As a person who has had so many people and organizations invest in my education and future, I pledge to live a lifestyle that centers around mindful giving. To achieve this, I will donate 10% of my annual income towards organizations that I have vetted through careful due diligence. My focus will be directed towards poverty and homelessness, while always maintaining an open heart and mind so that I can also give spontaneously. On a yearly basis, I will evaluate my giving portfolio to assess the effectiveness of my donations and see how to appropriately adjust if necessary. Additionally, I will start conversations about and be a vocal proponent for conscientious, intentional philanthropy among my family, friends, and colleagues, with the intent of serving as an example of how anyone can live with a giving mindset regardless of income level. Finally, I hope to use my abilities as a performer to raise funding and awareness for philanthropic endeavors through avenues such as benefit concerts, social media campaigns, and any other means that become viable in the future.
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
Search for Giving Goals
Over 4,200+ course participants have written giving goals in a demonstration of leadership!
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2021
Upon graduating, I pledge to donate 5-10% of my income to nonprofit organizations, specifically the Catholic Church, organizations empowering women on either the local or global scale, and other causes that my family and I come to believe are important. I also pledge to spend a minimum of 10 hours a month volunteering in my local community.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2021
Once I graduate in May, I hope to give between 8-12% of my income (it may vary per year) to missions and nonprofits which impact the lives of people locally and globally.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2021
My giving goal is in the long term. My goal is to graduate from my university in 1.5 years with a degree in business and I hope to attend a school either in Texas or California for a masters in non-profit management or social work. After those two years, I will apply to law school and if I am accepted I will work on a law degree focusing on civil rights law or immigration law. Conclusively, I hope to eventually work in the non-profit sector with either my masters of law degree and my giving goal is to give $1000 a year or $100 for 10 months out of the year. Later in my life after being in the professional field for at least 20 years, I vow to create a scholarship for Low income, first generation Latinx Women pursuing a college degree for $2000
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2021
I want to challenge myself to give 5-10% of my income to non-profits, but moreover I challenge myself to give time and effort to these non-profits by either serving on their board, volunteering, or advocating for their mission in my day to day life.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2021
I want to begin volunteering my time with Big Brothers Big Sisters once I start my full time job and move somewhere more permanent. I also want to begin tithing as much as I possibly can by July of 2021. Additionally, I want to start my own nonprofit centered around financial planning once I have more education and experience with it. I would like this to happen sometime before I am 35 years old.