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@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ relations:
role: "statutory inquiry under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 into the UK charity"
fn: 7
created: 2026-10-01
updated: 2026-10-01
updated: 2026-10-08
---
The Centre for [[Effective Altruism]] (CEA) was the name of two affiliated charities and, later, of a project hosted by them. The English company now registered as Effective Ventures Foundation (UK), number 07962181, was incorporated as the Centre for Effective Altruism on 23 February 2012, took the name [[Effective Ventures|Effective Ventures Foundation]] on 25 August 2022 and became Effective Ventures Foundation (UK) on 27 February 2023.[^1] [[William MacAskill]], [[Toby Ord]] and [[Nick Beckstead]] were each appointed directors on the day of incorporation.[^2] [[Charlotte Alter]] of [[Time|TIME]] described MacAskill as having "co-founded the Centre for Effective Altruism."[^3] The American charity filed its tax returns for 2013 to 2021 as Centre for Effective Altruism USA Inc (EIN 47-1988398, [[San Francisco]], tax-exempt from February 2015) and has since been renamed Effective Ventures Foundation USA.[^4] After the 2022 renaming, CEA continued as one of the projects fiscally sponsored by the two charities, alongside [[80,000 Hours]], [[Giving What We Can]], EA Funds, the [[Forethought Foundation]], the [[Centre for the Governance of AI]] and [[Longview Philanthropy]].[^5][^6]
@ -197,7 +197,9 @@ Grants recommended by a "Committee for Effective Altruism Support" followed: 2,7
Later recommendations to CEA and its successors included 500,000 dollars for the Effective Altruism Infrastructure Fund (October 2021); two grants totaling 26,000,000 dollars for general support (March 2022); 77,000 dollars for a research assistant to [[Jonas Sandbrink]], a biosecurity researcher at the Future of Humanity Institute (May 2022); 5,318,000 dollars over three years for a coworking space in Boston for biosecurity teams "including [[Kevin Esvelt]]'s lab" (August 2022); 8,875,000 dollars for a five-year lease on an office in Harvard Square and 250,000 dollars for a one-year office for the Harvard AI Safety Team (August 2022); 4,929,000 dollars for Infrastructure Fund regranting (September 2022); two grants totaling 11,425,000 dollars to Effective Ventures Foundation, "formerly known as the Centre for Effective Altruism," and 1,500,000 pounds for office space for the Future of Humanity Institute in Oxford (December 2022); 4,700,000 dollars (January 2023) and 2,360,192 dollars (June 2023) to the American charity; 7,644,021 dollars for the Harvard Square space (April 2023); 11,000,000 dollars (June 2023); 288,000 dollars for an "AI Safety Communications Centre" that "connects journalists to AI safety experts and resources" (August 2023); 3,342,238 dollars and 3,543,240 dollars in simultaneous grants to the English and American charities (November 2023); and 14,201,781 dollars for CEA (May 2024).[^18] In January and March 2023 Open Philanthropy also granted 37,128 dollars and 75,617 dollars to reimburse student group organizers who bought copies of MacAskill's What We Owe the Future; the English charity earned 119,614 pounds in royalties on that book in the year to June 2023.[^18][^19]
The English charity's accounts for the year to June 2023 state that Zabel "is employed as a program director at Open Philanthropy, our largest funder," and that "Claire has significant influence over some of the funding decisions made by Open Philanthropy in relation to several of the charity's projects." The same note records grant income from Open Philanthropy of 39,037,949 pounds (38,285,688 pounds in the year to June 2022), and a liability of 3,352,129 pounds for grants to be returned to it.[^19] Open Philanthropy's biography of Zabel states that she joined in August 2015 and "went on to lead our Global Catastrophic Risks Capacity Building team"; its biography of Rose gives his title as program officer for the same program, the one under which its later CEA and 80,000 Hours grants are classed.[^20] The note for the year to June 2025 records that Rose, a current trustee, and Zabel are employed at Open Philanthropy with "significant influence" over its funding of the charity's projects, and that grant income from Open Philanthropy was 14,393,034 pounds in the year to June 2024 and 7,076,993 pounds in the year to June 2025, making 98,793,664 pounds over the four years. The trustees' report for that year describes the charity as "dependent on one major donor, Open Philanthropy" for a majority of its funding. The same note records grants of 425,508 pounds to Effective Altruism Germany, of which Gruban was formerly co-director, and states that he took no part in approving them.[^6] The 2022 and 2023 accounts describe a restricted fund named "Open Philanthropy" as "Income and expenses associated with projects supported by Good Ventures Foundation," a reference to [[Good Ventures]].[^11][^19]
In March 2022 Open Philanthropy recommended 5,000,000 dollars to the [[Atlas Fellowship]], via the Centre for Effective Altruism, to support a summer program and scholarship funding for talented high school students, with Zabel as grant investigator. A further 1,800,000 dollar general support grant to the Fellowship followed in December 2022.[^20]
