022.2024.
The Forethought Foundation for Global Priorities Research (FF) iswas a global priorities research center.center that operated from 2018 to 2022.
FF was founded in 2018 by William MacAskill. It iswas part of the Centre for Effective Altruism, and worksworked closely with the Global Priorities Institute.
As of March 2022, FF hashad three primary research areas: longtermism,[1] mitigation of global catastrophic risk,[2] and affecting the long-run future.[3]
FF shut down in 2024.[4]
FF is not to be confused with Forethought Research, a similarly named organization also co-founded by William MacAskill.
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Forethought Foundation (2021) Longtermism, Forethought Foundation.
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Forethought Foundation (2021) Mitigating catastrophic risk, Forethought Foundation.
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Forethought Foundation (2021) Affecting the very long run, Forethought Foundation.
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Per William MacAskill's website and FF's LinkedIn page.
Rethink Priorities is a think tank dedicated to informing decisions made by high-impact organisations and funders. It works across various cause areas such as longtermism (including forecasting, AI governance, and nuclear risks), building effective altruism, animal welfare (for both farmed and wild animals), and global health and development.
Soil animals are terrestrial invertebrates that spend most of their life in soil or litter (e.g., nematodes, mites, springtails, earthworms, many ants and termites).litter. They are extremely numerous and influence nutrient cycling, plant growth, and carbon dynamics. Recent EA Forum work arguesExamples of soil animals include soil ants, termites, springtails, mites, and nematodes. Each of these groups is much more numerous, and has many more neurons in total than wild vertebrates and farmed animals. Vasco Grilo argued overall changes in welfare may be determined by effects on soil animals, even accounting for soil ants and termites only, instead of effects on the beneficiaries targeted by interventions. However, there is large uncertainty about the expected intensity of the subjective experiences of soil animals, whether they may dominate animal-year counts relevanthave positive or negative, and what increases or decreases their population. So Vasco advocated for more research on informing how to increase the welfare analyses, but their sentience and net welfare remain highly uncertain.of soil animals over pursuing whatever land use change interventions naively seem to achieve that the most cost-effectively.
animal welfare | wild animalartificial sentience | invertebrate welfare | moral circle expansion | moral weight | digital mindsnematode welfare | wild animal welfare
FarmKind "connect[s] compassionate people with impactful charities that are fixing factory farming".
Mission and approach
FarmKind guides donors to a curated set of animal welfare and environmental charities working on corporate reforms, public policy, and alternatives to intensive animal agriculture. The platform does not take a percentage of donations; it is grant-funded to maintain independence from the charities it recommends.
Operations
Donors can give either to an “Impact Fund,” which is distributed across six selected charities, or to individual organizations on the platform, such as The Humane League. Donation processing is handled by Every.org, with the intent that 100% of donations reach recipient charities aside from standard payment processing fees.
Background
FarmKind launched in 2024 following incubation by Charity Entrepreneurship and AIM. The organization’s stated goal is to generate substantial new funding for farmed animal welfare, with internal targets for fundraising leverage over time. It has received positive attention from prominent advocates of animal welfare and effective philanthropy.
External links
FarmKind. Official website.
Related entries
Farmed animal welfare | Corporate animal welfare campaigns | Effective giving