active
Experiment Results

P2 Donation Collective Choice

17 participants 2026-03-16
The Question
In this study, you will take part in a collective decision about how to allocate a charitable donation. You will be asked to decide which charity should receive a $10 donation. Several charities are working on different approaches to addressing social problems. Each of them uses donations in different ways and focuses on different types of impact. In an anonymous conversation with a neutral AI assistant, you will be asked to rank the options and briefly explain why exactly you prefer your top choice. After everyone in the group makes their choice, the charity that receives the most support will be selected as the winner.
Key Results

P2 Donation Collective Choice - Session Summary

Detailed Findings
Summary

P2 Donation Collective Choice - Session Summary

🎯 Final Outcome & Key Dynamics

This collective decision process revealed a strong convergence toward human-centered needs, with participants gravitating toward either the Community Health Clinic or Community Food Pantry Network as their top choices. The discussion demonstrated thoughtful deliberation about urgency, systemic gaps, and cost-effectiveness.

Final Rankings Distribution:

  • Community Health Clinic: 6 participants (top choice)
  • Community Food Pantry Network: 7 participants (top choice)
  • Urban Tree Initiative: 2 participants (top choice)
  • Animal Rescue Shelter: 2 participants (top choice)

💡 Core Arguments That Shaped Decisions

🏥 Community Health Clinic Advocates

Key reasoning:

  • Healthcare is foundational and urgent - addresses both physical and mental health
  • US healthcare system is broken and expensive - inadequately addressed by government
  • Serves marginalized populations (low-income, immigrants) with nowhere else to go
  • Student-run model provides dual benefit: patient care + medical education
  • Healthcare enables people to work, learn, and care for families - multiplier effect

Most compelling quote: "There's really only one way to access a doctor - this fills a critical gap for uninsured people"

🍎 Community Food Pantry Network Advocates

Key reasoning:

  • Food is a first-order need - baseline for everything else (can't think, study, or work when hungry)
  • Addresses immediate, recurring urgency - people need to eat today
  • Tackles both food waste and hunger simultaneously through redistribution
  • Inequality-focused - serves the most vulnerable populations
  • Personal experience working with low-income families made impact tangible

Most compelling quote: "Being hungry is a real immediate need that is a baseline for other needs. If you are hungry you don't think straight, you can't study"

🌳 Urban Tree Initiative Advocates

Key reasoning:

  • Maximizes benefit across most people - environmental, mental health, cooling effects compound over decades
  • Cost-effectiveness - $10 goes furthest here in tangible impact
  • Addresses urban heat islands and improves quality of life universally
  • Creates lasting infrastructure with multiplier effects (cleaner air, wildlife, stormwater management)
  • Less dependent on individual donations - can leverage environmental grants

Most compelling quote: "What would provide the most long-term benefit for the most people? In that sense, trees may deserve higher placement"

🐾 Animal Rescue Shelter Advocates

Key reasoning:

  • Animals can't advocate for themselves - completely voiceless and dependent
  • Chronically underfunded - doesn't fit institutional funding streams like food banks or health programs
  • Immediate, tangible impact - $10 covers a day of food/care or vaccination
  • Humans created this responsibility through domestication
  • Personal connection and values around animal welfare

Most compelling quote: "Animals can't advocate for themselves - they can't fill out forms, go to a food bank, or make a case for funding. They're completely dependent"


🔄 Perspective Shifts & Persuasion Moments

Significant Changes:

  1. Conversation 2: Participant shifted from Food Pantry → Urban Tree Initiative after utilitarian "most good for most people" argument
  2. Conversation 4: Participant moved from Animal Rescue → Health Clinic after reasoning about healthy people enabling healthy pets
  3. Conversation 5: Participant shifted from Food Pantry → Health Clinic after considering vulnerability and expansion potential
  4. Conversation 17: Participant became split between Health and Food, requesting more information

Arguments That Resonated Across Conversations:

  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs framework (mentioned multiple times)
  • Funding ecosystem analysis - which causes have institutional support vs. individual donations
  • Causal reasoning - food/health as prerequisites for other activities
  • US context specificity - broken healthcare system, expensive medical care
  • Cost-effectiveness - where does $10 make the most difference?

