The Philanthropy Lab course has instilled a deep appreciation for how I can embody the person I want to be in the future through giving to causes that matter most to me. I hope that in the future I bring a motivation and excitement for being involved with organizations that I care about. As someone who has interned at many nonprofits, I hope to continue remaining engaged and involved in the future. Over the next few years, I hope to continue volunteering and participating while I am unable to give a significant amount financially. In 10 years and more, I hope to see the amount I grow rise significantly. I want to envision a future where 10 years from now I reach at least $5,000 of annual giving to causes that matter to me, with at least $1,000 being to a new cause each year that I research and become involved with. Over time, in 20 years or more, I hope I can return to some of the organizations most impactful to me as a young person as a board member or adult volunteer to continue steering them towards success in the future.
What is a Giving Goal?
Often, the idealism of youth is lost as one achieves success and acquires material possessions later in life. What was originally considered to be “enough” or even “beyond my wildest dreams” can become just another milestone on one’s quest…
Capturing your current vision of how you wish to give of yourself and your resources in the future could help you plan to give more meaningfully. Revisiting this vision in ten or twenty years could provide a reminder of the ideals of your youth that may shape or re-shape your future actions.
If you have already posted your Giving Goal and would like to update your email for future reminders, please contact info@thephilanthropylab.org
Step 1
Have a healthy and vigorous dialogue in your class on the general idea of having a personal Giving Goal as a college student.
Step 2
Set a Giving Goal concerning your future giving plans.
Step 3
Share a brief statement of your Giving Goals on The Philanthropy Lab’s portal as a way to inspire others to do the same. You may post anonymously to the public if you wish.
Step 4
Share your permanent email address and phone number with The Philanthropy Lab, for the sole purpose of the reminder mechanism, so we can remind you of your goal in 5 year increments for 20 years into the future.
Alumni Reflections
Search for Giving Goals
Over 4,200+ course participants have written giving goals in a demonstration of leadership!
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
My giving goal is to give as much as I can, while maintaining a financially stable position, to organizations that are making a positive difference in the realms I care about most deeply. The amount I give will increase as my success does, and the organizations I donate to will alter as I grow and my priorities change. However, what will remain consistent is my drive to help others.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
I have little clue what I will do in my career so It is difficult to place a number or percentage on what I’d like to give, not knowing what I will make or how much I will need to save, but, I do not wish to make money doing something immoral or capitalistic. I hope to make a change through my work and for personal philanthropy to be a secondary way of helping where I see fit, but were something I believed in truly to make me a decent salary, I would look to give 30-50% away.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
My giving goal is to donate 5-10% to local community organizations and international environmental nonprofits. I want to volunteer for 75 hours a year at a community organization and get at least 3 friends or family members a year to volunteer with me.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
My goal is to give 5-10% of my discretionary income to non profits. I would ideally like to visit and research organizations to validate that my money is being used wisely. I would like to focus on projects close to my hometown primarily but would be open to reaching out beyond the state of Wisconsin. I value the environment and animals, so I would like to contribute time and money to both. My goal for donating my time would start small at about 2 weekends per year until I reach retirement. My goal in retirement is to give more of my time to non profits.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
Over the next school year (25′-26′), I would like to give away at least $100 to organizations in and beyond the city/ cities that I live in. Each year afterwards, for the next 10 years (at least), I would like to increase my charitable giving by around $100. My giving will be guided by my understanding of the nonprofit’s work, along with the impact that it can have on people’s lives.