For donors who want maximum impact on animal welfare, understanding the cost-effectiveness of different charities and intervention types enables dramatically more animals to benefit per pound donated.
Effective animal welfare philanthropy applies the same analytical approach to giving that effective altruists apply to global health. The finding that chicken welfare campaigns are among the most cost-effective uses of animal welfare funds - reaching more individuals per dollar than almost any other intervention - has directed hundreds of millions toward corporate campaigns. Wild animal welfare, by contrast, receives far less funding relative to the scale of the problem. Matching individual giving between farm animal welfare (high cost-effectiveness) and wild animal welfare (high neglect) balances impact against funding gaps. ACE's annual recommendations provide starting points for donors without time for independent analysis.