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!

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

My giving goal is to support individuals and communities in ways that respect their autonomy, respond to immediate needs, and contribute to long term well being. I want to direct my resources toward organizations that provide practical and flexible support, especially those that allow people to define their own needs and solutions. My giving should reflect compassion, dignity, and respect. I hope to focus on areas where even small contributions can create meaningful and personal impact. Over time, I want to build a consistent practice of giving that aligns with my values, strengthens community connection, and expands opportunities for people/communities to thrive.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

I would want my giving goal to be me giving back 1 percent of my income to a church once a year. i will also give time by volunteering when the church has something big coming up like a football camp or a basketball camp.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

I pledge to give my entire career to public service and nonprofit organizations. I plan on working for a nonprofit that advocates for social change and I will utilize my background of public policy and community organizing to assist their change process. I will also donate 10% of my income starting at age 25 once I have secured a stable full-time position. One of the nonprofits that I will always donate to will be the Alzheimer’s Association and they will receive half of my donations.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

My giving goal is to be able to partially fund a non-profit that dedicates its mission to higher educations within the urban community. I want to be able to give individuals and their families the resources to be able to swiftly graduate college with as much confidence as possible.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

As I continue to grow in my career, I aim to donate 5% of my earnings to philanthropy, focusing on organizations that advance arts education and neonatal care, as those are causes near and dear to my heart. Going beyond money, I aim to continue giving my time to these organizations. I believe that my giving should be rooted in service as well as in monetary support. For now, I will continue to give back in small, yet consistent ways with the goal of expanding that giving over time.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2026

My goal is to 5% of my annual income each year for the next 5 years, then give 10% of my income for the following 5. I want to focus on human rights and legal advocacy to work towards everyone having the opportunity to live their best life while having their voice heard. In addition, I want to volunteer at least 50 hours a year towards volunteering efforts. While I know life can get hectic and unpredictable, I want to give back any time that I can to helping others find success. I want to focus my volunteering on efforts to increase voting access and civic engagement.