The EDGE conference taking place in Berlin, Germany aims to be a brave space for building community among funders and movement and changing philanthropy for systemic alternatives, with a wide array of opportunities to participate, share, learn, and grow in solidarity.
Today’s global challenges, such as climate change, systemic racism, eroding democracy, rising violence and authoritarianism, inequalities, land grabbing, financial crises, and humanitarian crises require bold systemic solutions and increased resourcing directed towards systemic change. Grassroots organizers and movement leaders have extensively advocated, designed and implemented alternative solutions targeted at dismantling the underlying systems of oppression that are creating and fostering these systemic crises. White supremacy, patriarchy, anthropocentrism, extractivism, colonialism and capitalisms (to mention some) are constantly challenged by alternative systems that center care, justice, and equity.
On the other hand, philanthropy is falling short in adequately and boldly resourcing these systemic alternatives, while at the same time directly benefiting from the same systems of racism, extraction and accumulation of wealth and power that are inherent to capitalism and productivism.
The EDGE Conference will be a space to deeply reflect on the causes and consequences of these systemic crises, how they directly impact the role of philanthropy and its relationship with movement organizers. Together, funders and movement representatives, will explore what it means for philanthropy to act as boldly and timely as the groups we are funding, by uplifting voices and experiences at the edge of systems and allowing space for challenging political conversations that are necessary to shift power and resources towards those at the forefront.