When we analyze nonprofits, we focus on evaluating the relative breadth, depth, and evidence of their impact. We assign scores on a scale of 1-5 for each category. We then translate a nonprofit's numerical score in each category to High/Med/Low based on how it compares relative to all other nonprofits for that cause, region, and output category. For more details, please refer to our fund strategy and methodology.

Breadth of impact is the estimated total number of outputs delivered (e.g. number of individuals served).
Depth of impact is our evaluation of how "important" an organization's specific outputs are towards solving the overall issue. For a given cause, we assign impact weights to every category of output based on academic research and policy reports. We then calculate a nonprofit's depth score by taking a weighted average of the impact weights assigned to the outputs being delivered by that nonprofit. The higher this score, the more the nonprofit is investing in outputs that we believe have the best chance of addressing the given cause. You can find more details on depth of impact and impact weights depth of impact and impact weights.
Evidence of impact is a qualitative evaluation of how strongly a nonprofit supports its stated outputs delivered with additional data and/or research. We examine and assign evidence scores as follows:Low - Nonprofit does not report individuals served and instead states a different overall quantity of outputs or activities.Med - Nonprofit reports individuals served but no additional details on further outcomes.High - Nonprofit reports individuals served and provides additional details on outcomes achieved to help those individuals progress in service of the cause.
Nonprofit weight is simply the percentage of the overall fund that a particular nonprofit comprises. When you donate to the fund, the weight of a nonprofit determines what percentage of your donation goes to that nonprofit. We determine fund weights by dividing the final overall score of each nonprofit in the fund (an internal calculation based on the breadth, depth, and evidence scores) divided by the sum of all the final overall scores of all the nonprofits in the fund.