🤔 Key Tensions & Debates

Urgency vs. Long-term Impact

  • Immediate needs (food, health) vs. infrastructure investment (trees)
  • Some argued trees benefit thousands over decades; others prioritized preventing immediate suffering

Breadth vs. Depth

  • Utilitarian calculus: maximize total benefit across most people (trees)
  • Targeted impact: address most vulnerable populations intensively (food, health)

Institutional Support Analysis

  • Disagreement about which causes are "already well-supported"
  • Food pantries: government programs (SNAP, WIC) + corporate donations
  • Health clinics: university backing for student-run programs
  • Animal shelters: perception of support ≠ actual funding reality
  • Trees: environmental grants available

Human vs. Animal Needs

  • Philosophical divide: some automatically prioritize human flourishing
  • Others challenged this hierarchy, emphasizing animals' complete voicelessness
  • European participant noted public health services make healthcare less urgent in their context

📊 Notable Patterns

Geographic Context Matters:

  • US-based participants emphasized broken healthcare system and food insecurity
  • European participant noted public health services already exist, preferred animals
  • Chicago participant mentioned city already has good tree coverage

Personal Experience Influenced Rankings:

  • Volunteering at animal shelters → Animal Rescue priority
  • Working with food pantries → Food Pantry priority
  • Living in NYC → Understanding of food waste/scarcity gap
  • Medical context awareness → Health Clinic priority

The "$10 Question":

  • Some argued $10 is too small to matter for some causes
  • Others emphasized collective power - "if 100 people donate $10..."
  • Cost-effectiveness debate: where does $10 stretch furthest?

🎭 Outlier Perspectives

Conversation 14 - The Contrarian:

  • Insisted on Urban Trees despite minimal engagement with arguments
  • Responses were dismissive ("they just sound dull")
  • Asked off-topic questions (grandmother's card)
  • Represents potential for disengaged participation in collective decisions

Conversation 16 - The Egalitarian:

  • Wanted to split equally between all projects
  • When forced to choose, selected animals based purely on personal preference
  • Explicitly stated preference for animals over humans
  • European context made health less urgent

🏆 Winning Arguments & Persuasive Techniques

Most Effective Framings:

  1. Systemic Gap Analysis

    • "Healthcare is expensive and inadequately addressed by government in the US"
    • Identifying which needs have institutional support vs. individual donation dependency
  2. Causal Chain Reasoning

    • "Nutritious food is causal - it must happen first before other actions"
    • "Healthy people can better support healthy pets"
  3. Concrete Impact Visualization

    • "$10 covers one day of food and care for an animal"
    • "300 patients annually" (though some saw this as too small)
  4. Multiplier Effect Arguments

    • Trees benefit thousands over decades
    • Healthcare enables work, learning, family care
  5. Vulnerability Framing

    • "Animals can't advocate for themselves"
    • "Marginalized individuals facing economic and immigration challenges"

🔮 Unresolved Questions

Several participants noted they would need more information to make fully confident decisions:

  • Actual funding levels and institutional support for each organization
  • Specific impact metrics and outcomes data
  • Geographic specifics (which cities for trees?)
  • Scale and growth plans for organizations
  • Comparative cost-effectiveness analysis

The $10 constraint created interesting dynamics - some saw it as too small to matter for certain causes, others emphasized collective power and marginal impact.


📝 Meta-Observations on the Process

Deliberation Quality:

  • Generally thoughtful and respectful engagement
  • Participants genuinely considered opposing viewpoints
  • Several acknowledged complexity and validity of multiple perspectives
  • Some changed their minds based on new arguments

Challenges:

  • Limited information about organizations made comparisons difficult
  • Personal values and experiences heavily influenced "objective" assessments
  • Geographic context created different baseline assumptions
  • One participant was clearly disengaged/contrarian

Success Factors:

  • Structured ranking format forced prioritization
  • Explanation requirements surfaced reasoning
  • Exposure to diverse perspectives broadened considerations
  • Iterative process allowed for reflection and revision

🎯 Conclusion

The collective decision process revealed a fundamental tension between immediate human needs and long-term systemic benefits. While the group was split between Health Clinic and Food Pantry as top choices, both represent a shared prioritization of urgent, human-centered needs over environmental infrastructure or animal welfare.

The most persuasive arguments combined systemic analysis (funding gaps, institutional support), causal reasoning (prerequisite needs), and concrete impact (what $10 actually does). Personal experience and geographic context significantly shaped individual priorities, but participants demonstrated genuine openness to reconsidering their positions when presented with compelling alternative frameworks.

