My giving goal is to give generously of my time and resources throughout my life. I plan to give 10% of my income to organizations that support causes I believe in effectively. I also plan to give of my time serving in the organizations that I give to so that I may better understand what they do and what their needs are.
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
- 2017
I will give at least 5% of my income each year to local nonprofits that help to better the community by improving the lives of children, minorities, and other groups of people in need. I will do the necessary research to ensure that the organizations I donate to are worthy of donations and do the most amount of good they can in the community. I will make it a priority to utilize the skills and education I have to help organizations achieve their goals. If possible, I will serve on boards and work with organizational leadership to ensure that donations are best used to serve the community.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2017
I strive to give a portion of my income to philanthropic causes once I feel secure in my finances. I also strive to continue doing service work wherever I may live. I hope to raise my children with philanthropic values and promote service and giving to them. I will act with humility and grace every day, and strive to give to as many people as I can.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2017
I promise that once I graduate I will give at least 10% of my income to a good cause.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2017
I pledge to serve low-income communities, whether as a teacher or through some other volunteer work in some way every year. After I am seven years out of college, I pledge to give 5% of more of my income to philanthropic causes each year.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2017
I pledge to give away 5% of my salary until I am making more than $100,000 a year, in which case I will increase that percentage to 10%. I will find some sort of fund (either a women’s fund or a young people’s fund) where together our money will go towards non-profits that we, as a collective, have analyzed and understood. Once a month I will volunteer at a non-profit, whether that be at a soup kitchen, a food bank, or a health clinic.