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

"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

2025
Fall

I plan to give 6-8% of my annual income to non-profits that I have a lot of passion for. I would really like to donate to organizations that help stray animals find new homes. I would also want to donate my money to organizations that help the battle against world hunger. I also plan to give a couple hours of my time during the week to volunteer at different organizations around campus.

Anonymous

University of Notre Dame

2025
Fall

1% of post tax income

Anonymous

University of Notre Dame

2025
Fall

Over the next several years, my goal is to begin building consistent giving habits, even if at a modest level. While I don’t expect to give a large percentage of my income early in my career, I aim to contribute 1–5% of my annual income (or the equivalent in small recurring donations) to causes I care about. As I become more financially secure, I plan to gradually increase this percentage—with a long-term goal of giving around 5–10% of my income each year. If I find myself in a position of greater wealth than expected, I would escalate my giving proportionally, ensuring that my philanthropy grows in step with my financial capacity.

Anonymous

New York University

2025
Fall

I commit to dedicating my time, resources, and education to addressing systemic inequities that limit access to opportunity for others. I aim to use my skills, knowledge, and experiences to support initiatives that empower communities and advance social justice. Through hands-on engagement, research, and collaboration, I hope to contribute meaningfully to programs that create tangible, long-term impact. Ultimately, I strive to combine my education with service to help dismantle structural barriers and promote equity for all.

Anonymous

Cornell University

2025
Fall

My goal is to give a consistent part of my income each year to causes that address basic needs like food security, medical access, and education. I also want to support efforts that improve patient comfort and adherence in the medical device space, especially projects that focus on unmet needs and make treatment easier for people who rely on these devices. As I move forward in my career, I want giving to become a steady habit, and I plan to increase the amount I give as my income grows. I hope to support organizations that use their resources effectively and have a real, measurable impact.

Anonymous

American University

2025
Fall

I plan for my giving goal to be reflective of my current financial standing, as I want to give the most amount of impact while being cognizant of my resources. As I am still young and starting out my career, I will give as much as I can, even though it may unfortunately be modest. However, as I rise throughout my career and earn more, I will in turn give more to help people around me and around the world have a better life.