Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA)

The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is a hub for research on global development, with a network of over 60 academic researchers extending across the University of California, Stanford University, and the University of Washington. Its faculty affiliates use rigorous evaluations, tools from data science, and new measurement technologies to assess the impacts of large-scale social and economic development programs. CEGA brings a scientific lens to global development, integrating empirical economic analysis with expertise in agriculture, public health, education, engineering, and the environment.

In 2021, GiveDirectly and Center for Effective Global Action were named one of eight data.org Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge awardees. GiveDirectly (GD) and the Center for Effective Global Action at UC Berkeley (CEGA) are developing and testing a new model for humanitarian support that enables cash transfers to be deployed effectively, accurately, and at scale to those who need them most. This project incorporates new data and computational technologies to identify people and places in economic distress by integrating data from mobile phones, satellite imagery, and traditional surveys.