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

"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!

Isabel Torres

University of Notre Dame

Fall 2025

I want to give 5% of my salary to charity and volunteer my time two days a year, especially around holiday time.

Evan Gold

Cornell University

Fall 2025

My philanthropic goal is to support schools and organizations that reflect my core values and have played a meaningful role in shaping who I am. I want to commit my time and resources on a yearly basis to support the principals I stand for and create opportunities for others to share in the same positive experiences I have.

Eshal Hassan

New York University

Fall 2025

I want my giving to grow in proportion to my success. As I move forward in life, I hope to contribute to organizations that clearly work to break the cycle of dependency and help people become independent. My goal is to donate at the very least $25,000 over my lifetime, but I also want to give through active involvement, sharing my time, knowledge, and skills in ways that go beyond financial support. I believe giving should not only meet needs but also help others build lasting strength and self-reliance.

Ella Ruffell

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall 2025

Once I am employed full-time, my giving goal is to donate at least 8% of my income to organizations that I feel most connected to and passionate about, yearly. In particular, animal sanctuaries such as the Green Bay Humane Society and food security organizations such as Feeding American will be top of my list. Additionally, I would love to donate to and volunteer for organizations that work to improve education opportunities for children and teens living in marginalized and poverty stricken areas.

Ebony Bogui-Akinyi

Cornell University

Fall 2025

In 5 years, I will donate 5% of my annual income to causes focused on education, entrepreneurship, and mental health access. In 10 years, I will contribute 10% of my income and support at least 20 african or diaspora founders through mentorship, scholarships, or catalytic grants. In 15 years, I will create or fund programs that empower women and youth in emerging markets through venture building, capacity development, and wealth building pathways. My goal is to build a legacy where giving is not occasional.

Christopher Archer

Cornell University

Fall 2025

My goal centers around service, many charities are great and have majority support. I am interested in supporting ‘slam-dunks’ causes with 99% approval from reasonable people. Things like Animal well-fare, community service like volunteer fire fighters or EMTs. I want to support great organizations that have messaging problems, especially veteran organizations like the American Legion and VFW. I also value my time at Cornell and West Point I would like to give back to these schools as well.