Narrative-first, evidence-driven

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Use when: you donate and want impact, not vibes.
Goal: money as a tool for outcomes, not a mood.

The giving budget (guardrail)

• Decide a monthly amount you can sustain
• Prefer recurring giving (stability beats spikes)

Where money tends to matter (often)

• Local turnout and voter protection
• Legal defense / due process support (credible orgs)
• Watchdog journalism and transparency orgs
• Implementation capacity (where allowed): staffing, training, tooling
• Community mutual aid funds (with accountability)

Your giving rubric (pick 3)

1. Clear measurable outcomes
2. Transparent reporting
3. Local leverage
4. Track record of shipping
5. Low drama / high execution

Avoid (usually)

• Pure outrage fundraising with no plan
• Org sprawl you can’t track
• “One weird trick” promises

What success looks like

You can explain why you donate in one sentence and it still sounds sane.

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