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 [email protected]

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

"What a sweet reminder of this pledge! I've definitely given and volunteered in the last 6yrs. It's been a joy to continue the journey of generosity since graduating from undergrad. I'm back in grad school and I am looking forward to finishing my MSW. There will be new ways I give back to the community!"

"Thank you so much for this valuable reminder of my Giving Pledge. I'm proud to say I've dedicated several hours of volunteer time & services to Arts Education non-profits and will continue to live out this pledge"

“Thanks for reaching out––I'm actively still volunteering at two non-profits now in NYC (one free food service called "Wellfare" and a neighborhood homeless shelter)”

"Thank you for your email! The Philanthropy Lab was a life changing experience for me. I ended up joining the board of Malawi Children's Village to run the women empowerment program, which is what the Philanthropy Lab grant was for. In August, I am going to Malawi to see the project in action!"

"I was so happy to see this email pop into my inbox, it feels like a lifetime ago I was in this course. I appreciate all that I learned in this class and have taken its messages with me through these past 5 years. I do plan on maintaining the promise I made in this class"

"Thanks for this reminder. I actually still have a handwritten version of that note on the magnet board in my home office."

Search for Giving Goals

Over 4,200+ course participants have written giving goals in a demonstration of leadership!

Matthew Genovese

University of Texas - McCombs

Spring
2025

5% annually.

Mary Sarah Yoon

Stanford University

Spring
2025

My giving goal is to allocate 5% of my earnings per month to a rotating cause that I am passionate about. Given that I am passionate about empowering the younger generation through education, particularly in under-resourced urban communities, I seek to find organizations with this similar mission that I hope to support.

Mary Louise Davenport

Texas A&M University

Spring
2025

I want to give be intentional to give 10% of my monthly paycheck to my church or an organization I believe in and support. Examples of these organizations include Young Life, Neema Village, or Mercy Project.

Mary Claire Simpson

Texas A&M University

Spring
2025

The three values that are most important to me are my faith, family, and compassion for others. These values are carried throughout my life, and ultimately will affect the way in which I aim to give to others. For example, issue areas and concerns that weigh heavy on my heart include inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities because I have an older sister with Down Syndrome. Additionally, encouraging and protecting children through the love of Jesus is a cause I feel passionate about through both the way I was raised and my personal walk with Christian faith. With these values and areas of interest in mind, I hope to pledge a steady percentage of my earnings, no matter how little or how much I may end up making, to nonprofits that support these causes. Not only this, but I want to give up my time to tangibly serve these communities and more around me. My time in this class has continued to show me just how rewarding it is to give back, and I hope to prioritize philanthropy throughout the rest of my professional and personal life.

MARNI STRAUSS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2025

My giving goal is to stay committed to helping my community through time and resources. As I move forward in my career, and my income grows, I will give a portion of my income to non-profit of my choice that align with my values. I will also make it a priority to volunteer a few times a year.

Mark Sayegh

Texas Christian University

Spring
2025

I have found myself drawn to missions focused on healthcare, childhood education, faith, and community-led service. I plan to donate my time by dedicating 8 hours per week to volunteering, hoping to achieve over 400 hours serving communities each year. This includes mentorship, food education, direct service, and other non-profits in the community. Financially, I plan to give 10% of my annual pre-tax salary to causes that align with my values, including my church and nonprofits focused on health disparities, food insecurity, and educational access in underserved communities. I will also set aside an additional 2% for spontaneous or local giving. My goal is to consistently use both my time and financial resources to serve sustainable, community-focused efforts.