Thanks so much for this, Jeffrey. You’re absolutely right about the far-reaching spillover effects of depression on families, communities, and long-term health and productivity. And though they can be hard to measure, these impacts are still incredibly real. Anyone who has experienced depression personally, or through a loved one, knows just how deeply it affects the people around them in ways that often go unseen. Really appreciate you naming this broader reality.
Thank you so much for both the donation and for publicly sharing your reasoning. I really appreciate you taking the extra step to make this visible; that kind of transparency is genuinely valuable to the community and to us.
I share your core framing almost exactly. The long-run case here really does hinge on whether government and large institutional funding materializes, and that is a real bet with meaningful risk. Support from the Columbia team and the WHO is encouraging but far from a guarantee, and I want to be very open about that uncertainty. At the same time, even if the big bet on government funding doesn’t work out, the harm is limited and mostly turns into learning. But if it does work, the upside could be very large. If it succeeds, it unlocks a scale that EA funding alone could never sustain.
I also strongly agree with your point about timing. Marginal funding this year is especially leveraged toward evidence, partnerships, and proof of viability. That makes support at this moment unusually impactful relative to most years.
Thank you again for your support and for articulating this so clearly. It truly means a lot at this stage.
Hi Mike, thanks so much for all your support and these thoughtful points.
Yes, there are additional costs associated with geographic expansion, and we believe these costs are justified for several reasons:
Testing Demand and Adaptation: By expanding to more rural locations, we aim to assess the demand for and adaptability of our services. Urban life in Quito is fast-paced, and we've noticed various factors competing for people's attention, making it challenging for group attendance. Most other g-IPT programs operate in rural settings, where individuals may have more time. This expansion allows us to explore whether there are better rates of treatment adherence, with participants completing all eight sessions.
Building a Demonstration Case: As you suggested, this expansion helps us build a demonstration case, primarily for provincial and local governments. Regional government staff are generally more accessible than national government officials, and showcasing the value of providing mental health care can influence policies at these levels (hopefully leading to national government adoption)
Higher Counterfactual Value: In general, the counterfactual value of providing mental health care is higher in third-tier cities and rural communities due to the concentration of government services in larger cities. If we can effectively manage costs and prevent an overall increase, we believe there is a moral imperative to extend support to those with fewer alternatives.
thank you so much again and welcome further questions and feedback!
Similarly, would like to know if it's possible to add Vida Plena? (I would imagine many orgs would like to know how they can also be considered for the donation election.)
Thank you so much, Philippe! Yes, we are excited about the possibilities of combining insights from different fields and seeing what the date shows us.
TLDR: Vida Plena, which provides WHO-endorsed group therapy for depression in Ecuador, seeks $200,000 for behavioral science research, $50,000 for expansion to new regions, $9,600 annually to hire an additional Group Facilitator or $120 to provide treatment to one person.
I'm the co-founder of Vida Plena, a nonprofit organization tackling Ecuador's mental health crisis through cost-effective, proven group therapy led by local leaders from vulnerable communities. We do this through the direct implementation of Group Interpersonal Therapy, which is the WHO's recommended intervention for depression. We are the first to implement it in Latin America.
So far this year, we've made a positive impact on the lives of 500 individuals, consistently showing significant improvements in both depression and anxiety. Our strategic partnerships with local institutions are flourishing, laying the groundwork for our ambitious goal of scaling our reach to treat 2,000 people in 2024.
For this marginal funding proposal, we seek $200,000 to expand our work and research to apply behavioral science insights to further depression treatment in Latin America. This enhanced therapy model will be evaluated through rapid impact assessments, deepening the evidence base for our work, and culminating in a white paper and a RCT in 2025.
In addition to the "Enhancing g-IPT via Behavioral Science" proposal described above, there are several other ways that Vida Plena could benefit from additional, marginal funding:
$120 - Individual Support:
Provide comprehensive treatment for one person, covering 9 sessions and ongoing follow-ups.
$800 Monthly / $9,600 Annually - Community Facilitator:
Hiring an additional Community Facilitator will extend care to approximately 400 more individuals, ensuring continued support.
$50,000 - Expansion to New Region:
Facilitate our expansion into a new region in Ecuador. This includes the establishment of training and outreach teams, bringing vital mental health care to areas currently underserved and neglected, beyond our current operations in Quito.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and support, Joey!