Participant Responses

Participant 1

User shared the following context:

I like animals, I would like to adopt a dog soon because I gre up with dogs and I think this would make my life happier. Charity 1 seems relevant to me personally then. However, in terms of values, I think health is more important, so charity 4 is more aligned with this

I have similar conflicting thought about the other two. I personally like nature and I like trees around the city. I come from a warm country and looking for shade during hot days is important. I also come from a country where spaces are mostly privatized and the idea of having well-taken -care-of parks is exciting.

but again, food is more important for survival of some people, so the other one would be a smarter choice

4 > 2 > 3 > 1

both health and food are crucial for an individual's survival, but health also has direct group consequences as some diseases are contagiou. Hunger is not ... though I do affect other people's mood when I get hangry haha

the first reason really resonates with me, the second kind of does but not in a meaningful way. I never make choices based on aesthetics. we don't live in a perfectly framed movie. life is messy

I agree with the health comment and the economic context of it. hadn't thought about that. food is not always easy to get, so I do not agree on that. animal shelter is not a priority, agreed

sure, food is worth it but not a priority

we cannot benefit a lot of people that are mid-ok if we do not address the most vulnerable

yes, agreed

good point!

same ranking, my values haven't changed

these points strengthen my decisions, yes. the main motivation is the same

Participant 2

User shared the following context:

I would rank - food pantry -> community heath -> animal rescue -> urban tree collective

Food pantry is my top choice just because there is a lot of food scarcity coupled with a lot of food waste in NYC so I'm quite interested in closing that gap and I see it as underinvested in in the city

The food pantry went above it because food is a first order need. And often lack of food can create greater health problems. We can't support people's health if they're not able to eat

I think it does resonate and I agree! however because i live in NYC I feel that there is a significant investment in trees. Altho - there could be more trees in my particular neighborhood which is lacking in tree cover

I do see this perspective. I think this might change my opinion, although I would need to actually dig deeper to understand how much less investment there is for sure to better understand this. But if health is less invested in comparatively, than I would swithc my opinion

Yah - I think this is one of core reasons I chose community food patnry

I agree - but I'm not sure if that is accurate. I think it's often used as a way to support folks without fully addressing their core needs which aren't currently met

I agree this is important - I still prioritize food

I would say that I'm trying to support things that are undersupported and if dollars don't stretch as far in food/healthcare than I wouldn't withdraw my money from it

I think I am now split between community heath and food and I'd need more information, and maybe I rank urban trees above animal rescue

Food -> Health -> Trees -> Animal

Participant 3

User shared the following context:

i think the community health clinic sounds the most important! because it directly impacts the humans. whereas the rest are all kind of indirect imapct

COMMUNITY HEALTH > FOOD PANTRY > ANIMAL RESCUE > URBAN TREE

human health is most impt

i think i agree. but medical is more important

not really. i mean it sounds good. but i think this should be more at the state level. not a private org

yes

hmm thats quite fair

i think thats rather trivial

you said one last previously

still the same

yes

Participant 4

User shared the following context:

The Community Health Clinic stands out as the best option. I guess i just care more about this

Community Health Clinic > Community Food Pantry Network> Community Animal Rescue Shelter > Urban Tree Initiative

It just seems like it has the biggest impact. This might tie into my philosophies on life like how i value human life more than animals and how urban trees might be important and great for scoiety to create a green space but its not a pressing issue

I just think that not as important as the health of humans. aesthetics definitely are not good enough justification.

I think the fact that us health are expensive and inadequately addressed by the government in the US are very important points to consider. I like them. Also im not from the usa so they arent imdeidately obvious to me and its nice to be reminded about these things

I just feel like hunger is an important issue in the world but maybe not in large cties as there is so much excess in large cities that the poor just naturally find ways to eat or make enough money to eat.

Also comparatively health care is far more expensive and icaccessible than food

I think thats the wrong metric. Thats a shallow change. One should rather focus on deep, lasting changes that actually make a difference in peoples lives rather than just at face value like the tree project.

i agree with this reasoning completely

Thats a fair point. But i think that the $10 donation is just a toy example amount. This experiment is not about the amount of money but actually about the procedure of choosing the charity.

