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!

Henry Googe

Baylor University

Spring
2025

My goal is to be generous with both my time and resources. I hope to be somebody who cares deeply for others. I want to be very intentional in my giving. I hope to get involved with one or a couple organizations, get to know the people involved, and be invested in the work they are doing.

Henry Dolt

Texas Christian University

Spring
2025

I want to get into the habit of donating and pledging both time and money to charities that I find a passion for. After going through my course, I have a passion for finding solutions to homelessness and nonprofits that help the children in our community. As I continue to grow and my life continues to evolve, I hope to find new passions that can make positive impacts on my family, surrounding community, and our world.

Hayden Peter D’gama

University of Texas

Spring
2025

I don’t really want to set a percentage on my giving, but I do want to reach a point financially where I am able to donate whatever amount to whoever I want to. I think the bulk of these donations will go towards medical research and aid for children and their families, but I also want to donate towards education. I’d like to donate to areas that I have close personal ties to, particularly the Greater Houston area, Austin, and where my family is from in South India. My giving goal is greatly influenced by my personal experience, as I have firsthand knowledge of the stress on families with children with chronic physical or mental health conditions. As for education, my grandmother was a teacher for 33 years, so I’d like to one day open a school and put her name on it.

Hassan Hashim

Emory University

Spring
2025

In the immediate term, before I start my full-time work, my giving goal is to volunteer at least 2 hours per month for the next year. I believe that giving my time and attention is a way to stay grounded in the causes that matter to me and a commitment to those in need. Over the next five years, as I enter the professional world and begin to earn a stable income, my goal is to donate 4% of my income to charity annually. In the long-term, my philanthropic goal is to start a non-profit organization that will address an area of critical need.

Hannah Chu

Baylor University

Spring
2025

While I am a student/on my fellowship, I will skip getting coffee or eating out once a week and allocate that money towards a fund for giving. If I spend around $7 a week on coffee, that should be around $364 a year.

Hannah Abebe

Emory University

Spring
2025

My giving goal is to conduct deeper research into philanthropic organizations that truly align with the causes I am passionate about such as social justice and helping combat child hunger/malnutrition worldwide. I want to be able to donate not only my money but my time to these organizations and continuously leave a lasting mark throughout my life.