The English charity's accounts for the year to June 2023 state that Zabel "is employed as a program director at Open Philanthropy, our largest funder," and that "Claire has significant influence over some of the funding decisions made by Open Philanthropy in relation to several of the charity's projects." The same note records grant income from Open Philanthropy of 39,037,949 pounds (38,285,688 pounds in the year to June 2022), and a liability of 3,352,129 pounds for grants to be returned to it.[^19] Open Philanthropy's biography of Zabel states that she joined in August 2015 and "went on to lead our Global Catastrophic Risks Capacity Building team"; its biography of Rose gives his title as program officer for the same program, the one under which its later CEA and 80,000 Hours grants are classed.[^21] The note for the year to June 2025 records that Rose, a current trustee, and Zabel are employed at Open Philanthropy with "significant influence" over its funding of the charity's projects, and that grant income from Open Philanthropy was 14,393,034 pounds in the year to June 2024 and 7,076,993 pounds in the year to June 2025, making 98,793,664 pounds over the four years. The trustees' report for that year describes the charity as "dependent on one major donor, Open Philanthropy" for a majority of its funding. The same note records grants of 425,508 pounds to Effective Altruism Germany, of which Gruban was formerly co-director, and states that he took no part in approving them.[^6] The 2022 and 2023 accounts describe a restricted fund named "Open Philanthropy" as "Income and expenses associated with projects supported by Good Ventures Foundation," a reference to [[Good Ventures]].[^11][^19]
### Oxford Institutes and Projects
@ -207,13 +209,13 @@ The charity's projects in the 2022 accounts included Longview Philanthropy, a jo
### Wytham Abbey
In December 2021 Open Philanthropy recommended two grants totaling 17,324,697 pounds (about 23,212,677 dollars) to Effective Ventures Foundation "to support the purchase, renovation, and operation of [[Wytham Abbey]]," a venue near Oxford "modeled on similar venues funded by the [[Rockefeller Foundation]] and the Brocher Foundation." The page states that if the venue proved less cost-effective than alternatives, "proceeds from a sale will be used to support EVF's ongoing operations," and that the amount was updated in October 2024.[^21] The accounts record the purchase on 1 April 2022.[^11]
In December 2021 Open Philanthropy recommended two grants totaling 17,324,697 pounds (about 23,212,677 dollars) to Effective Ventures Foundation "to support the purchase, renovation, and operation of [[Wytham Abbey]]," a venue near Oxford "modeled on similar venues funded by the [[Rockefeller Foundation]] and the Brocher Foundation." The page states that if the venue proved less cost-effective than alternatives, "proceeds from a sale will be used to support EVF's ongoing operations," and that the amount was updated in October 2024.[^22] The accounts record the purchase on 1 April 2022.[^11]
In the year to June 2025 the trustees recorded an impairment of 8,593,798 pounds against a freehold cost of 16,536,782 pounds. They state that the property was marketed in summer 2024 "at the original purchase price," that valuers then advised a change of strategy "given significant reductions in market sentiment," and that "After the year ended, the Charity entered into a sales agreement and completed the sale of Wytham Abbey for £6m in November 2025." During the year 279,816 pounds were transferred from central funds to meet the running costs. The 2024 accounts record that Lakeside, an Oxford accommodation property carried at about 1.4 million pounds, was sold after the year end for about 1.2 million pounds.[^6][^22]
In the year to June 2025 the trustees recorded an impairment of 8,593,798 pounds against a freehold cost of 16,536,782 pounds. They state that the property was marketed in summer 2024 "at the original purchase price," that valuers then advised a change of strategy "given significant reductions in market sentiment," and that "After the year ended, the Charity entered into a sales agreement and completed the sale of Wytham Abbey for £6m in November 2025." During the year 279,816 pounds were transferred from central funds to meet the running costs. The 2024 accounts record that Lakeside, an Oxford accommodation property carried at about 1.4 million pounds, was sold after the year end for about 1.2 million pounds.[^6][^23]
### FTX Foundation Funds and the Charity Commission Inquiry
The announcement of the [[FTX Future Fund]] on 1 March 2022, reposted by [[Tyler Cowen]], gave its team as Beckstead (chief executive), [[Leopold Aschenbrenner]], MacAskill and [[Ketan Ramakrishnan]].[^23] Alter reported that in less than nine months the fund gave 13.9 million dollars to CEA.[^3] The English charity's accounts record donations from the [[FTX Foundation]] of 1,478,708 pounds in the year to June 2022 and 2,766,546 pounds in the year to June 2023, and state in both years that one of the trustees was also chief executive of the FTX Foundation.[^19] The Future Fund team announced its resignation in a post dated 11 November 2022.[^24]