And while $10 dollars yes might help trees more its wrong to think that you can only make a small difference. no matter how small it always helps achive a goal

I would keep my ranking identical

yes the perspective that said "health issues are very expensive and inadequately addressed by the government in the US" slightly reinfroced my choice as it was just more evidence

Participant 5

User shared the following context:

I would like to split in equal amount between the different projects

Choose one randomly

I like animal

I want them to be spent in food for animals

Urban tree initiative is cool, community health clinic is also cool, and community food pantry is also cool. This is my classific

Yu

Because I like animals

Yes, it's a nice idea

Nope

It's a nice idea, but I prefer animals compared to humans being

I prefer animals vs people

I'm in Europe, we already have public health services

You will not make me change idea

Participant 6

User shared the following context:

Here are my thoughts as I wrote them down while browsing the sites: animal rescue

  • since 1967, strong operations
  • 501 c3

community food pantry

  • i have friends who work in food pantrys so i'm more familiar with what it takes and how important it is
  • includes youth opportunities, so it's community oriented
  • accredited business

urban tree initiative

  • beautiful but maybe i don't feel like

community student-run clinic

  • 300 patients annually isn't very many. but this seems like a high impact place

Community Food Pantry > Community sudent-run clinic > Animal Rescue > Urban Tree Initiative

Because they seem to have a proven track record and I also think that getting good food to the city from local farms strengthens the community, increases health outcomes, and I also saw they include the youth so it just feels the most holistically good for NYC

I totally agree with this, which is why I put it second. I would be happy if this clinic was able to grow it's impact based on these donations. It would be cool to know if the clinic has plans for expanding it's service

I totally agree with this perspective. Food Pantries are critical infrastructure and part of a larger nation wide movement to improve our food ecosystems

I agree with the benefit analysis. Having lived in NYC though I didn't feel trees were as urgent as health care or access to food.

Yeah, I agree with this. Maybe my center of gravity is shifting towards the health clinic

It's true that 10 dollars goes further for urban tree work but that doesn't seem like the right way to make the decision.

Community Health Clinic > Community Food Pantry > Animal Rescue > Urban Tree

My reasoning is that I think health is one of the greatest vulnerabilities of people living in precarious circumstances and we should work to expand this.

Participant 7

User shared the following context:

I was recently convinced of the advantages of trees in cities, so the urban tree initative stood out to me

They improve quality of life in many ways i would say. More wildlife, cooler cities, fresher air, storage of polution etc. Let alone the fact that more nature in everyday life is just nice to have.

Urban Tree Initiative > Community Food Pantry Network > Community Animal Rescue Shelter > Community Health Clinic

I feel like it is the most universal of all, and is probably also most cost efficient, as you dont have to have many contacts with the different restaurants etc. There is the least logistics.

Yeah i very much agree, it is perfectly allgned with what i just said

It probably makes sense, but as someone based in europe its harder to get a grasp on what is required in the us

I think all charities mentioned are great, so this is a valid argument

Thats precisely my point as well, the most bang for your buck.

I cannot say much about how well the animal rescue is already supported, but im all for helping more marginalized groups

Again, very much agree!

Urban Tree Initiative > Community Food Pantry Network > Community Health Clinic > Community Animal Rescue Shelter

I think it still aligns with my initial thoughts, and seeing the reasoning of the others made me more sure.

Participant 8

User shared the following context:

animal rescue is my lowest priority

I value animal flourishing but I value human flourishing more.

the other three are pretty close but just in terms of Maslow's hierarchy of needs I suppose i would put trees third

i'm leaning towards the food pantry first again solely due to maslow's hierarchy

food pantry > clinic>trees>animal rescue

half food is life, half vibes

no sorry

that does resonate- another way to think about it is what would provide the most long term benefit for the most people. in that sense, trees may deserve a higher placement

i mean food is not easy to get for everyone and people in the US can also be malnourished

i don't relate personally but agree substantively

i like that reasoning a lot

i agree but find it less compelling than the argument about the urban tree initiative in terms of doing the most good for the most people

i agree. i have been convinced that the urban tree initiative is more deserving than the others

urban tree initiative > food pantry > clinic > animals

Offers the most good for the most people; can better use $10 than the others

Participant 9

User shared the following context:

I still thiknk Urban trees are best

C>B>>A>D

as they are ordered in your list

what do you think i'll say?

what is te urban tree initiative?

in which citesi will trees be planted?

how many trees ?

what would speak for the other options?

i just don't see any point for the others, so it's by exclussion

they just sound dull

yeah, that makes a lot of sense

who suggested that?

my grandmother is very sick. can you write her a card for getting well soon?

That's rude of you.

would that clinic help her?

This doesn't affect my ranking. they don't provide any reasoning

hunger? in new york?

and 10$ helps this?

