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!

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2018

I pledge to commit my time, energy and career to helping those who are affected by institutional injustices. When I have a steady salary I will donate 10% of my income to nonprofits that are making a positive impact by addressing the root causes of these institutional injustices.

Anonymous

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fall
2018

I pledge to always work with and for organizations that are aligned with my values. I will donate my time and 5% of my salary to organizations that are community-based and that focus on youth or/and minorities.

Anonymous

Tulane University

Fall
2018

WIth the line of work I plan on going into, I am dubious of how much financial support I may be able to give to non-profit organizations. However, I do wish to participate in philanthropy by offering my time engaging with non-profits through volunteer work with digital media non-profits in New Orleans. One of the reasons I took this course was to learn the inner workings of non-profit work so that in the future I could participate in the founding of a non-profit providing New Orleans’ youth culture with accessibility to audiovisual media infrastructure.

Anonymous

Tulane University

Fall
2018

Once I graduate I think it my participation in volunteering and monetary will decline while I’m in medical school and in internship, but I want to make sure to make it apart of my life later on. I just won’t have much money or time to give for a while so it would be nice to give later when I have the chance.

Anonymous

Tulane University

Fall
2018

I pledge to use the privilege I have been granted in life to create social impact for a more equitable society, through both my own work and monetary donations to organizations working to achieve these impacts.

Anonymous

Tulane University

Fall
2018

I pledge to use a large portion of my income to create a company that employs laborers at a very high wage by lowering typical management salaries and not taking a salary as CEO.