I pledge to give 15% of my income to my local church, nonprofits, and individuals in need. I pledge to continually advocate for important causes in my local community, country, and globally. I pledge to find ways to give my time, whether through volunteering or serving on a board. I pledge to help the company I work for better understand the importance of social responsibility and giving back to the community. Ultimately, I pledge to be a positive voice for philanthropy and to always encourage others to find ways to help those around them.

I pledge always to remember my passion and commitment to philanthropy. Whatever stage of life I’m in, I want to be an advocate for philanthropy, be generous with my time by volunteering at local non-profits, and donating a minimum of $500 a year to a non-profit of my choosing.

I commit to participating in philanthropic activity in the form of physical service and/or monetary contribution regardless of my life stage or financial situation. While the weight of my efforts may swing between my areas of contribution, I will be committed to participating in one, the other, or both in some capacity. I am excited to commit to utilizing the skills and life experience that I have been given to contribute to or assist those in need. These commitments will be measured by a minimum of 10% of my income and 8 hours of my time per month.

I aim to give at least 10% of my income beginning when I start earning income, increasing that percent variably as my income grows. I also aim to remain consistently involved with causes I am passionate about, giving of my time, funds, and skills as I am able. I will fight to find ways that nonprofits can be forces for change and aid in whatever community I am a part of, helping with needs assessment in my involvement.

Although I do not know whether my involvement with philanthropy will be full-time or voluntarily in the future, I pledge to take part in philanthropic organizations for the rest of my life. If I work professionally outside of a nonprofit setting, I want to give at least 10% of my salary to my local church, around 5% to other organizations of my choosing, to serve on a board, and to volunteer at least once weekly. If I work full-time in the nonprofit sector, I plan to devote my time to the nonprofit that employs me while giving at least 10% to other organizations or a church of my choosing. No matter where I am in the future, I plan to teach others the importance of philanthropy and to stick to my own commitments above—all the while knowing that my time and money has been given to me as a gift. While my time and money may seem to be my own, it came from somewhere outside of myself and therefore should be given back to the causes that will do the most good at the right time and place.

After I finish graduate school and am financially stable in my career, I plan to give 10% of my income to non-profit organizations within my local community. If possible, I would love to increase this percentage over time as well as continually diversify my donations rather than give to the same organization(s). Other than financial donations, I plan to give my time at least once a week to volunteer for a non-profit organization in my community.