Independent guidance for humanitarian giving.
With more people caught in crisis and resources shrinking, every donation matters. We guide yours to where it helps most.
The scale of need
Your donation can make a difference. But with so many crises and organisations competing for attention, how do you know where it will have the greatest impact?
239M
People in need
239 million people require humanitarian assistance in 2026. Among them, 87 million face life-threatening needs.¹
26%
Funded
Of the approximately $47 billion required for global humanitarian appeals in 2025, only 26% was funded — the lowest level in a decade.²
1 in 70
People displaced
117.8 million people are displaced worldwide — a figure that has nearly doubled in the past decade. More than two-thirds are hosted in low- and middle-income countries.³
How we help you give smarter
We are building a platform that cuts through the complexity to identify humanitarian interventions that deliver the greatest impact per dollar donated.
Independence
We are not part of an aid agency or network of agencies. Our independence ensures unbiased evaluations and recommendations based solely on evidence and impact.
Rigour
We invest in rigorous research that combines evaluation science, feedback from affected people, and deep sector knowledge. This multi-faceted approach ensures our recommendations are grounded in evidence and lived experience.
Agility
We will constantly monitor early warning indicators and crisis dynamics. When emergencies strike or situations change, we aim to have tailored advice ready.
Rigorous research, clear recommendations
We are currently developing a research framework and methodology to help you give with confidence. Contact us for early access to our findings, and if you want to shape our approach from the start.
Three-step assessment process
We combine human expert evaluation with AI-powered analysis to identify the most effective humanitarian giving opportunities.
1
Assessed funding need
We evaluate humanitarian needs in context and analyse current funding levels to identify critical gaps.
2
Proven cost-effectiveness
We look for approaches backed by decades of evidence demonstrating measurable impact and cost efficiency.
3
Exceptional organisations
We identify organisations exceptional in impact focus, transparency, quality and accountability that need funding.
Selected data sources
Our recommendations will draw on the sector’s best data, evaluations and the voices of affected people.
Who we are
We are building the future of evidence-based humanitarian giving.
Founder
Dr Elias Sagmeister
Elias’ perspective on humanitarian aid has been shaped by thousands of conversations with people receiving assistance, over a decade of evaluation research on what works in humanitarian action, and strategic work with funding institutions.
Supported by
Ambitious Impact (AIM)
Aidwise is being developed as part of AIM’s Impactful Philanthropy incubation programme — an initiative for people serious about improving the effectiveness of philanthropy.
Get involved
We welcome strategic partners, donors, and organisations who share our commitment to effective humanitarian action.
01 / Give
Give to a humanitarian crisis
We’re building our first giving recommendations. Tell us what you care about and you’ll be among the first to see them.
02 / Collaborate
Collaborate with Aidwise
Researchers, evaluators and philanthropy advisers: tell us about your work and what you have in mind.
03 / Nominate
Nominate an aid organisation
If you know of or work for an exceptional humanitarian organisation, tell us more. We won’t publish anything without your permission.