I pledge to give habitually and inspire friends, family, and co-workers to do the same. After I graduate from grad school, I will give at least 10% percent of my annual income to causes and organizations that align with my core values. While I am still in school, I pledge to give my time and talents to organizations that pull on my heart and give financially where I can. I pledge to practice due diligence and build lasting relationships with the organizations to which I contribute my time, talents, and finances. I will review my giving practices annually to measure the effectiveness of my gifts and hold myself accountable, adjusting this giving pledge as necessary throughout the years. I pledge to give meaningfully and consistently throughout my life.
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
- 2019
I pledge to give habitually and dutifully from this day on. Upon graduating, I pledge to give 12% of every paycheck I receive, at least 1 hour of my time each week, and to educate friends and family about giving. I will give to organizations who support issues I am passionate about, and I will research each organization I support to ensure my time and efforts will bring about the most effective change. My goal is to form lifelong relationships with each organization and to inspire those around me to give and make a difference.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2019
I pledge to give generously of my time, talent, and resources from this time forward. I plan to give habitually, strategically, and responsibly through pledging at least 10% of my income, with hopes to reassess and grow that percentage, to nonprofits working around the world and in my community. I pledge to stay in touch with nonprofits whose work I support through research and connect with new nonprofits through volunteer work in the community I live in. I pledge to live a life of generosity: that my actions, career, and finances may have giving at the heart of who I am and what I do, lead by a belief that these resources are not my own.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2019
I pledge to give consistently and diligently of my income, time, and skills. I promise to do my due diligence, donating my time, energy, and finances to organizations that align with my personal core values. Starting now, I will give at least 10% of my annual income, and will continue to do so, increasing as I see fit and as my income allows. I wish to challenge myself not to focus on how much I am personally losing, but how much of myself and the gifts granted to me, both tangible and intangible, I can provide to those in need.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2019
I pledge to give a minimum of 10% of my earnings starting immediately, while looking to increase that number as time progresses. I pledge to put forth the effort in performing due diligence annually to ensure my giving is effective. Additionally, I commit to volunteer consistent and significant time (weekly) to at least 1 organization in my local community. Finally, I pledge to best utilize my talents to drive positive change within my career and in the community. Through my own giving, I hope to spread the heart of giving to those around me.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2019
I pledge to give 10% of my yearly income to non-profits. I pledge to give thoughtfully and do research before I make a monetary gift. I will also volunteer and form a relationship with a non-profit in my community that “tugs at my heart strings” and that aligns with my core values. I will educate my family and friends in how to give thoughtfully and encourage them to establish a giving goal for themselves. Lastly, I will share my giving goal with someone who I know will keep me accountable and make sure I am living up to my promise.