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!

Henry Hoy

University of Arkansas

Fall
2023

I desire to not be wasteful and needless with spending. Anything I do not save for a specific purpose, I hope to use for some cause. I hope to be generous with my time and effort, hopefully joining community efforts to resolve problems. I desire to be living stable enough, so people can lean on me. My parents and aunt and uncle among others have housed people who were in troubled situations and I hope to be able to do the same and honor their example.

Helen Nguyen

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2023

After graduating and starting a job, in addition to giving at least 10% of my income to the Church, I want to start off with volunteering at least 3 hours of my time at for a local organization(s). By 4, I want to be increasing that volunteer time to 6 hours per week and donating at least another 5 percent of my income. After year 5, I might be trading off more volunteer time with donating more money to a non-profit depending on where I am in terms of starting my own family and how much money I can make in an hour.

HANNAH FITTERMAN

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2023

I hope to continue giving my time & money to the organizations/charities that resonate with me. I plan to give at least 5% of my income to charitable organizations. I hope that as I get older & am more successful in my career, that 5% will eventually be a significantly large number.

Hannah Clatworthy

Vanderbilt University

Fall
2023

My goal is to give 10% of my salary to certain philanthropies within 10 years after graduation.

Hana Diaz

Vanderbilt University

Fall
2023

I plan to always give throughout my life. How much I give depends on how much income I am making. However, I always plan on volunteering regardless on organizations that I support.

Hallie Williams

Vanderbilt University

Fall
2023

I promise to give 1% of my salary every year to philanthropic efforts. I believe that this goal is a minimum that is a goal I can always attain. I do not view this as a maximum but as a starting point for when I first get out of college. I imagine that this will only grow from here.