The announcement of the [[FTX Future Fund]] on 1 March 2022, reposted by [[Tyler Cowen]], gave its team as Beckstead (chief executive), [[Leopold Aschenbrenner]], MacAskill and [[Ketan Ramakrishnan]].[^24] Alter reported that in less than nine months the fund gave 13.9 million dollars to CEA.[^3] The English charity's accounts record donations from the [[FTX Foundation]] of 1,478,708 pounds in the year to June 2022 and 2,766,546 pounds in the year to June 2023, and state in both years that one of the trustees was also chief executive of the FTX Foundation.[^19] The Future Fund team announced its resignation in a post dated 11 November 2022.[^25]
[[FTX]] filed for bankruptcy on 11 November 2022. Five days later Lempel was appointed chief executive.[^8] On 19 November the charity filed a serious incident report with the Commission stating that it held 3.3 million pounds and 300,000 dollars from FTX or affiliated entities, that one trustee was chief executive of the FTX Foundation and another an unpaid adviser to the FTX Future Fund. On 2 December the trustees told the Commission that those trustees had been excluded from decisions on the bankruptcy as "non-participating" trustees. The Commission opened a statutory inquiry under section 46 of the [[Charities Act 2011]] on 19 December 2022. On 12 February 2023 the trustees filed a second serious incident report about a historic safeguarding incident involving a former trustee before that person's appointment.[^7] The accounts for the year to June 2022 state that an internal investigation was "ongoing in Q1 2023 in order to investigate concerns re past conduct of a former trustee."[^8]
@ -221,9 +223,9 @@ The inquiry report of 22 May 2024 records that the trustees ringfenced the funds
### Spin-out and Successor Entities
In November 2023 the trustees decided to spin all fiscally sponsored projects out into independent entities. The accounts for the year to June 2025 record the completion dates: the Centre for the Governance of AI on 15 November 2024, Forethought on 28 February 2025, 80,000 Hours on 31 March 2025 and the teenage fellowship Non-Trivial on 11 April 2025. CEA and EA Funds were to merge from 1 July 2025. The board "does not intend to fiscally sponsor new charitable projects" and expects the company to "wind down (in 2026 or beyond)," and the accounts were prepared on a basis other than going concern. In that year the charity spent 8,135,491 pounds on CEA, 5,454,605 pounds on 80,000 Hours and 9,982,687 pounds on EA Funds and Giving What We Can, against total income of 12,083,820 pounds (31,663,819 pounds in 2024), and net funds fell from 43,259,065 pounds to 17,808,025 pounds.[^6] Open Philanthropy recommended 460,000 dollars to the English charity and 990,000 dollars to the American one for CEA's spin-out costs in May 2024.[^25]
In November 2023 the trustees decided to spin all fiscally sponsored projects out into independent entities. The accounts for the year to June 2025 record the completion dates: the Centre for the Governance of AI on 15 November 2024, Forethought on 28 February 2025, 80,000 Hours on 31 March 2025 and the teenage fellowship Non-Trivial on 11 April 2025. CEA and EA Funds were to merge from 1 July 2025. The board "does not intend to fiscally sponsor new charitable projects" and expects the company to "wind down (in 2026 or beyond)," and the accounts were prepared on a basis other than going concern. In that year the charity spent 8,135,491 pounds on CEA, 5,454,605 pounds on 80,000 Hours and 9,982,687 pounds on EA Funds and Giving What We Can, against total income of 12,083,820 pounds (31,663,819 pounds in 2024), and net funds fell from 43,259,065 pounds to 17,808,025 pounds.[^6] Open Philanthropy recommended 460,000 dollars to the English charity and 990,000 dollars to the American one for CEA's spin-out costs in May 2024.[^26]
Two new English companies, Centre for Effective Altruism UK (number 16360152, incorporated 2 April 2025) and Centre for Effective Altruism Community UK (number 16395613, incorporated 17 April 2025), are registered at Trajan House with a single director each and a statement that the company has no registrable controller.[^26] In the [[United States]], Centre For Effective Altruism Inc (EIN 33-3737390), at an address in Milton, Delaware, holds a tax exemption with a ruling date of 1 March 2025.[^27]
Two new English companies, Centre for Effective Altruism UK (number 16360152, incorporated 2 April 2025) and Centre for Effective Altruism Community UK (number 16395613, incorporated 17 April 2025), are registered at Trajan House with a single director each and a statement that the company has no registrable controller.[^27] In the [[United States]], Centre For Effective Altruism Inc (EIN 33-3737390), at an address in Milton, Delaware, holds a tax exemption with a ruling date of 1 March 2025.[^28]
### Footnotes
@ -246,11 +248,12 @@ Two new English companies, Centre for Effective Altruism UK (number 16360152, in
