Should everyone take a giving pledge?

While we believe The Giving What We Can Pledge is a good fit for most of the people reading this, clearly it will not be the right choice for everyone.

Here are some reasons it may not make sense to take the The Giving What We Can Pledge at this point:

• You are or will soon be undertaking something very resource-intensive, like founding a startup or nonprofit (though in this case you may want to consider Founders Pledge instead).
• Your employment or health situation is unstable.
• You expect your student debt to be particularly heavy, such that the years after graduation will be especially financially tight.
• You have family obligations that require much of your money.

Taking a pledge is not necessary to be part of our community, and no one should feel pressured to pledge simply to feel that they are in good standing. We recognise the richness of ways that people contribute to this community and to the world — The Giving What We Can Pledge represents only one of many ways of taking significant personal action to benefit others.

If you’re unsure, we’d recommend exploring taking a Trial Pledge, donating to an effective charity, or finding other ways of getting involved.