EDGE inspires, mobilizes and organizes funders in support of community empowerment, grassroots organizing, civil society advocacy and movement-building to advance deep, meaningful and lasting change. We build connections and forge strategic partnerships among a diverse set of grantmakers and others within philanthropy, as well as with community leaders and social movement actors around the world.

A 5 minute film, in which grantmakers and other participants in our Just Giving Conference respond to the question "What does it mean to engage?" gives a good sense of the community and culture we are building at EDGE Funders. It can be found at www.edgefunders.org.

Testimonials from the 2013 EDGE Funders Alliance Just Giving Conference:

"EDGE Keeps me informed of the bigger picture issues, and movements happening globally. It shows the power movements can have."

"EDGE is the only place that explicitly talks about global context, but links to the diversity of issues and levels both domestic and international."

"The EDGE conference is a very concrete, safe environment to process some of the challenges of serving/working in the sector. Also a very helpful place to identify upcoming trends and concerns within the Philanthropic community, and who may also be supporting similar networks or organizations globally."

From written online assessments from funders following our inaugural conference in 2012, launching the new alliance:

"conference was very well-organized, hugely engaging... particularly happy to hear some of the plenaries in particular setting a very progressive and exciting tone"

"a joy to attend"

"warm environment"

"inspiring and invigorating"

"attendees passionate"

"Good mix... with diverse backgrounds and interests, but common values"

"Good alignment with diverse set of views and perspectives"

"program was really excellent, exciting, addressing really important pressing issues"

"constant interplay between theory and practice, systemic analysis and on-the-ground realities. This kind of multi-level collaboration bodes well for the future, as we face the huge and urgent challenges of our world that require inter-connected solutions at all levels"

"enjoyed mix of more reflective and substantive 'theory' and more pragmatic and practical sessions"

"great discussions about critical issues"

"daring, inventive, and really helped move the discussion among funders to a new common ground"

"speakers inspired me to assume that fundamental and systemic change is not only necessary but fundamental"

"helped me to see some of the intersections a bit more clearly"

"sharp and clear analysis of issues and perspectives rarely addressed in public forums"

"a pleasure to meet so many progressive-minded funders and activists"

"the space that EDGE is aiming to create among progressive and socially minded funders, is an important one"

"this space is a critical one and important to maintain"

EDGE Funders provides ongoing encouragement and support to giving circles and pooled giving initiated by our members, circulating information about events and activities in our Weekly Planet online news and information service, hosting learning calls and briefings on request, and organizing "Engagement Labs" for discussion and outreach around funder collaboratives of all sorts at our annual Just Giving conference.