[^17]: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Prime Minister's Office, "Appointment of Jade Leung as the Prime Minister's AI adviser," GOV.UK, 15 August 2025; Cabinet Office, "Dr Jade Leung appointed Vice-Chair of the AI Security Institute and Security Advisor to the AI Taskforce," GOV.UK, 23 September 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appointment-of-jade-leung-as-the-prime-ministers-ai-adviser ; https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dr-jade-leung-appointed-vice-chair-of-the-ai-security-institute-and-security-advisor-to-the-ai-taskforce
[^18]: Open Philanthropy grant pages, Wayback captures of 2023 to 2025: "Centre for Effective Altruism, Effective Altruism Infrastructure Fund" (October 2021); "General Support (2022)" (March 2022); "Research Assistant for Jonas Sandbrink" (May 2022); "Biosecurity Coworking Space," "Harvard Square Coworking Space" and "Harvard AI Safety Office" (August 2022); "Infrastructure Fund Regranting" (September 2022); "Effective Ventures Foundation, General Support" and "Office Space" (December 2022); "General Support (EVF USA, January 2023)"; "Effective Ventures Foundation, Support for What We Owe The Future" (January 2023); "Effective Ventures Foundation USA, Support for What We Owe The Future" (March 2023); "Effective Ventures Foundation USA, Harvard Square Coworking Space (2023)" (April 2023); "General Support (EVF, June 2023)" and "(EVF USA, June 2023)"; "Effective Ventures Foundation, AI Safety Communications Centre" (August 2023); "General Support (EVF, November 2023)" and "(EVF USA, November 2023)"; "General Support (EVF, May 2024)." https://web.archive.org/web/20251117060703/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-effective-altruism-infrastructure-fund/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251103005418/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-2022/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250512185858/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-research-assistant-for-jonas-sandbrink/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251113075351/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-biosecurity-coworking-space/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251025192305/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-harvard-coworking-space/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251117005852/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-harvard-ai-safety-office/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20230710180030/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-infrastructure-fund-regranting/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250831045703/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-uk-general-support/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250618023752/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-office-space/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251031134905/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-january-2023/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250429042148/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-support-for-what-we-owe-the-future/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20241110095505/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-usa-support-for-what-we-owe-the-future/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250618024013/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-harvard-square-coworking-space-2023/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251023101706/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250711152100/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-june-2023/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250201041241/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-ai-safety-communications-centre/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20251024141001/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-evf/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250518121930/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-evf-usa/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250123031744/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-general-support-evf-uk-may-2024/
[^19]: Effective Ventures Foundation (UK), Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2023, filed at Companies House 21 March 2024: Trustees' Report, "Management of existing risks" (FTX bankruptcy), fund descriptions, and note 27 ("Related party transactions"), page 48. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07962181/filing-history/MzQxNDkzNjQ2NGFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf
[^20]: Open Philanthropy, team biographies "Claire Zabel" (Wayback capture of 5 January 2025) and "Eli Rose" (Wayback capture of 6 January 2025). https://web.archive.org/web/20250105212156/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/claire-zabel/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250106073801/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/eli-rose/
