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 Washington

Spring
2018

I want to orientate my personal giving goals towards my own community back home, focusing on changing the norms of giving inherent in my society. But I also realize that this change has to be recognized and practiced by myself first, before I can start talking to my community. The necessary conversation I want to have with my family and friends back home is inspired by Michael Walzer’s “On Humanitarianism: Is Helping Others Charity, or Duty, or Both?” – where I would like to challenge myself and my community to find or create a space where we can honor sacred traditions but also be more conscious of our actions when we give, that our acts of giving is indicative of our social structure and how we as individuals are interconnected. Essentially, I want to have conversations that highlight how when giving is understood as charity, not as justice or as a humanitarian obligation, there is implications of power relations, which can reinforce certain dominant and subordinate roles in any society. My personal giving goal, is to help cultivate a collective conscience in giving, and it begins with me.

Anonymous

Stanford University

Spring
2018

I pledge to hold myself accountable to the impact I have on the world. Primarily this means making concerted efforts to understand my communities, my industry, and communities my life and work impact. Although I sincerely hope that my conception of justice will grow and refine over time, I pledge to never use a lack of surety as an excuse for inaction. I pledge to frequently challenge my ideas of what is “mine” and to ask myself why I am giving what I am currently giving. There is so much I cannot predict about how my life will go, but I think a good benchmark would be to frequently compare my earnings with the average in my area and, if I make more, to ensure that I have a good reason for any of the rest that I do not give away. No matter what I make, I pledge to occasionally ask myself what it would look like to live on the lowest means possible, and then to use that as a benchmark from which I must have good reasons for expenses. Most of all, I hope that my work remains centered around advocacy.

Anonymous

Stanford University

Spring
2018

I pledge to give 5-10% of my income and my time to advocacy causes once I am established in the working world.

Anonymous

Stanford University

Spring
2018

I pledge to give 5% of my salary to well-researched philanthropic causes until my salary is above $115,000, after which I will give more depending on my family situation and whether I am still working in public service. I will also spend 4 days a month volunteering in my community (at local school, hospital, Boys & Girls Club, etc.).

Anonymous

Stanford University

Spring
2018

I pledge to give 10-20% of my income annually.

Anonymous

Stanford University

Spring
2018

I pledge to give 10% of my income and my time, when I have a disposable income, specifically to marginalized communities and indigenous causes.