Longview Philanthropy
- QualityRated 45 but structure suggests 100 (underrated by 55 points)
Quick Assessment
Section titled “Quick Assessment”| Dimension | Assessment | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Scale | Major | $140M+ moved since 2018; $89M+ to AI risk reduction; $50M+ in 2025 alone |
| Role | Advisory + Grantmaking | UHNW donor advising ($1M+/year clients), public funds (ECF, NWPF), private funds (Frontier AI Fund) |
| Focus | Longtermist x-risk | AI safety (primary), biosecurity, nuclear weapons policy |
| Team | ≈15-20 staff | London HQ + US remote; led by Simran Dhaliwal (CEO) and Natalie Cargill (President) |
| Key Funders | Coefficient Giving ($21M+ in grants), Justin Rockefeller, Crowley family | Major grants in 2023 ($4M) and 2024 ($16M) |
| Independence | Separate legal entities | Longview Inc. Ltd (UK) and Longview Philanthropy USA Inc. (US); formerly EV project |
Organization Details
Section titled “Organization Details”| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Longview Philanthropy |
| Type | Philanthropic advisory and grantmaking organization |
| Founded | 2018 by Natalie Cargill |
| Leadership | Simran Dhaliwal (CEO), Natalie Cargill (President & Founder) |
| Total Directed | $140M+ since founding; $89M+ to AI safety; $50M+ in 2025 |
| Legal Structure | Longview Inc. Ltd (UK, company 14444004) + Longview Philanthropy USA Inc. (US, EIN 93-2664730) |
| Location | London HQ (UK team) + distributed US team |
| Key Funders | Coefficient Giving, Justin Rockefeller, Martin & Tom Crowley, Likith Govindaiah, Rafael Albert, Ben Delo |
| Website | longview.org |
| Status | Independent nonprofit (formerly Effective Ventures project) |
Overview
Section titled “Overview”Longview Philanthropy is a philanthropic advisory and grantmaking organization founded in 2018 by Natalie Cargill that has become one of the most significant funders and donor advisors in the longtermist ecosystem. As of late 2025, the organization has directly influenced or moved over $140 million toward reducing existential risk, with $89 million specifically directed to AI risk reduction and $50 million moved in 2025 alone supporting more than 50 projects.
The organization operates across three interconnected modes:
- UHNW Donor Advisory: Bespoke end-to-end services for donors giving over $1 million annually, including education, expert introductions, grant recommendations, due diligence, and impact assessment
- Public Fund Management: Operating the Emerging Challenges Fund (open to all donors) and the Nuclear Weapons Policy Fund
- Private Grantmaking: Managing the Frontier AI Fund (raised $13M, disbursed $11.1M in first 9 months) and bespoke donor-advised grants
Longview fills a critical niche in the longtermist funding landscape by serving donors who want more personalized guidance than pooled funds provide but lack the capacity for independent evaluation. Unlike many EA organizations, Longview’s operational costs are fully funded by a group of philanthropists who have no influence over grant recommendations, ensuring independence. The organization transitioned from being a project within Effective Ventures Foundation to operating as independent legal entities in both the UK (Longview Inc. Ltd) and US (Longview Philanthropy USA Inc.).
Longview’s core focus areas are AI safety and governance (primary), biosecurity (strengthening defense-focused biotechnologies), and nuclear weapons policy (opposing destabilizing systems and arms races). Their work aims to reduce the risk of global catastrophe from emerging technologies and ensure future generations inherit a safe world.
Founding and Leadership
Section titled “Founding and Leadership”Natalie Cargill (Founder & President)
Section titled “Natalie Cargill (Founder & President)”Natalie Cargill founded Longview Philanthropy in 2018 after leaving a career in human rights law. She holds a double first-class degree from the University of Oxford in English Language and Literature, where she was awarded the highest score across all humanities subjects at Lincoln College.
| Period | Role | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-2018 | Barrister, Serjeants’ Inn Chambers | Human rights law |
| Earlier | UN Project Officer, Legal Resources Centre | International human rights |
| 2018-present | Founder & President, Longview | Major donor philanthropy |
Cargill has argued that the top one percent of society should donate 10% of their wealth to address existential challenges. She delivered a TED talk on effective philanthropy in April 2023 and has presented at the University of Cambridge, King’s College London, and Web Summit. She co-edited The Long View: Essays on Policy, Philanthropy, and the Long-term Future with Tyler M. John.