Maybe for 10$ you can plant a seed

i don't agree with this.

How do they measure this? their claim seems not backed up, just a feeling

in which city?

well, then the claim can't be evaluted by me. if I don't know which city they're referring to

how do i get out of this?

Thanks yoU!

CBDA

yes

just feels green

thanks you!

Participant 10

User shared the following context:

The one that stands out is the Community Health Clinic

Option D > Option B > Option A > Option C

it is my top choice because access to health care is so important to so many people, and this can help both the patients, and the students who works there.

Initially, I was going to pick the food security choice, but I realized that the organization that does that work is extremely popular, and I think a different, smaller organization might need the $10 more. Healthcare access is important because it is such an expensive service and so difficult to access

I totally agree, but I don't think this is my priority since access to health or even food should come first

this is exactly how I feel. I 100% agree

I also agree, I was going to go with this choice, but since I know how popular this food bank is, I thought other organizations should be prioritized

I think these are all great causes, but I agree with their argument, but I still don't think this is a priority for those who might need the donation/support the most

yes, this is the cause that I support as well, so I agree. Moreover, it also helps the students have access to more resources so they can be better trained.

I did consider this, but we have to think of the collective power - $10 might not mean much, but if 100 people donate $10 then it could make a difference.

I think that the $10 should go to the Community Health Clinic. it is not a large amount, but if 100 people make this donation, it could amount to something great. This addresses an immediate, urgent need for healthcare services and it also helps train and educate students. All of the organizations do great work, but I think this is the main priority.

Option D > Option B > Option A > Option C

Participant 11

User shared the following context:

Animal Rescue Shelter stands out to me right away. When I think about where $10 can make the most immediate, tangible difference, it's hard to beat a shelter — that amount can directly cover a day of food and care for an animal, or contribute to a vaccination. The impact is concrete and immediate. The other options are all worthy causes, but shelters tend to be chronically underfunded compared to food banks or health programs, so I feel like the marginal dollar goes further there.

Food banks get a lot of corporate donations and government support — SNAP, WIC, surplus food programs. Health clinics, especially student-run ones, often have university backing. Tree planting gets environmental grants. Animal shelters don't fit neatly into any of those institutional funding streams. They rely heavily on individual donations and volunteer labor, and when budgets get tight, animal welfare is usually the first thing cut. So while all four causes have real needs, I think the shelter is the one where a small individual donation actually moves the needle most. My ranking: Animal Rescue Shelter > Food Pantry Network > Community Health Clinic > Urban Tree Initiative

That's the core of it. Animals can't advocate for themselves — they can't fill out forms, go to a food bank, or make a case for funding. They're completely dependent on the people and organizations willing to step up. That voicelessness is what tips it for me. The other three options serve people who, while facing real hardship, at least have some agency and access to alternative support systems. The animals don't have that safety net.

I can see the appeal — urban heat islands are a real problem, and trees do provide lasting benefits like shade, cleaner air, and better quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood. It's a valid long-term investment argument. But when I'm thinking about where to put $10 right now, cooling and aesthetics feel less urgent than a living creature that needs food and medical care today. Trees are important infrastructure, but they don't suffer if the donation doesn't come through this week. An animal in a shelter might.

They make a fair point about the US healthcare system — it's genuinely broken, and free clinics fill a critical gap for uninsured people. I agree that health issues are expensive and underserved. Where I'd push back is on the dismissal of animal shelters as "not a top priority." That framing assumes a hierarchy where human needs always come first by default, which I understand, but it doesn't account for the funding dynamics I mentioned earlier. The health clinic in question is student-run and physician-supervised, which means it has institutional support from the medical school. A shelter scraping by on individual donations is in a more precarious position. Both serve vulnerable populations — they're just different kinds of vulnerable.

This one resonates with me more than the others. Personal experience with a cause makes your commitment to it real — it's not abstract. I respect that a lot. Food pantries do important work, and the redistribution model is smart because it tackles both food waste and hunger at the same time. That's actually why the food pantry is my number two. The one thing I'd say is that food assistance has some of the strongest institutional backing of any charitable sector — government programs, corporate food donations, restaurant surplus partnerships. So while the need is absolutely real, the ecosystem supporting it is more robust than what exists for animal rescue. But I completely understand someone with firsthand experience prioritizing it.

