I aim to give 7% of my income to nonprofits of my choice every single year of my career, scaling as I gain the ability to give more. I also will volunteer for at least 80 hours per year. I wish to mainly target nonprofits that affect the community around me, but I also want to give some to international causes that I feel are necessary to give to. Also, I aim to gain personal connections with these organizations so I can help them with more ways than just my money and I can truly be an involved giver. Finally, I want to join a giving circle, so that I am held accountable by others for my giving and I can make a bigger impact on charities through the aggregate.
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!
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2024
Throughout my life I hope to donate 10% of my earnings to non-profits. This may take the form of tithings at my church but if I choose to give more I hope to give to non-religious institutions as well. I also hope to volunteer at organizations that I’m passionate about. My college career has been marked by volunteering opportunities and I hope to continue that in my future professional and personal life. I also hope to raise children who have a heart for giving and serving others. For those who are given so much, we have an obligation to give much as well.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2024
Stay engaged with the issues I am passionate about (poverty, animal and environmental welfare) as well as explore new areas of need and take steps to become more involved with them. I am setting a goal to ingrain the practice of giving by giving consistently even if I “don’t have a lot” because as seen in Mark 12:41-44, the heart of the giver matters more than the size of the gift.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2024
My giving goal is to have my future career revolve around helping support local non-profits, working in their finance/ accounting positions. It will take time to gather enough knowledge and experience to be proficient, but I truly want my life’s work, job, and purpose to revolve around uplifting non-profits. Yet, this doesn’t mean I won’t plan to donate my spare time and disposable income to support the LGBTQ community, disability awareness, and sexual assault and prevention: all notable causes to me.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2024
My giving goal is to always live below my means, so I can give generously to others. First, I pledge to give 10% of all my income to my local church as well as serve through volunteer hours to a part of that ministry. Secondly, with whatever I am able to afford after giving to the church, time and money, I am going to give. Whether that be contributing more than 10% to the church, donating money to a different non-profit, providing a meal for a family in need, or bringing flowers to a friend, I want to set aside extra funds to bless others in a way that I see fit for a specific need at the time. I hope to continue this philanthropic lifestyle and let it be a joy to serve others in many different capacities!
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2024
My Giving Goal for every year following this class is to constantly be prepared to give in simple ways when the opportunity arises. Whether it’s a lemonade stand, popcorn fundraiser, or a friend asking for funds for a project/fundraiser, I want to be able to help when the opportunity comes. If this means I have to save 5% of my income, then I’m all for it! Whatever it takes to make sure I’m not a bystander when a chance for impact strikes. As a side note: I hope that if I’m reading this in 2, 4, 5, 7, 8….. (etc) years that I’m always doing things to give back to those around me. I never want to be complacent in my capability to give. That is my giving goal.