My giving goal is to build a consistent and thoughtful habit of supporting causes that align with my values. I hope to contribute a steady portion of my income each year and to choose organizations based on impact, transparency, and the specific needs of the communities they serve. Over time, I want my giving to reflect not only generosity but also responsibility, awareness, and a commitment to helping create meaningful and lasting change.
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
- 2025
- Fall
My goal is to be actively engaged with volunteering for a cause care about wherever I may live in the next 5 years.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
I pledge to dedicate myself to philanthropy and community service for the rest of my academic and professional career. Until it becomes financially feasible to donate, I would like to contribute my time towards serving my community. Once it is feasible to give monetary donations, I hope to give at least 10% of my income towards philanthropic projects that address the root causes of social issues.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
I want to make the goal of volunteering at least twice a year in something that makes a positive impact. Also, I want to encourage others to do the same.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
I hope to continue living a life of purpose, using my time and talent to help others, especially through social work and mental health. It is important to me that people in my community have access to support, care, and understanding when they need it most. Ideally, my career will align perfectly with these goals, and I hope I have found a way to balance this work with family life. The causes I care about most are mental health, social justice, equality, and building strong communities. I envision myself owning or working alongside a mental health nonprofit that embodies these values. I hope to inspire others and remind the community that getting involved is accessible and meaningful. I also want to normalize seeking help, emphasizing that mental health is a human right. I aim to give around 10% of my income to support causes that matter, but I also recognize that giving goes beyond money. Using my skills, energy, and time to create positive change is equally important. Focusing on what I can do to help others and staying true to my values is very important to me as I move forward in life.
Anonymous
- 2025
- Fall
I want to give $250k by the time I am 50. That would give me 29 years to give a little less than $1k a year. However, I am expecting that I won’t start till I am 35.