[^21]: Open Philanthropy, "Effective Ventures Foundation, Event Venue," award date December 2021, amount updated October 2024, Wayback capture of 4 November 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20251104150006/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-uk-event-venue/
[^22]: Effective Ventures Foundation (UK), Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2024, filed at Companies House 1 April 2025, note 26 ("Post balance sheet events"). https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07962181/filing-history/MzQ2MDU2NjI0MmFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf
[^23]: Cowen, Tyler. "Announcing the Future Fund." Marginal Revolution, 1 March 2022. https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2022/03/announcing-the-future-fund.html
[^24]: Beckstead, Nick, Leopold Aschenbrenner, Ketan Ramakrishnan and others. "The FTX Future Fund team has resigned." Effective Altruism Forum, 11 November 2022. https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/xafpj3on76uRDoBja/the-ftx-future-fund-team-has-resigned-1
[^25]: Open Philanthropy, "Centre for Effective Altruism, Spinout Costs (EVF UK, May 2024)" and "Spinout Costs (EVF USA, May 2024)," Wayback captures of 18 June 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250618031521/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-spinout-costs-evf-uk-may-2024/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250618031718/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-spinout-costs-evf-usa-may-2024/
[^26]: Companies House, "Centre for Effective Altruism UK," company number 16360152, and "Centre for Effective Altruism Community UK," company number 16395613, overviews, officers and persons with significant control, retrieved 1 October 2026. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/16360152 ; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/16395613
[^27]: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API, "Centre For Effective Altruism Inc," EIN 33-3737390, organization record, retrieved 1 October 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/api/v2/organizations/333737390.json
[^20]: Open Philanthropy, "Atlas Fellowship: Scholarships and Summer Program for Students," award date March 2022, amount 5,000,000 dollars, grant investigator Claire Zabel (Wayback Machine captures of 2022 and 2024), https://web.archive.org/web/2024id_/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/atlas-fellowship-scholarships-and-summer-program-for-students/ ; and "Atlas Fellowship: General Support," award date December 2022, amount 1,800,000 dollars, https://web.archive.org/web/2024id_/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/atlas-fellowship-general-support/
[^21]: Open Philanthropy, team biographies "Claire Zabel" (Wayback capture of 5 January 2025) and "Eli Rose" (Wayback capture of 6 January 2025). https://web.archive.org/web/20250105212156/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/claire-zabel/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250106073801/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/eli-rose/
[^22]: Open Philanthropy, "Effective Ventures Foundation, Event Venue," award date December 2021, amount updated October 2024, Wayback capture of 4 November 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20251104150006/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/effective-ventures-foundation-uk-event-venue/
[^23]: Effective Ventures Foundation (UK), Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2024, filed at Companies House 1 April 2025, note 26 ("Post balance sheet events"). https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07962181/filing-history/MzQ2MDU2NjI0MmFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf
[^24]: Cowen, Tyler. "Announcing the Future Fund." Marginal Revolution, 1 March 2022. https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2022/03/announcing-the-future-fund.html
[^25]: Beckstead, Nick, Leopold Aschenbrenner, Ketan Ramakrishnan and others. "The FTX Future Fund team has resigned." Effective Altruism Forum, 11 November 2022. https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/xafpj3on76uRDoBja/the-ftx-future-fund-team-has-resigned-1
[^26]: Open Philanthropy, "Centre for Effective Altruism, Spinout Costs (EVF UK, May 2024)" and "Spinout Costs (EVF USA, May 2024)," Wayback captures of 18 June 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250618031521/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-spinout-costs-evf-uk-may-2024/ ; https://web.archive.org/web/20250618031718/https://www.openphilanthropy.org/grants/centre-for-effective-altruism-spinout-costs-evf-usa-may-2024/
[^27]: Companies House, "Centre for Effective Altruism UK," company number 16360152, and "Centre for Effective Altruism Community UK," company number 16395613, overviews, officers and persons with significant control, retrieved 1 October 2026. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/16360152 ; https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/16395613
[^28]: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API, "Centre For Effective Altruism Inc," EIN 33-3737390, organization record, retrieved 1 October 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/api/v2/organizations/333737390.json