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

Texas A&M University

Spring 2026

My giving goal is to donate 5-10% of my salary. While when I’m younger it may look closer to 5% depending on my job, I hope at some point to be able to give at least 10%. Additionally, I’d like to give my time/resources in other ways to local npos to get more involved in my community and do more than just writing a check as it can feel more rewarding giving more direct impact. As I’ve seen the lack of time and limited employees many npos have, I think it’s important to get involved in a deeper way past volunteering. Whether that’s been on the board of a npo or doing separate consulting projects, I’d aim to be involved in another direct way. As of now, I think it’d be cool to work for a npo that ties in Spanish like an immigration npo, but that may change depending on my experience this spring. Besides that, I’d love to find a npo that works to serve essential workers if possible. I think it’s so important to give both time and money and serve others above ourselves. I hope I prioritize this in the future and succeed in these goals.

Isaiah Fontan

Vanderbilt University

Spring 2026

I want to be someone who doesn’t just succeed, but reaches back. Not in a performative way, not just when it’s convenient, but consistently. I want to give my time, my energy, and my resources to people and communities that don’t always get poured into. Especially people who remind me of where I started. I don’t need it to look perfect or be tied to one specific cause. I just want to be present, to show up, and to make things a little easier for someone else. Whether that’s mentorship, opportunities, or simply being someone who listens and cares. If I can look back and see that I didn’t forget where I came from, that I helped open doors instead of just walking through them, that’s enough for me.

Anonymous

Vanderbilt University

Spring 2026

My giving goal is to support organizations that focus on improving mental health for teens, especially through community and support systems. I want to help in a way that helps people feel less alone and more supported. I pledge to support these organizations by donating when I can, and also giving my time like volunteering and helping with outreach and events.

Evan EPPS

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring 2026

By the end of the academic year, I will donate $1,000 to support access to high-quality books and learning materials for K-12 students in underserved communities in the Madison area, partnering with a local organization that directly distributes educational resources to schools and youth programs.

Anonymous

Boston University

Spring 2026

I hope to be giving to philanthropic causes, do efficient, undeniable good in the world, in amounts that I can technically comfortably afford, but make me uncomfortable. Balancing doing good now and compounding money to be able to give more later.

Anonymous

University of Texas - Ugrad

Spring 2026

In the future I want to create an allocated portion of my income to donate to charity. Through this course, I learned how much even a few dollars can change someone’s life.