Simran Dhaliwal (CEO)
Section titled “Simran Dhaliwal (CEO)”Simran Dhaliwal serves as CEO, coordinating Longview’s research, grantmaking, and advising work. Before joining Longview, she was a research analyst at Goldman Sachs, working on a team recognized as the best sell-side stockpickers in London in 2018. She studied at the University of Oxford and previously worked as a mathematics teacher through Teach First.
Key Staff
Section titled “Key Staff”| Name | Role | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Gavin | Senior Leadership | Organizational strategy, AI grantmaking oversight |
| Carl Robichaud | Nuclear Weapons Policy Lead | Former Carnegie Corporation ($30M+ annual nuclear security grantmaking), The Century Foundation |
| Aidan O’Gara | AI Grantmaking | Former GovAI, Epoch, CAIS |
| Zach Freitas-Groff | AI Grantmaking | PhD Economics, Stanford |
| Page | Programme Director | Works with CEO on strategic priorities |
| Katie | Operations & Events | Systems and events management |
| Alysha | Advisory & Content | Philanthropist relations, events |
| Matthew | Nuclear Policy Research | Grant investigations |
The organization maintains teams in London (UK headquarters) and remotely across the US. Notably, many senior staff have signed the Giving What We Can Pledge, donating at least 10% of their income to the kinds of projects they recommend.
Services
Section titled “Services”UHNW Donor Advisory
Section titled “UHNW Donor Advisory”Longview’s primary service is advising ultra-high-net-worth donors (giving more than $1 million annually) who want to maximize impact on existential risk reduction:
| Service | Description | Typical Output |
|---|---|---|
| Bespoke Education | Tailored briefings on AI, biosecurity, nuclear risk | Multi-session learning programs |
| Expert Introductions | Connections to researchers, policymakers, peer philanthropists | Curated meetings and dinners |
| Grant Recommendations | Researched, prioritized giving opportunities | Ranked list with rationale |
| Due Diligence | Deep investigation of organizations | Detailed assessment reports |
| Grant Logistics | Transfer execution and tax optimization | Seamless donation processing |
| Impact Assessment | Ongoing monitoring and outcome reporting | Bi-annual updates for major donors |
Everything is provided free of charge with no commission or fees, as operational costs are covered by a separate group of funders who have no influence over recommendations.
HNW Donor Services ($100K+)
Section titled “HNW Donor Services ($100K+)”In 2025, Longview expanded to offer services for high-net-worth donors giving $100,000 or more per year to AI safety:
| Offering | Description |
|---|---|
| Top AI Grant Recommendations | Access to the AI grantmaking team’s prioritized list |
| Frontier AI Fund Access | Participation in Longview’s private AI fund |
| Group Sessions | Educational dinners with AI presentations and Q&A |
| Expert Briefings | Direct access to AI researchers and policy experts |
Longview hosted group sessions for finance professionals (December 2024) and employees of a tech company (February 2025) to introduce potential donors to AI safety philanthropy.
Grantmaking Programs
Section titled “Grantmaking Programs”Longview operates several funds with distinct focus areas:
| Fund | Focus | Status | Key Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier AI Fund | AI safety research, policy, field-building | Private ($100K+ donors) | $13M raised, $11.1M disbursed to 18 orgs (Dec 2024-Sep 2025) |
| Emerging Challenges Fund | AI, biosecurity, nuclear (GCR broadly) | Public (open to all) | 2,000+ donors; 2024: EU AI Act Code of Practice orgs |
| Nuclear Weapons Policy Fund | Nuclear risk reduction | Public | Led by Carl Robichaud (former Carnegie Corporation) |
| Digital Sentience Fund | AI consciousness research | Public | Career transition fellowships available |
Contributors to the Frontier AI Fund and Nuclear Weapons Policy Fund receive reports every six months detailing grants made, reasoning, and program updates.
Research and Analysis
Section titled “Research and Analysis”| Output | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Reports | Comprehensive grantmaking summaries | 2025 ECF Annual Report, 2024 Report |
| Landscape Mapping | Identifying funding gaps and opportunities | AI governance funding needs |
| Grant Reports | Detailed reasoning for specific grants | Published on fund pages |
| Donor Intelligence | Understanding philanthropic flows in x-risk | Internal analysis shared with donors |
Community Building and Retreats
Section titled “Community Building and Retreats”Longview runs donor community programs bringing together philanthropists, researchers, and policymakers:
| Event Type | Description | Recent Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Retreat | Multi-day gathering of philanthropists and experts | Talks from Coefficient Giving, FHI, DeepMind |
| Nordic AI Retreat | Regional focused event co-hosted with Astralis Foundation | Stockholm 2025: 25 Nordic philanthropists with frontier AI lab leaders |
| Donor Dinners | Small group sessions with expert presentations | Finance professionals (Dec 2024), tech company (Feb 2025) |
| Expert Briefings | Targeted educational sessions | AI safety crash courses for new donors |
Attendees have noted: “The conversations and contacts from this workshop significantly accelerated my understanding of the issues, and helped to advance my organisation’s efforts to address global existential risks.”
Notable Grantees and Funding Areas
Section titled “Notable Grantees and Funding Areas”AI Safety Grantmaking (2023-2025)
Section titled “AI Safety Grantmaking (2023-2025)”Longview’s AI program funds “interventions most likely to shape the trajectory of advanced AI for the better,” including technical research, policy development, and field-building:
| Grantee | Focus | Grant Details |
|---|---|---|
| METR | AI capability evaluation | Evaluated GPT-5, Claude 4 before release; tests dangerous capabilities |
| Center for Human-Compatible AI (CHAI) | Technical AI safety | UC Berkeley; trains AI safety PhDs |
| FAR AI | Robustness, value alignment | December 2023 ECF grant |
| Panoplia Laboratories | AI biosecurity research | Assessing AI misuse potential |
| Harvard AI Interpretability | Wattenberg & Viégas | $110,000 (August 2023) |
| Alignment Research Center | Evaluations project | $220,000 (August 2023) |
| EU AI Act Organizations | Code of Practice | Over 50% of 2024 ECF allocation |
Biosecurity Grantmaking
Section titled “Biosecurity Grantmaking”| Grantee | Focus | Grant Details |
|---|---|---|
| NTI Biosecurity | Disincentivizing state bio-weapons | $100,000 |
| Blueprint Biosecurity | Far-UVC safety research | $50,000 (December 2023) |
| CCDD (Harvard) | Communicable disease dynamics | $80,000 |
Nuclear Weapons Policy Grantmaking
Section titled “Nuclear Weapons Policy Grantmaking”Carl Robichaud leads Longview’s nuclear program after over a decade at Carnegie Corporation ($30M+ annually):
| Grantee | Focus | Grant Details |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Endowment (CEIP) | Nuclear policy research | $52,000 |
| US-China Dialogue Projects | AI and arms control | 2025 ECF priority |
| Government Talent Pipelines | Nuclear security capacity | 2025 ECF priority |
Funding Sources and Financial Scale
Section titled “Funding Sources and Financial Scale”Coefficient Giving Relationship
Section titled “Coefficient Giving Relationship”Coefficient Giving is Longview’s largest institutional funder:
| Grant | Amount | Date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Support 2024 | $15,961,273 | October 2024 | Operational costs |
| General Support 2023 | ≈$4,020,258 | 2023 | Operational costs |
| Nuclear Security | $500,000 | 2 years | Carl Robichaud’s program |
| OECD AI Policy | ≈$770,076 | N/A | AI policy development |
| Total OP Funding | ≈$21M+ | 2023-2024 |
Other Key Funders
Section titled “Other Key Funders”Current funders include:
| Funder | Notes |
|---|---|
| Justin Rockefeller | Great-great grandson of John D. Rockefeller |
| Martin Crowley | Private philanthropist |
| Tom Crowley | Private philanthropist |
| Likith Govindaiah | Private philanthropist |
| Rafael Albert | Private philanthropist |
| Ben Delo | BitMEX co-founder |
Grantmaking Scale (2018-2025)
Section titled “Grantmaking Scale (2018-2025)”| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total Directed | $140M+ | EA Forum |
| AI Risk Reduction | $89M+ | Longview AI |
| 2025 Grantmaking | $50M+ | Grantmaking page |
| Projects (2025) | 50+ | Longview reports |
| FAIF (9 months) | $13M raised, $11.1M disbursed | FAIF page |
| FAIF Organizations | 18 | FAIF report |
Target Donors
Section titled “Target Donors”Longview works primarily with:
| Donor Type | Description | Services Offered |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-High-Net-Worth | $1M+/year giving capacity | Full bespoke advisory |
| High-Net-Worth (AI) | $100K+/year to AI safety | FAIF access, grant recs |
| Tech Founders | Post-liquidity entrepreneurs | Education + recommendations |
| Institutional Donors | Foundations seeking x-risk focus | Strategic consulting |
| General Public | Any amount | ECF, NWPF donations |
Why Donors Work with Longview
Section titled “Why Donors Work with Longview”| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Expertise | Deep cause area knowledge from dedicated research team |
| Personalization | Tailored recommendations based on donor values and capacity |
| Time Savings | Professional due diligence eliminates donor research burden |
| Independence | No commission or fees; operational costs separately funded |
| Access | Connections to top researchers, labs, and policymakers |
| Trust | GWWC evaluation: “solid grantmaking processes” |
Relationship to Other Funders
Section titled “Relationship to Other Funders”Position in the Longtermist Funding Ecosystem
Section titled “Position in the Longtermist Funding Ecosystem”| Funder | Relationship with Longview |
|---|---|
| Coefficient Giving | Primary operational funder ($21M+); complementary grantmaking serving different donor types |
| SFF (Survival and Flourishing Fund) | Parallel funder; Longview targets gaps SFF doesn’t fill |
| LTFF (Long-Term Future Fund) | May recommend to clients; serves smaller donors |
| Founders Pledge | Similar model but different donor base; some staff crossover (Christian Ruhl) |
| Manifund | Regranting platform; complementary mechanism |
How Longview Complements Other Funders
Section titled “How Longview Complements Other Funders”Longview explicitly targets grants that major donors like Coefficient Giving are unwilling or unable to make, minimizing displacement effects:
| Niche | Longview’s Role |
|---|---|
| Speed | Can move faster than large foundations on time-sensitive opportunities |
| Political Funding | Greater flexibility for advocacy and political work |
| Small Grants | Makes grants too small for OP’s cost-effectiveness threshold |
| Donor Activation | Brings new capital into longtermism that wouldn’t otherwise flow |
| International | US-China dialogue, Nordic philanthropy mobilization |
Ecosystem Diagram
Section titled “Ecosystem Diagram”Methodology
Section titled “Methodology”Grant Evaluation Framework
Section titled “Grant Evaluation Framework”Longview applies an ITN (Importance, Tractability, Neglectedness) framework adapted for existential risk:
| Criterion | Description | Key Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Impact Potential | Expected value of success weighted by probability | What’s the upside if this works? How likely is success? |
| Neglectedness | Funding gap relative to optimal allocation | Would this get funded anyway? By whom? |
| Tractability | Whether additional funding helps | Can money solve this? What’s the bottleneck? |
| Team Quality | Organizational capacity and track record | Have they delivered before? Do they have the right skills? |
| Counterfactual | What happens without this grant | What’s the marginal value of Longview’s funding? |
| Speed Sensitivity | Time-criticality of the opportunity | Does waiting cost impact? |
Due Diligence Process
Section titled “Due Diligence Process”| Stage | Activities | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Screening | Initial opportunity review, quick assessment | Days |
| Investigation | Deep organizational analysis, financials review | 1-4 weeks |
| Expert Consultation | Domain expert calls, reference checks | 1-2 weeks |
| Site Visits | In-person meetings when warranted | As needed |
| Internal Review | Team discussion, challenge process | 1 week |
| Recommendation | Final analysis and ranking for donor | Ongoing |
| Post-Grant Monitoring | Progress reports, outcome assessment | 6-month cycles |
Grantmaking Philosophy
Section titled “Grantmaking Philosophy”According to GWWC’s evaluation: “Longview has solid grantmaking processes in place to find highly cost-effective funding opportunities. In the grants we evaluated, we generally saw these processes working as intended.”
Longview emphasizes:
- Flexibility: Can fund advocacy, political work, and controversial areas major foundations avoid
- Speed: Faster decision-making than large institutional funders
- Gap-filling: Explicitly targets opportunities OP and others can’t or won’t fund
- Donor alignment: Recommendations tailored to individual donor values and risk tolerance
Critical Assessment
Section titled “Critical Assessment”Strengths
Section titled “Strengths”| Strength | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Deep Expertise | Dedicated teams for AI, nuclear, biosecurity; staff from Carnegie, GovAI, Epoch |
| Personalization | Bespoke advisory for UHNW donors vs. one-size-fits-all recommendations |
| Independence | Operational costs separately funded; no commission model |
| Network Access | Retreats with Coefficient Giving, FHI, DeepMind; Nordic philanthropist convening |
| Research Quality | GWWC: “solid grantmaking processes” |
| Gap-Filling | Targets opportunities too small/controversial for OP |
| Speed | Faster than institutional foundations on time-sensitive opportunities |
Limitations
Section titled “Limitations”| Limitation | Context |
|---|---|
| Scale | $50M/year vs. Coefficient Giving’s $500M+; still building capacity |
| Donor Concentration | Dependent on small number of UHNW clients |
| Coefficient Dependency | $21M+ in operational support from Coefficient Giving |
| Visibility | Less public profile than OP, SFF, or LTFF |
| Staff Size | ≈15-20 staff limits simultaneous investigations |
Criticisms and Controversies
Section titled “Criticisms and Controversies”Governance History: Longview was previously a project within Effective Ventures Foundation, the legal entity housing CEA, 80,000 Hours, and EA Funds. A December 2022 post raised concerns about EVF’s governance structure. Longview has since transitioned to independent legal entities.
Political Expertise Concerns: A June 2025 EA Forum post raised concerns about grantmaker expertise in political advocacy:
“In June 2025, Longview Philanthropy advertised an opening for an AI policy expert. However, these efforts are too modest and too recent to fully address the problem. It takes more than one or two experts to adequately evaluate an entire field’s worth of advocacy proposals.”
The post recommended Longview ensure new positions are filled by people with advocacy backgrounds, not just AI governance research experience.
Digital Sentience Fund Skepticism: One EA Forum commenter noted: “I do not endorse Longview’s Digital Sentience Fund… I expect it’ll fund misc empirical and philosophical ‘digital sentience’ work plus unfocused field-building.”
The Donor Advisory Model: Benefits and Risks
Section titled “The Donor Advisory Model: Benefits and Risks”| Dimension | Benefits | Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Donor Activation | Brings new capital into longtermism | May create dependency on advisor recommendations |
| Personalization | Aligns grants with donor values | Could fragment funding toward idiosyncratic preferences |
| Independence | No commission means no incentive to maximize AUM | Heavy OP funding creates potential conflicts |
| Speed | Faster than institutional foundations | Less time for thorough due diligence |
| Flexibility | Can fund political/controversial work | Less public accountability than traditional foundations |
How to Engage with Longview
Section titled “How to Engage with Longview”For Donors
Section titled “For Donors”| Giving Level | How to Engage | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| $1M+/year | Full bespoke advisory services | Contact page |
| $100K+/year (AI) | AI grant recommendations, FAIF access | AI advisory signup |
| Any amount | Donate to ECF or NWPF | Fund pages |
| Group interest | Host a donor dinner with AI presentation | Contact for group sessions |
For Organizations Seeking Funding
Section titled “For Organizations Seeking Funding”Longview does not accept unsolicited funding requests. Organizations are identified through:
- Proactive research by grantmaking teams
- Expert referrals and network recommendations
- Donor-initiated due diligence requests
For Job Seekers
Section titled “For Job Seekers”Longview regularly hires for positions including:
- AI Grantmaker (Generalist or US AI Policy)
- AI Programme Director
- Chief Partnerships Officer
- Research analysts, operations, events
See 80,000 Hours job board for current openings.
Organizational Timeline
Section titled “Organizational Timeline”| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Natalie Cargill founds Longview after leaving legal career |
| 2018-2022 | Operates as Effective Ventures Foundation project |
| 2023 | Transitions to independent legal entities (UK and US) |
| 2023 | $4M+ Coefficient Giving general support grant |
| 2024 | ECF exceeds 2,000 donors |
| 2024 | Over 50% of ECF allocation to EU AI Act work |
| Oct 2024 | $16M Coefficient Giving general support grant |
| Dec 2024 | Frontier AI Fund launches |
| 2025 | $100K+ AI advisory service launches |
| 2025 | Nordic AI Retreat with Astralis Foundation (Stockholm, 25 philanthropists) |
| Sep 2025 | FAIF reaches $13M raised, $11.1M disbursed to 18 organizations |
| 2025 | $50M+ directed across all programs; $89M+ cumulative AI funding |
Sources and External Links
Section titled “Sources and External Links”Official Sources
Section titled “Official Sources”- Longview Philanthropy Website
- About Page
- Grantmaking
- Organisational Structure
- AI Program
- Nuclear Weapons Policy
- Community
EA Forum
Section titled “EA Forum”- EA Forum Longview Tag
- AI Grant Recommendations Announcement
- ECF 2024 Report Announcement
- ECF Marginal Funding Case
- GWWC Evaluations of Evaluators
Coefficient Giving Grants
Section titled “Coefficient Giving Grants”- General Support 2024 ($16M)
- General Support 2023 ($4M)
- Nuclear Security Grantmaking
- OECD AI Policy Development
Third-Party Sources
Section titled “Third-Party Sources”- Giving What We Can: Longview
- Giving What We Can: ECF
- InfluenceWatch Profile
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
- 80,000 Hours Job Board