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!

Anonymous

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2022

I hope to gave back in an influential way to all the communities that have and will help grow me into the person I am today and the person I am meant to be. I also hope to give back to the various organizations serving people living on the margins that I have worked with over the years.

Anonymous

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2022

1. I hope to volunteer at least 5 hours a month at a local non-profit whose mission I am passionate about. 2. Once my career is stable, or five years after my first paycheck, I wish to give 5% of my income every year to varying non-profits.

Anna Loughridge

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2022

I hope to volunteer 3-6 hours a week at a local non-profit I have built a strong relationship with. After 5-10 years post-graduation, I hope to give 5% of my income every year to local non-profits whose mission I can connect with.

Andrew Schlitz

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2022

To donate $1000 and 5 hours of my time for my first 5 years out of school

Amanda Jacobson

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2022

My giving goal is to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours per year for a nonprofit organization dealing with youth development. Potential examples are Farm to School or the Boys and Girls Club. I will also donate 5% of my income to a nonprofit in the social justice realm. I like to change up organizations I donate to, but some I would donate to are organizations trying to stop mass incarceration and racial injustice (Equal Justice Initiative, Black Lives Matter) and organizations focusing on women’s reproductive health care and accessibility (Planned Parenthood).

Akshay Kalra

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2022

I pledge to donate 2.5 percent of my income a year after 5 years of being out of college to causes that promote advocacy toward health equity, racial equity, and education. Even when I am not donating money, I still would like to be consistently giving time and energy to the local causes I believe in that advance these goals.