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!

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

I aspire to donate 5% of my income to an organization that aligns with my values. Currently, I am particularly passionate about childrenâs protection, immigrant rights, and community development. As my financial situation improves, I plan to gradually increase this percentage to 10%. If my schedule permits, I would love to volunteer or even join the board of the organization. I believe that my personal giving philosophy should not be static but rather evolve over time. As I gain more experience and knowledge, I hope to find a balanced way to contribute to philanthropy that truly resonates with me.

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

My goal is to at the very least either financially(~5-10%) or through volunteer time give back to a non-profit, whose goals are aligned with mine.

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

I continue to remain engaged with my community and the schools that my family is involved with. I have always been passionate about hunger scarcity and the religious organizations that help alleviate that pain. Hopefully, I am in a position financially to have an outsized impact and can spread my involvement across many organizations both in Austin, Washington, D.C., and nationwide.

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

My goal is to donate 2% of my income initially to philanthropy, until I re-evaluate after three years when my career has advanced further.

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

I plan to give to charitable organizations that are in my local area and support critical functions in my community. I plan to give as part of a family foundation as well as indivdual contributions.

Anonymous

University of Texas - MBA

Spring
2025

I hope to deepen my community involvement by serving on the board of a Southern California organization dedicated to educational equity and immigrant empowerment. My goal is to support and scale initiatives that uplift the region I call home, with a focus on creating lasting impact for future generations.