1. #StandWithUkraine: Key principles

At CSP we discussed how to respond to the situation in Ukraine. Some of our alumni had reached out, asking if we could do something together, and we had a call with interested community members. You find insights from the discussions in these three articles. Before we outline the details pulled together by the CSP team, we would like to share these key principles.

1. Lean in — and step back: YES — we absolutely must harness the high engagement that the Ukraine-crisis triggers, right now. At the same time, strategic, impact-focused impact investors and donors are crucial in thinking deeply about where the gravest long-term risks sit, that one can meaningfully contribute to mitigate. For example, if democracy is important, the structures needed to uphold that need to be funded, for example free press. We encourage you to contact Kellie Liket at Effective Giving; they work with donors on key topics like pandemic prevention BEFORE COVID, etc.
2. Focus on your super-power — your capital: Keep in mind the super-power that 99.9% of the population don’t have — capital. There is a trade-off between driving down to Poland for 10 hours or sifting through the closet for 3 hours to donate clothes — if one could have had outsized impact during that same time spent on the phone and research to allocate capital well.
3. Take additionality seriously: Humanitarian aid is mobilising rapidly. Where does your capital, which is unique in its volume and flexibility, have additionality? Don’t be the $ million amongst the $ billions. For example, see Effective Altruism’s point on potentially high additionality in funding free media in Russia right now (as opposed to, e.g., donating to the Ukrainian military).

Read more about what you can do now for the people of Ukraine in part 2.

Read more about what you can do in the aftermaths for the people of Ukraine in part 3.