I believe that I have been treated generously and am therefore responsible to live generously. I hope to always see the humanity of others and to not judge or label them based on their worst mistake. Instead, I hope to be a man who extends mercy and forgiveness to others because we all, myself included, are in need of unmerited grace. The proportion of my income I give will be dependent upon my current income and other responsibilities, but at my first job after graduation, I pledge to give away at least 15% of my salary to other people. I plan on setting aside a generosity fund which will be a set dollar amount per month that I have to use to bless other people no matter what. In addition, I will serve in the community around me. Later in my career, I hope to be in a job that aligns my interests and skills with an opportunity to directly serve various people groups.

For my giving goal, I pledge to allocate at least 2% of my income towards nonprofits or areas targeting various areas which could serve to positively affect disadvantaged populations. Additionally, as I progress professionally, I’d like to be able to lend my expertise and time as that may be applicable.

During graduate school, I plan to donate at least $400 per year to nonprofits. Once I have a full-time position, I intend to donate at least 10% of my income to nonprofits. When selecting recipient nonprofits, I will consider the social issue they are addressing, their scale of impact, their organizational characteristics, and my personal connections to them. Additionally, I plan to volunteer at least four hours per month for nonprofits with a special emphasis on providing skilled labor based on my abilities and experience. If given the opportunity, I would love to serve on the Board of Directors for one or more nonprofits.

As soon as graduate and begin my professional career, I pledge to give at least 10% of my income to whatever church I am a member of at that time. I also want to join a service team with that church where I will serve at least on a bi-weekly basis. I also pledge to give at least 3% of my income to a nonprofit who aligns with my or my family’s values. If finances do not allow, I will compensate by investing more time volunteering with whatever organization I would be giving to. I pledge to invest my time on a weekly basis in volunteerism for my community, seeking to understand the greatest challenges people in my area face and to walk alongside them in those challenges. I also pledge to give generously with my home and my dining room table in creating a space of community, love, hope, and belonging for all who walk in.

After I graduate, I want to make service and philanthropy a priority in my life. I pledge to donate at least 2% of my income to nonprofit organizations. However, I also want to give a considerable amount of my free time to these organizations. By biggest plan is to become involved with an animal shelter foster program to help give temporary shelter to dogs and cats in need. Furthermore, I would like to volunteer at least 5 hours a month with one or two organizations I feel passionately about.

After graduating, I am hoping to implement many of the lessons learned through Strategic Philanthropy into my financial spending and lifestyle. I pledge to give ten percent of my income to organizations that promote values similar to my own. More specifically, I want to donate to organizations fighting human trafficking and other faith-based organizations. Also, I am hoping to work or volunteer in the non-profit sector.