I hope that giving remains an essential part of my life. My goal is to give at least $10 a year while reassessing this amount as I proceed in my career.
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 info@thephilanthropylab.org
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
- 2025
Over the next five years, I am committed to donating 5% of my income to humanitarian aid organizations, adjusting the amount based on changes in my earnings. My specific goal is to contribute at least $1,000 within this period, ensuring that my giving grows in alignment with my financial capacity. Through this commitment, I aim to support critical humanitarian efforts and make a meaningful impact on those in need.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2025
I plan to work in public health and donate a significant portion of my time and work towards health equity and improving access to health care in underserved communities.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2025
In 10 or 20 years from now, I hope to be actively involved in working towards the greater good of my family, my community, and my country. In particular, I hope to take direct aim at inequalities within the education system â perhaps the most systemic and cyclical form of inequality. I’d love to launch an initiative to fund the creation of elementary schools in India, particularly in my hometown of Gujarat where literacy rates have continued to remain low. Too often, however, educational initiatives emerge as passive â that is, they provide some resources to students, but lack the sustainability needed for a robust initiative. To that end, I hope to engage in the creation of schools and training of teachers that can continue to make an impact â both in the short-term and long-term.
Anonymous
- Spring
- 2025
My goal is to give 5-10% of my income to the causes that are most pressing at a given point in time. My goal is to also give back to my educational institution to fund financial aid for other low-income students.