5-Year Goal: In the first five years after graduation, I aim to consistently give 6–10% of my income to causes I deeply believe in, especially education access for underprivileged children, mentorship and advancement opportunities for girls and women, support for survivors of sexual assault and sex trafficking, and initiatives that restore human dignity in the face of poverty and homelessness. I also want to remain actively involved through volunteering and direct service so that I stay close to the communities I support. 10-Year Goal: Within ten years, my goal is to increase my giving to 10%+ of my income and serve on at least one nonprofit board aligned with my values. I hope to use my professional background in finance and investing to help organizations and social entrepreneurs grow sustainably, while also encouraging peers and close communities to become more engaged in generosity and service. 20-Year Goal: Over the long term, I want giving to become a lasting part of my legacy. My goal is to continue giving 10%+ of my income, dedicate meaningful time to board leadership and boots-on-the-ground service, and eventually create a legacy giving vehicle such as a foundation or donor-advised fund. I hope to be known as someone who invested in people, brought others into generosity, and remained deeply committed to the causes and communities I believe in.
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
Search for Giving Goals
Over 4,200+ course participants have written giving goals in a demonstration of leadership!
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
Upon graduating from Texas Christian University, I pledge to give at least 10% of my yearly income to my local church, missionaries, ministry staff, and partner organizations that bring justice and peace to widows, orphans, the sick, the elderly, and those in need of spiritual healing. To make this practical, I will open a dedicated savings account and split my paycheck via direct deposit, ensuring these funds are consistently set aside and used toward that purpose. One of the greatest injustices in the world is that many people never have the opportunity to clearly hear the gospel. Whether someone lives in the 10/40 window, where they may be born, live, and die without ever hearing the name of Jesus, or in our own backyard, every person is worthy of hearing the good news of Jesus! Every penny in my bank account has been graciously given to me by God for the purpose of stewarding and managing it, that the sick would be healed, captives would be set free, and that the knowledge of the Lord would cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
I would want my giving goal to be me giving back 1 percent of my income to a church once a year. i will also give time by volunteering when the church has something big coming up like a football camp or a basketball camp.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
Once I leave school I will commit to donating 5% of my annual salary to organizations working at both local and international levels. Beyond the act of giving, I want to be intentional and responsible in how I contribute, taking the time to carefully research each organization to ensure that my support advances humanitarian efforts in ways that are both ethical and effective.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
Honestly, my approach to giving is pretty straightforward: start now, and grow it over time. I’m not in a position to give a lot yet, but I want philanthropy to be a habit I build early – maybe 1% of what I earn now, with a goal of getting to 10% eventually. The causes I care most about are local community work, the environment, and health, mostly because I like being able to see where the impact actually goes. Beyond writing checks, what I really want to do someday is build something, maybe a startup or nonprofit, to employee the local community and help employ others through the process, to maximize impact.
Karin Tsumura
- Spring
- 2026
I want to donate annually to a cause that I am passionate about, particularly girls education and international human rights. This contribution should go beyond just a one time gift and drive long-term and meaningful change. Although I may be busy, I also want to make sure that I am volunteering regularly at my local non-profits to support the community around me. My wish is for the world to be a little bit of a better place, and I want my giving to reflect that.