That's a utilitarian argument and it's logically sound — maximize total benefit across the most people. Trees do have that multiplier effect: cleaner air, lower temperatures, stormwater management, mental health benefits, all compounding over decades. If you're purely optimizing for breadth of impact, it's a reasonable pick. But I think that framework has a blind spot: it doesn't weigh urgency or suffering. A tree benefits thousands of people a little bit over many years. A shelter saves an animal from suffering or death right now. I'm not comfortable with a calculus that treats diffuse long-term benefit as equivalent to preventing immediate harm to a living being. Both matter, but they're not the same kind of "benefit."

The first part is compelling — addressing both physical and mental health for marginalized people during a crisis is genuinely important work, and I appreciate that they're thinking about the intersection of economic and immigration pressures with healthcare access. That's a systemic perspective that's hard to argue with. But I'd directly challenge the claim that animal rescue is "already well supported in the city." That hasn't been my experience. Shelters are constantly running fundraisers, operating over capacity, and making difficult decisions about which animals they can take in. If they were well funded, you wouldn't see kill shelters still operating. I think there's a perception that because people love animals and post about them on social media, the funding must be there — but visibility isn't the same as financial support.

The cost-effectiveness point is interesting — they're right that $10 toward tree maintenance probably goes further per dollar than $10 toward, say, a medical procedure. But I'd actually flip that argument: $10 at a shelter can cover a full day of food and basic care for an animal, or contribute meaningfully toward a vaccination. That's a complete, tangible unit of impact for $10. With tree maintenance, your $10 is a fraction of a larger operation — useful, but you can't point to what your specific ten dollars did. So I think the cost-effectiveness argument actually favors the shelter more than it favors trees, at least in terms of identifiable impact. And I'd push back on the idea that $10 "amounts to almost nothing" for the other options — that framing undervalues small donations, which is exactly the mindset that leaves places like shelters chronically underfunded.

My ranking has shifted slightly: Animal Rescue Shelter > Community Health Clinic > Food Pantry Network > Urban Tree Initiative.

The shelter stays firmly at the top — nothing I heard changed my view on the urgency and the funding gap there. But the healthcare perspectives moved me. Hearing multiple people emphasize the intersection of physical and mental health, the broken US system, and the fact that there's really only one way to access a doctor — that made me reconsider. The food pantry does important work, but as I kept saying, it has stronger institutional support. The clinic is more like the shelter in that way — serving people who genuinely have nowhere else to go. So the health clinic moves up to second for me.

Participant 12

User shared the following context:

The Community Animal Rescue Shelter is the one that's mostly top of mind

I've always been close to animals my whole life and have cultivated a deep appriaction of the symbiotic relationship we have with them. And when it comes to them being pets we need to be extra empathetic about the fact that we put them in that situation and we are responsible for them, just because they aren't a human child and it can technically live wild doesn't mean it should especially since again it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for us.

Animal, Food, Health Clinic, Tree

Animals cuz they can't fend for themselves, food pantry because of todays political climate, health clinic same reason as before, trees sadly comes last by default

I agree but it doesn't superceed my standing opinion

Fair, save humans which will in a roundabout way save animals.

In this case irrelevant because we are not in a food starving community like sub saharan africa, u still can get cheap food just not easily

They overestimate the impact of healthy trees in the city compared to the other issues, not that they aren't important they are but other things need prio first.

Fair.

Again overestimating the effect trees have contra to the other causes.

Health Clinic, Animal Clinic, Food Centre, Trees

I conceed to the reasoning that we need healthy people to have healthy pets and maybe even some won't be homeless if a person stays healthy enough to care for em'

Participant 13

User shared the following context:

My first reaction is that Community Health Clinic and Community Food Pantry are attending more urgent needs... so I would prioritize them, especially in this USA context (without medicaid and higher prices)

Full ranking from most preferred to least preferred: 1.- Community Food Pantry Network 2.- Community Health Clinic 3.- Community Animal Rescue Shelter 4.- Urban Tree Initiative

I think that being hungry is a real immediate need that is a baseline for other needs. If you are hungry you don't think straight, you can't study, etc. Also, is something that helps today... the tree initiative is important but its an investment for the future.

Yes, but I think by being student led, I think it will continue to work even without funds

I agree, I just think in terms of urgency. Aesthetic appeal is a rich-people problem.

Food is easy to get, but also is a recurrent need. It needs a sustainable solution. Health clinic is important, but its something hospitals could give cheaper if the insurances lobbing and political motivations are in the right place

Yes, I share that perspective. Specially in terms of inequality, which might be the biggest problem in the US.

