What if charities were evaluated not on the basis of how much they improve people’s health or increase their incomes, but on the basis of how happy they make people?
It’s an argument that moral philosopher Michael Plant has been making for years.
Plant, who founded and leads the Happier Lives Institute, says people’s happiness should serve as the most important measure of a charity’s cost-effectiveness, or how much impact it generates per dollar. Founded in 2019, the institute conducts research and advises donors on how to increase well-being in low-income countries.
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About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
