I want to give increasingly more as my career progresses, and if/when I start my own venture or project, I want there to be a specific charitable goal associated with it.
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
Search for Giving Goals
Over 4,200+ course participants have written giving goals in a demonstration of leadership!
Paulina Varela
- Spring
- 2024
During my life, I want to be able to give back to overlooked and underserved communities and the nonprofits that serve them. To me, this endeavor is both about giving time in the form of volunteering and monetary donations. As such, I would like to commit myself to performing between 50 and 100 hours per year volunteering for a cause until I feel I am in a more stable position, after which I think 50 per year is still satisfactory. In addition, I would like to donate 5% of my income during the first few years of my career, after which the amount should increase to 10% of my yearly income to charities I vet, which target rehabilitation services for the formerly incarcerated. As an aspiring attorney, I also want to promise that I will do pro-bono work as part of my volunteering.
Patrick Harper
- Spring
- 2024
In the time immediately after graduating college, I would like to be involved philanthropically, but I believe that it is more feasible to be involved by donating my time rather than my money. I would like to find an organization or two that I resonate with and try to volunteer at least 50 hours each year. Once I have become more established financially, for example, by the time that I am receiving my 10 year reminder, I would then like to begin giving financially. As I age I assume that I will have less time on my hands, but would be in a better position to give financially to a couple of organizations that resonate with me.
Paige Murdock
- Spring
- 2024
I want to give with a purpose. Regardless of who I give to or how I give, whether in the form of volunteering or donation, I hope that I find organizations that align with my passions. I do not want to get stuck in a cycle of giving because that’s what the world expects me to do. I want to give because it makes me excited to connect with communities and create a lasting impact on the people around me. Relationships create meaning and lasting vision that can’t be replicated. When I remember the purpose of my goals, I’ll achieve them faster and at a deeper level.
Noel Briner
- Spring
- 2024
My giving goal has two parts – time and money. In regards to time, I would like to be consistently volunteering at some nonprofit that I am passionate about no matter where I am located. This could be even just once a month if necessary, but regardless want to be consistent with this. Specific areas I could see myself enjoying giving my time and expertise in could involve all Christian-based community service, children’s advocacy, human trafficking, prison ministry, and healthcare for young mothers/maternity homes. The second part of my giving goal involves giving money. My parents have always placed a great importance on giving 10% of your money and trusting God with your finances. This is something that I plan to continue and want to start right when I begin getting an income in about a year from now. If necessary, I could lower this to 5%, but regardless want to have a consistent percentage that I commit to and budget for. I do foresee that the main receiver of my money will be my local church, but am open to wherever I see the most need. The areas I am passionate about currently may change, but no matter what those areas are I want to place a great priority on doing detailed research about wherever my money and time are going to benefit so as to best maximize efficiency in helping others. I feel that this class has given me a good framework for researching nonprofits and baseline understanding of how they work so I can best do this!
Nina Bacon
- Spring
- 2024
I commit to dedicating my time, talents, and treasure consistently, not just this year but in the years to come. If my contribution in one aspect decreases, I will compensate by increasing my support in other areas. Giving will not be a mere annual ritual but a daily practice ingrained in my lifestyle. I pledge to allocate 5-10% of my income towards philanthropic endeavors, promising to reassess and adjust this commitment as my financial capacity grows. I will approach my philanthropy with emotion and reason, ensuring that I support causes I deeply care about while also evaluating their effectiveness. Each year, I will critically evaluate the impact of the organizations I support, partner with, and actively seek their input on their ongoing needs. Finally, leveraging my expertise in social work, I pledge to provide my services and skills either through direct volunteer involvement with nonprofits or by offering pro-bono therapy services in my professional capacity.