Thanks so much for this, Jeffrey. You’re absolutely right about the far-reaching spillover effects of depression on families, communities, and long-term health and productivity. And though they can be hard to measure, these impacts are still incredibly real. Anyone who has experienced depression personally, or through a loved one, knows just how deeply it affects the people around them in ways that often go unseen. Really appreciate you naming this broader reality.
HI Jason,
Thank you so much for both the donation and for publicly sharing your reasoning. I really appreciate you taking the extra step to make this visible; that kind of transparency is genuinely valuable to the community and to us.
I share your core framing almost exactly. The long-run case here really does hinge on whether government and large institutional funding materializes, and that is a real bet with meaningful risk. Support from the Columbia team and the WHO is encouraging but far from a guarantee, and I want to be very open about that uncertainty. At the same time, even if the big bet on government funding doesn’t work out, the harm is limited and mostly turns into learning. But if it does work, the upside could be very large. If it succeeds, it unlocks a scale that EA funding alone could never sustain.
I also strongly agree with your point about timing. Marginal funding this year is especially leveraged toward evidence, partnerships, and proof of viability. That makes support at this moment unusually impactful relative to most years.
Thank you again for your support and for articulating this so clearly. It truly means a lot at this stage.
Thank you Stephen, I feel really blessed to get to be part of this team, and grateful for all the people who trust us to help them.
:)
so appreciate you and everyone there.
really great post, and as someone who lives in the global south, you're money probably when so much further than one would ever expect. thank you
Hi Mike, thanks so much for all your support and these thoughtful points.
Yes, there are additional costs associated with geographic expansion, and we believe these costs are justified for several reasons:
Testing Demand and Adaptation: By expanding to more rural locations, we aim to assess the demand for and adaptability of our services. Urban life in Quito is fast-paced, and we've noticed various factors competing for people's attention, making it challenging for group attendance. Most other g-IPT programs operate in rural settings, where individuals may have more time. This expansion allows us to explore whether there are better rates of treatment adherence, with participants completing all eight sessions.
Building a Demonstration Case: As you suggested, this expansion helps us build a demonstration case, primarily for provincial and local governments. Regional government staff are generally more accessible than national government officials, and showcasing the value of providing mental health care can influence policies at these levels (hopefully leading to national government adoption)
Higher Counterfactual Value: In general, the counterfactual value of providing mental health care is higher in third-tier cities and rural communities due to the concentration of government services in larger cities. If we can effectively manage costs and prevent an overall increase, we believe there is a moral imperative to extend support to those with fewer alternatives.
thank you so much again and welcome further questions and feedback!
Similarly, would like to know if it's possible to add Vida Plena? (I would imagine many orgs would like to know how they can also be considered for the donation election.)
Thank you so much, Philippe! Yes, we are excited about the possibilities of combining insights from different fields and seeing what the date shows us.
TLDR: Vida Plena, which provides WHO-endorsed group therapy for depression in Ecuador, seeks $200,000 for behavioral science research, $50,000 for expansion to new regions, $9,600 annually to hire an additional Group Facilitator or $120 to provide treatment to one person.
See our full marginal funding forum post here.
I'm the co-founder of Vida Plena, a nonprofit organization tackling Ecuador's mental health crisis through cost-effective, proven group therapy led by local leaders from vulnerable communities. We do this through the direct implementation of Group Interpersonal Therapy, which is the WHO's recommended intervention for depression. We are the first to implement it in Latin America.
We launched in early 2022 (see our introductory EA forum post) and participated in the Charity Entrepreneurship Incubator program that same year. In the fall of 2022, we carried out a proof concept alongside Columbia University, which found positive results (see our internal report, and the report from the Columbia University Global Mental Health Lab).
So far this year, we've made a positive impact on the lives of 500 individuals, consistently showing significant improvements in both depression and anxiety. Our strategic partnerships with local institutions are flourishing, laying the groundwork for our ambitious goal of scaling our reach to treat 2,000 people in 2024.
For this marginal funding proposal, we seek $200,000 to expand our work and research to apply behavioral science insights to further depression treatment in Latin America. This enhanced therapy model will be evaluated through rapid impact assessments, deepening the evidence base for our work, and culminating in a white paper and a RCT in 2025.
In addition to the "Enhancing g-IPT via Behavioral Science" proposal described above, there are several other ways that Vida Plena could benefit from additional, marginal funding: