Become a volunteer at One for the World

Interested in starting a chapter?

Schedule a call below to learn more! After the call, the staff team will follow up with you about the next steps.


What is a One for the World chapter?

Chapters are groups of student volunteers that educate their peers about effective giving and motivate them to take The 1% Pledge


What does a One for the World chapter do? 

Chapters organize various kinds of programming throughout the academic year on their campuses,  ranging from speaker events and giving workshops to small group dinners and 1:1 coffee chats, in addition to regular outreach initiatives (e.g., social media campaigns, informational tabling, etc.)

Why should I start a chapter?

Because you have the incredible opportunity to…

Build a team and a strategy that will enable you to start a conversation within your community about maximizing your social impact through giving, 

Connect with an incredible network of other current and former chapter leaders from all over the world who are also committed to helping people living in extreme poverty, and 

Raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the world’s most cost-effective charities serving the people living in extreme poverty

Who should start a chapter?

A successful chapter leader is… 

Passionate about helping those living in extreme poverty and willing to put in extra effort towards this goal. 

Excited about building a team and public speaking because chapter success depends on your ability to recruit new chapter members and get them excited about One for the World and The 1% Pledge. 

Experienced with time management and thinking on the margin because we know you are busy, and so are the people you invite to take The 1% Pledge, so strategizing for your specific campus and your team’s capacity and then following through will ultimately determine a chapter’s success. 

 Former Chapter Leaders

Manothri Mallikarachchi — Western ‘23

“I became a chapter leader because we didn’t have a chapter at Western University, and I was super passionate about OFTW’s work. I’ve always been interested in giving, especially because my parents have always encouraged me to be altruistic, but One for the World taught me about the importance of effective giving which is what I hope to share with others.”

Czara Awad Former Chapter Leader at One for the World

Czara Awad — McGill ‘20

“Leading a OFTW chapter meant something much bigger to me than just giving. It was about radically changing the discourse and mentality around giving. OFTW is a movement before anything else, and there is no feeling more humbling than being part of such a powerful, collaborative effort.”

Stefano Gunawan Former chapter leader at One for the World

Stefano Gunawan — University of Melbourne ‘19

“I decided to lead a OFTW chapter because I needed a way to make my time at University more meaningful. It simply wasn’t acceptable to me that as students we had to “wait our turn” before creating real-life impacts on the world around us. OFTW gave me that outlet, and for that I’m forever grateful.”

What is expected of a chapter leader?

Chapter leaders should be prepared to… 

Dedicate 2-3 hours per week to run their chapter, attend regular calls with their staff chapter manager during the semester, and attend semi-annual in-person conferences for all chapter leaders before the start of each semester (the first in August and the second in January). 

Ask friends, classmates, and strangers to take The 1% Pledge. The critical metric of a chapter’s success is motivating people to take the 1% Pledge. Ultimately, an important determinant of how many people take the pledge at your chapter is how many people you ask!

Understand the principles of effective giving and the mission and programs of GiveWell charities so that this information can be communicated effectively to chapter members and potential 1% Pledgers. 

How does One for the World support their chapter leaders?

Chapter leaders can expect… 

Funding for chapter-related expenses (e.g., printing marketing materials, food for events, travel/lodging for the in-person Chapter Leader Meetings, PA, etc.) 

A staff chapter manager to provide leadership mentoring, management guidance, and accountability, answer any and all questions and consistently create new resources for you and your members to deploy. 

A centralized Resource Hub chock-full of the best tips and materials from staff and former chapter leaders, including pre-made marketing and social media materials. 

Regularly scheduled training sessions, boot camps, and roundtables led by staff and bolstered by chapter leaders themselves!

 

 How to Apply

 

Schedule an interest call to meet with a member of our headquarters staff team!

Fill out the Chapter Leader Interest Form to answer a few questions about your interest in setting up a chapter at your school or company

You will then be invited to join an onboarding call where a staff member will review our onboarding process and explain your next steps. 

Finally, you will receive a personalized onboarding plan which takes ~4 hours to complete over two weeks. Once completed, you will officially be a Chapter Leader at One for the World! Woohoo!

We aim to recruit people with many different experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who share our passion for helping people living in extreme poverty by promoting effective giving. We are committed to creating a movement where all volunteers, members or staff, and members of the Board have the opportunity to succeed. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or other legally protected status. We particularly encourage applications from people of color and people from low- and middle-income countries. If you need any help applying to be a chapter leader, please reach out in confidence to Emma Cameron, Managing Director, at emma@1fortheworld.org.

 Start a student chapter to end extreme poverty

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Confidence can sometimes hold people back from applying for an opportunity. Here is a secret: there is no such thing as a "perfect" chapter leader. One for the World is looking for exceptional people who want to help people living in extreme poverty by promoting effective giving. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, we encourage you to set up an introductory call with us to learn more about how your unique background and skills can help to grow our movement.

  • Today! If you think you might be an excellent chapter leader, schedule an introductory call today, meet a member of the HQ staff team, ask your questions, and get the ball rolling.

  • Send them the link to this page and encourage them to apply, or tell them to send an email to the HQ staff team at info@1fortheworld.org to find out more!

  • See the University Directory page for a list of our current chapters and Chapter Leader contact information.

  • That chapter would probably appreciate your help! You can contact them via our 'Chapter Search' page, or reach out to the HQ staff team at info@1fortheworld.org and they will introduce you to the appropriate person!

    Taking on an Executive Board position within the chapter is also a great route to one day leading it - and you can pick up skills and tactics that you may use as a chapter leader in the future.

  • We have lots of ways you can get involved. Even if you are not studying right now, you can arrange giving talks at your workplace or church, or spread the word to friends and family. Reach out to Emma Cameron, Managing Director, at emma.c@1fortheworld.org to learn more about non-university One for the World programming.

  • If you display genuine passion for this project and demonstrate that you are a reliable and organized individual, your application is likely to be accepted!

  • Feel free to flip through our intro deck and come to the call with questions about effective giving, OFTW, the role of chapter leader, etc.

  • Yes! Email the HQ staff team at info@1fortheworld.org, and we will connect you with a current or former chapter leader at a school similar to your own.