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!

Ruoyu Tang

University of Pennsylvania

Spring
2023

Every year I want to donate 1% of my income to choose an organization that is solving the most urgent issue in the world at the time. I will conduct research and due diligence to make sure the organization is making a real social impact with a good standing organizational and financial. I want to make sure I volunteer every year for no less than 100 hours in an area that I care about.

Riley Hoffman

Harvard University

Spring
2023

I want to volunteer my time to grassroots organizations to support my community.

Ria Puri

Emory University

Spring
2023

My giving goal is donation of 10% to my paycheck to local charities. I would want to divvy up the funds between three non-profits that target different areas. Additionally, I would want to volunteer at the center every other month to get a first-hand perspective of the impact of my funds.

Rayaan Vellani

Baylor University

Spring
2023

I want my giving goal to donate 5% of my salary every year, but each year it must go to a new NPO that tackles a different problem than the organization I donated to the prior year. I would also like the NPOs to be local to the city I am currently living in and donate to projects that help people in the community I am apart of.

Rafael Rodriguez

Universidad del Sagrado Corazon

Spring
2023

Organizations that develop the arts in young students to help with their development as future professionals and better human beings.

Rachel Katz

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spring
2023

My giving goal is to volunteer 5 to 10 hours a month at a nonprofit organization for the rest of college and following graduation to an organization that supports individuals with disabilities. I also hope to donate 5% of my income to nonprofit organizations I am passionate about and increase this percentage accordingly as my income grows.