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!

Susannah Theus

Tulane University

Fall
2019

I pledge to donate both my time and money to support nonprofits that are dedicated to achieving positive social change. I pledge to not only donate part of my income towards philanthropy, but also pledge to grow in my own awareness and knowledge about social issues that impact my community, nation, and world. I hope to carry a sense of giving and kindness towards others and approach life with an empathetic embodiment.

Stanley Ying

University of Notre Dame

Fall
2019

I pledge to commit my expertise, networks and resources to support worthy social causes.

Sophie Bennett

Tulane University

Fall
2019

I pledge to always find a way to be involved in philanthropy, whether that be giving my time or money to an organization. While a monetary donation might sometimes be unrealistic, I’ve learned that donation to organizations doesn’t have to be just monetary, and often time can be just as valuable. I pledge to actively seek organizations that I want to support, and donate money when I have the resources to do so. Lastly, I pledge to think analytically and often about philanthropy and to continue bettering my understanding of how it can best fit into society.

Sarah Olcott

Tulane University

Fall
2019

I pledge to continue living life with the value of selflessness that i learned through working with the Philanthropy Lab. With the societal and political divide in the 21st century, it is important to take a moment to recognize marginalized and oppressed communities, and to make an effort to make a change. I pledge to continue giving to the organization my group chose, ISLA New Orleans, to help those affected by the immigration and border crisis, in the hopes of ultimately giving a voice to a silenced community. The attorneys at ISLA selflessly give their time to fight for the freedom of their clients trapped in detainment centers. The severity of this issue is vastly unknown to the general population, and i hope to continue to do my part by spreading awareness in addition to donations.

S B

Harvard University - Undergraduate

Fall
2019

I challenge myself to be generous with my money and generous with my time. I will strive to be educated about organizations that make the most impact and apply the concepts I learned in this course to inform my giving — analysis of the organization’s financials, analysis of how they measure impact, and analysis of their programming in context.

Ruth Jaensubhakij

Harvard University - Undergraduate

Fall
2019

For as long as I am able, I want to continue giving my time to causes I care deeply about with the largest proportion of my time possible, whether that be through my field of study, career, or primary out-of-work activities. I also hope to donate as much of my income as is feasible to organizations and institutions that work to promote equality, inclusion and a better quality of life for those who may not otherwise have the resources to attain it. Overall, I just want to live a life that is informed by a philosophy of gratitude and the desire to give back and lift up others.