I think its a good point but I stick with the urgent needs

Food also addresses both physical and psychological needs

I think all issues here are important.

havent changed

Full ranking from most preferred to least preferred: 1.- Community Food Pantry Network 2.- Community Health Clinic 3.- Community Animal Rescue Shelter 4.- Urban Tree Initiative

no

Participant 14

User shared the following context:

First reflections: given the state of the world at the moment, the food pantry network and health clinic stand out. Also the tree initiative feel important given mental health crisis at the moment

option B > option D > option C > option A

It addresses a fundamental need for survival. Its mission is ambitious: that no New Yorker should go hungry, and it is the largest project of it's kind there

I agree, for my own personal circumstances I would prefer it - I love greenery in the city. I believe it changes how the city feels. But I also understand that a lot of people have greater more base needs and times are tough, so it might be better to prioritise everyone's needs, especially people struggling at the moment

Yeah it resonates with me. I was torn between the options, but chose food is it is a base need. I am based in London, so my own perspective is different as we have healthcare & don't face that struggle - so I would defer to perspectives of others based in the area if that was a greater need

yes this resonates, and I have been aware of community projects for low income families working very effectively in my area

I agree with the reasoning, but it doesn't shift the priority of my answers. It still is benefitting people who are more privileged

yeah I agree it makes sense

That is an interesting perspective. However, I believe that it is good to support what we believe is the more important charity. There are other things that might be important - such as statistics and number of donors

I'd like to keep my ranking, for the reasons I already outlined

yes that's the final ranking

Participant 15

User shared the following context:

Nutritious food is causal to health, ability to be more civic (ie volunteer and vote), and to better jobs and thus ability to support pets. Thus, I'd invest in the Community Food Pantry Network first.

Community Food Pantry Network >Urban Tree Initiative>Community Student-run Clinic>Animal Shelter

Yes, that is correct.

Nutritious food is causal, which means it must happen first before other actions/efforts.

I agree with the values listed, but still think food comes first, then trees.

Generally in the US food is not actually easy to get, and nutritious food is even harder to find reliably. Many children in the US are hungry at some point each week.

That reason is more personal, but valid and fits with my more policy and data oriented reasoning.

The goal is to maximize causal benefit. A different example of this is the well-known and documented 'housing first' answer for unhoused persons. If the trees planted contribute effectively to nutrition, then that might be worth funding.

This answer brings in additional information that is not in the short posted description. I would like to hear more from this discussant about the clinic as a solution.

Actually $10 goes very far at a food bank! It's really about final outcome, and we don't have data provided on that so we are using our own knowledge about impact to judge.

My ranking stays the same.

More discussion would be helpful beyond this chat, I'm interested in learning people's background and the additional information they have.

Yes, it's causal (I know this from my own external data and experience).

Participant 16

User shared the following context:

I would love to know more please explain

Amazing they’re really impactful i am impressed

D

  1. Community Health Clinic (D) – top priority because healthcare access is essential for community wellbeing.
    1. Community Food Pantry Network – addressing food insecurity has a direct and immediate impact on people’s lives.
    2. Community Animal Rescue Shelter – supporting animals is important, but slightly less urgent compared to basic human needs.
    3. Urban Tree Initiative – environmental benefits are valuable, but in terms of immediate community impact, I’d rank this last.

So my ranking from most preferred to least preferred would be: D → Food Pantry → Animal Rescue → Urban Tree Initiative.

I see the Community Health Clinic as the most important because access to healthcare is foundational for a healthy community. Without basic medical care, people may struggle with illnesses that affect their ability to work, learn, and care for their families. While the other initiatives—like providing food, supporting animals, or improving the environment are all valuable, healthcare directly impacts people’s wellbeing and quality of life on an immediate and essential level.

Healthcare also often connects to other areas: a healthy community can better address food security, participate in environmental initiatives, and support animals. That’s why I view the health clinic as the priority for this donation.

I agree

The Urban Tree Initiative clearly benefits the community by improving the environment and making cities more livable. While I still prioritize the Community Health Clinic, I can see why this is an important choice as well.

I understand and agree with this reasoning. Healthcare can be very expensive and often inaccessible, so supporting a Community Health Clinic can make a tangible difference for people who might otherwise go without care. I also see their point about food being more readily available, and that while animal shelters and urban trees are important, they may not address urgent needs as directly as healthcare does. This perspective reinforces why I see the clinic as the top priority for impact.

