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!

Eugene Fisher

New York University

Fall
2024

I want to work on causes that are personal to me. This makes me feel like the work I am doing represents who I am. Working with causes close to me also makes the work feel more important to me because I know the causes so well. I also want to build relationships with the people I am working with like I did coaching my soccer team. I want to feel connected to my work, but also feel connected to the outcome.

Em Marsh

American University

Fall
2024

My goal is to give my excess wealth and time to a variety of causes across my lifetime. Beyond meeting my needs, I believe that I should use this excess to do as much good and uplift as many other people as possible.

Elizabeth Sun

Cornell University

Fall
2024

My long-term goal is to always allocate (at least) 1% of my annual salary to philanthropic causes. I want to balance that between local/global organizations and tangible (volunteering, board leadership)/intangible (financial) support. I will also be vocal about my philanthropic goals and actions to increase accountability and intentionality.

Elise Snow

University of Arkansas

Fall
2024

I plan to give 10% of my income regardless of how much I’m making. This donation will be in the form of a tithe to my church. Once I have more expendable income, I plan to give at least 5% of this money to philanthropies that help my local community and children around the world.

Drew Burgis

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2024

My goal is to give monetary donations of at least 1% of my salary early on in my career, hoping to increase that as I get older. I also want to volunteer my time at various nonprofits, ideally doing this at least once a month.

David Chen

Cornell University

Fall
2024

I aim to leverage my expertise in real estate, finance, and community building to create long-term impact by supporting initiatives that promote affordable, inclusive, and sustainable housing. Over the next decade, I will dedicate my resources—financial contributions, professional knowledge, and personal time—to: Partnering with organizations that address housing equity and accessibility, such as The Kelsey, to champion innovative solutions for underserved populations. Mentoring students and young professionals interested in affordable housing development, offering guidance on career paths and sharing my experiences. Allocating a portion of my income to establish or support a fund aimed at creating resilient communities, with a focus on climate adaptation and urban development. Volunteering my skills in financial modeling and project planning to empower nonprofits working on housing initiatives. In the long term, I aspire to start or invest in projects that integrate community development with housing solutions, ensuring my contributions are both meaningful and sustainable.