…↓↑Givingtide: Ending Poverty, One Wave at a Time!
Introduction to ↓↑Givingtide: A Call to Shared Prosperity
We live in an age of unprecedented plenty amid unacceptable scarcity. The world’s richest institutions command resources that dwarf the economies of entire continents, while the poorest 10% of humanity—nearly 800 million people—survive on less than $2.15 a day (World Bank, 2023).
That moral and material mismatch is not an accident; it is a choice we continue to make by how we organize wealth, power, and responsibility. Givingtide is a different choice —a commitment to redefine what is possible when abundance meets purpose.
Givingtide is a framework to dedicate 1% each year. One penny on every dollar.
- Nations: From Gross National Income (GNI).
- Corporations: From net revenue.
- Foundations: From endowments.
Modest in proportion, monumental in potential—this is not charity as a seasonal gesture. It is stewardship as long-term strategy, enlightened self-interest embedded in policy, and moral clarity translated into leadership.
Why Givingtide Is Necessary
Extreme inequality is not merely unjust; it is economically inefficient and politically unstable, as evidenced by rising global volatility (IMF reports). We stand at a unique juncture where the richest 1% own roughly half of global wealth—a sum equal to that of the other 99% combined (Credit Suisse, 2024).
This concentration is not just a moral outrage, but also an opportunity: a marginal 1% shift in allocation from the top could be sufficient to eradicate extreme poverty, per UN estimates, without diminishing donor stability.
Extreme inequality corrodes trust, erodes stability, and ultimately implodes the social code. By contrast, a world where everyone has a stake fosters broader growth, deepens markets, and secures a more lasting peace. Givingtide converts sequestered abundance into global security, turning surplus into shared resilience and resilience into collective progress— reducing risks like preventable pandemics and forced migrations that affect us all.
Signing the Givingtide is not a sacrifice; it is an investment in a safer, more abundant future. The future will judge our generation not by what we amassed, but by who we uplifted.
The Three Pillars of Givingtide
Givingtide is the 1-1-1 Framework for organizing and measuring institutional generosity—one percent of annual resources, maximized for collective impact through three guiding principles:
1. Equity Giving:
Dedicate at least 1% of your resources (nations from GNI, corporations from net revenue, foundations from endowments) to uplift the world’s poorest 10%. Givingtide encourages directing at least 50% of this giving as close to the recipients as possible, ideally through direct giving (such as unconditional cash transfers) rather than intermediaries, to maximize personal agency and minimize overhead; however, the choice of method and focus remains entirely at donor discretion, with no binding requirements.
2. Cross-Continental Giving:
Within your total philanthropic budget (regardless of size), ensure at least 1% supports causes in a continent other than your headquarters’ location. This counters parochialism, fostering mutuality; even developing economies giving to developed nations builds dignity and interdependence, reshaping global relationships, reducing moral distance, and enhancing global cooperation.
3. Universal Giving (U.P.)
Contribute any discretionary amount to the annual Universal Project (U.P.) —a high-impact global initiative selected transparently for maximum need and scalability. Donations to the U.P. are entirely discretionary—no gift is too small or too large. Each U.P. serves as a visible, annual proof of concept, showing the world the transformative potential of unified giving.
U.P. For 2026: The Institute of Preemptology
It is indefensible that no global system exists to train physicians in holistic preventive care. Our inaugural project will establish the Institute of Preemptology. By training 10,000 Preemptologists—deployed at a ratio of one specialist per million people—we will shift global healthcare to preemption, saving 60 million lives (per WHO projections) and advancing UHC as a global safety net (preemptology.org).
Note: The cross-continental and universal elements are fulfilled from existing philanthropic budget—they are not additive to the 1% equity giving but ways to direct it strategically.
↓↑Givingtide International
Givingtide International is the global coalition that stewards the 1-1-1 Framework—mobilizing partners, coordinating the annual Universal Project, measuring progress, and reporting the collective impact of Givingtide across borders and sectors.
Summary
– Givingtide: The 1-1-1 Framework for channeling 1% of resources into equitable, cross-continental, and universal giving.
– Givingtide International: The movement and coalition that champions and coordinates the 1-1-1 Framework worldwide.
Governance, Independence, and Voluntary Commitment
Givingtide is a global standard-setter, not a fund manager. The Givingtide 1% is a moral commitment, a beacon for leadership and solidarity, not a contractual bind. Signatories owe Givingtide no obligations. Signatories may choose aspirational commitments to reach the one-percent goal over time. Givingtide neither collects nor holds the gifted funds; it offers coordination, transparency, and the convening power to magnify collective impact.
To preserve trust, we operate with an independent governance framework:
- An international steering council,
- An independent selection panel for the Universal Project,
- Published criteria and external evaluation,
- Fiduciary project funds managed by independent Trustees.
Templates, suggested reporting formats, and transparency tools are offered as optional resources—never mandatory—empowering organizations to adopt best practices at their own pace. Givingtide encourage that at least 50% of your 1% giving be directed as close to the poor as possible, ideally through direct giving rather than projects or intermediaries. However, the final decision remains entirely yours.
Joining the Givingtide is joining a community committed to measurable, lasting change. Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, signatories become architects of a more just world and exemplars of leadership that others will emulate.
Call to Action
Adopt the Givingtide 1-1-1 for Global Giving:
– 1% for the world’s poorest
– 1% cross-continental
– 1 bold Universal Project
This is a moment to turn outward. Let this be the era in which humanity chose to tide‑lift the bottom 10%. Givingtide is a beacon, not a burden. Sign today at givingtide.org/1%.
Together, we can make generosity as routine as profit and as consequential as policy.
Together, let us turn the tide on poverty—sign up for the 1% giving now.
“A Tide of Giving, A Future Without Poverty.”