🎯 Donation Impact Calculator
Estimate the tangible impact of a donation by choosing a cause and using typical cost-per-impact estimates (meals provided, vaccines, wells, trees planted, textbooks, etc.). Good for planning one-off or recurring donations.
Calculate impact from your donation
Understanding donation impact
Different charities report impact in different ways. Some publish specific cost-per-impact metrics (e.g., $0.50 per meal, $2 per vaccine), while others report program-level outcomes. This calculator uses simple division: donated amount / cost per unit = number of units of impact. For recurring donations, it multiplies over the chosen time horizon.
Choosing where to give
Consider effectiveness, transparency, and alignment with your values. High-impact charities often publish measurable outcomes and third-party evaluations. If you care about local impact, look for community-based organisations who understand on-the-ground costs.
Notes on overhead
Legitimate organisations have overhead (administration, staff, monitoring). Low overhead isn't the sole marker of effectiveness — some admin is necessary for program quality. Look for evidence of outcomes rather than only low overhead percentages.
Examples
- $50 one-time donation at $0.50/meal → 100 meals.
- $10/month at $2/vaccine → 5 vaccines/month, 60/year.
- $500 at $25/tree → 20 trees planted.
Conclusion
Use this tool for quick impact estimates and to communicate expected outcomes to friends or donors. Always verify figures with the organisation you intend to support.