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

"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

Harvard University

Spring
2025

I hope to give through continued volunteer and consulting work with organizations doing meaningful and impactful work at no cost to the organization.

Anonymous

Harvard University

Spring
2025

I plan to help students from marginalized communities pursue their education. There are so many students out there who drop out of school because of financial constrains in their families. I wish to empower this students by giving them scholarship opportunities. Having been in the same situation some times back, I fell motivated to help them.

Anicia Miller

Harvard University

Spring
2025

My personal giving goal is to support organizations that have an impact on current and future generations in numerous sectors, but mainly education and finances since this has the greatest long term impact on personal and generational growth.

Shruti Nemala

Emory University

Spring
2025

In the future, I hope to donate around 2% of my annual income to meaningful nonprofits that are dedicated to addressing environmental challenges, fostering economic development, and combating homelessness in America. I’d hope to consistently donate to the same organizations over multiple years as I’d want them to have the time and resources to implement their programs or advocate for greater change. Though I’m interested in supporting causes that benefit the entirety of the U.S. population, I would want a majority of my donations to go to nonprofits that are active in the Southeast and rural communities. Additionally, I want to actively engage as a volunteer with at least one economic development-focused nonprofit in order to truly help further that organization’s mission.

Maya Degnemark

Emory University

Spring
2025

I hope and plan to make conscious donations every year to organizations that I am passionate about! Although I don’t have a set amount (and it will rely heavily on my income and life stage), I want to spend at least 3% of my post-tax income on these causes. Outside of financial donations, I plan to support various initiatives through volunteering, participating in research studies, and foster connections and support individual people however I can.

Kevin Mamaril

Emory University

Spring
2025

In the near future, my goal is to donate 3%-5% of my income to scholarships and support programs that increase access to higher education for underserved communities. This includes funding for tuition, books, and essential educational resources. Education has been a cornerstone of my own personal and professional growth, and I want to ensure that more individuals have the same opportunities, especially for those that are underrepresented. Further down the road, I aim to increase my giving to 10% or more while also building a structured program inspired by Harris Rosenâs approach. This initiative would not only provide financial assistance but also integrate mentorship and community-driven support to ensure that students have the resources and networks needed to succeed. By creating a holistic education access program, I hope to contribute to systemic change and provide sustainable opportunities for future generations