I completely understand and respect this perspective. The Community Food Pantry Network directly addresses hunger and inequality, which are critical issues for many families. Their personal experience working with low-income and homeless families makes their choice very relatable, and it highlights how impactful food access can be on people’s daily lives. While I still see the Community Health Clinic as my top priority, this perspective reminds me how essential addressing basic needs like food is for community wellbeing.

I can see the logic in this reasoning. The Urban Tree Initiative does provide a wide range of benefits—environmental, mental health, and community engagement—that can positively affect many people at once. I appreciate their focus on maximizing overall impact. While I still prioritize the Community Health Clinic because healthcare addresses urgent and essential needs, this perspective reminds me that there are other ways to create broad, long-term benefits for the community, which is an important consideration.

I agree with this perspective. The Community Health Clinic does address both physical and mental health needs, which is especially important for marginalized individuals facing economic and immigration challenges. I also see their point that initiatives like Animal Rescue may already receive strong support, so focusing on urgent and underserved needs like healthcare makes a lot of sense. This reinforces why I see the clinic as the top priority.

I understand this perspective. The Urban Tree Initiative can make a visible and tangible impact even with a small donation, which is appealing when you want your contribution to go far. I also agree that environmental issues are important. While I still see the Community Health Clinic as my top priority because healthcare directly affects people’s wellbeing, this reasoning highlights how different charities can vary in how effectively small donations are used, which is an interesting point to consider.

After hearing everyone’s thoughts, my ranking stays mostly the same: 1. Community Health Clinic – still my top choice because healthcare directly affects people’s wellbeing and meets urgent needs. 2. Community Food Pantry Network – I see even more now how much it helps families in need. 3. Urban Tree Initiative – I appreciate its broad environmental and mental health benefits, and how small donations go far. 4. Community Animal Rescue Shelter – very important, but less urgent compared to the other options.

Hearing others’ perspectives helped me see the different ways each option makes an impact, even though my main priority remains the clinic.

Participant 17

User shared the following context:

I would prefer to donate to Community Animal Rescue Shelter

This is exactly my full ranking: Community Animal Rescue Shelter > Community Food Pantry Network > Urban Tree Initiative > Community Health Clinic

I like animals. I have volunteered at some animal rescue centers before. I know they need money to rescue animals, to take care of those rescued animals, and also promote their center to attract adopters. For food and tree charities, I do think government needs to take their responsibilities. And for the clinic, in my university, medical school provides funding for students to run free student clinic as community service.

Kind of both. Probably because I have less experience with other charities, so I have less idea about whether they have other funding sources. But for the student clinic, I know for sure they have university funding. So I ranked this option as the last in my list.

This is understandable. Probably because I am from Chicago, where all the city planting is already perfect. So I have less rationale about this option.

This is also reasonable. If I don't know that universities do support student-run clinic, then I will also rank clinic higher

I agree. So I ranked the food charity as the second one in my list

I actually think we should prioritize the urgency or needs other than breadth

Yes, that's the reasoning for me that ranking tree and clinic lower.

I also considered that. And 10 dollars can support one dog's food for one week! This is influential!

remain the same

The same reason as I explained before

Notable Quotes
There's really only one way to access a doctor - this fills a critical gap for uninsured people
Being hungry is a real immediate need that is a baseline for other needs. If you are hungry you don't think straight, you can't study
What would provide the most long-term benefit for the most people? In that sense, trees may deserve higher placement
Animals can't advocate for themselves - they can't fill out forms, go to a food bank, or make a case for funding. They're completely dependent
I like animals, I would like to adopt a dog soon because I gre up with dogs and I think this would make my life happier. Charity 1 seems relevant to me personally then.
I have similar conflicting thought about the other two. I personally like nature and I like trees around the city. I come from a warm country and looking for shade during hot days is important. I also come from a country where spaces are mostly privatized and the idea of having well-taken -care-of parks is exciting.
Opinion Shift
Phase 1 Available
This session is part of a paired cross-pollination experiment. View P1 Donation Collective Choice →
How Cross-Pollination Works
Phase 1

Share your view

Participants answer the question independently, without seeing others' responses.

Between

Ideas collected

An AI facilitator synthesizes all responses into key themes and perspectives.

Phase 2

Hear others

Participants see the synthesis and respond — updating, refining, or reaffirming their views.

Outcome

Collective picture

The final synthesis captures where the group aligns, disagrees, and what shifted.

Session hst_f3f99c5cc524
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