I hope that throughout my lifetime I will give 4-6% of my overall income to nonprofits and charitable organizations that make a real impact on the community. Whether these organizations are health and standard of life based or they encourage well-being through arts or activities, I hope my contributions would change a life for the better. In addition to a monetary contribution I will continue to volunteer at least 200 hour a year, so around 4 hours a week on average. I have always thoroughly enjoyed volunteering and I hope that I will work for a company or organization that invests in their employees philanthropic efforts. 200 hours a year should be a relatively reasonable goal to reach, but it may require adjustments or creativity as some times of life become overwhelming. I also think that it is important to note that advocating for corporate responsibility is vital to making a real and lasting change across the world. I do not expect that I will ever be in a position to donate a million dollars a year or to volunteer upwards of 5,000 hours a year. However, many corporations, even small ones, have the capacity to make that kind of impact. Therefore, I expect to continue to advocate against greedy corporations, vote for individuals who care about philanthropic efforts, and spend money wisely.
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
My goal once I make enough money is to be able to financially give to a lot of women’s clinics, shelters, and initiatives in Puerto Rico. This is very important and relevant to my future career and always consider these organizations to be underfunded and not gain as much attention as others.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
I hope to keep volunteering my time through a second job and if not, I hope to give some portion of my income away.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
I want to donate as much money as I spend on travel during a year.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
I want to commit to 100 hours of volunteer work annually with a non-profit of my choice. In terms of financial donations, I want to start off by donating 5% of my income to a cause I care about, using an evidence-based approach on what would be the most effective use of my money.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2026
Right now, as a senior graduating in December, I’ve started thinking more intentionally about what giving looks like in my life. Before this class, I never truly contemplated what selfless giving would look like for me. Outside of the occasional organization volunteering, it was hard to be intentional with my time and money as a busy college student. Since taking this class, I’ve realized that giving should be consistent and reflect what I truly care about. My Goal: Once I’m employed, I hope to give about $100 a month to a nonprofit. Ideally one that I’m actively involved in. I also want to volunteer about an hour each week, whether that’s at a library or with local organizations, because especially this semester, I’ve learned that giving time can be just as meaningful as giving money. I would even like to integrate giving into my weekly routine, like participating in food drop offs while grocery shopping if available. Something as simple as picking up an extra pack of pasta is a small but intentional way to give in my day to day life. In the meantime, even though I don’t have much to give financially, I still want to stay engaged. After this class, and going into my final semester where I have a bit more free time, I want to be intentional with how I use it. I’d love to volunteer with Elizabeth House Maternity Home, since that organization really stood out to me and aligns with the kind of impact I hope to make.