We're a national network of foundation professionals. We promote excellence in our members' practice of philanthropy in communities and in the field at large. We are a learning, teaching, and networking organization. EPIP exists to ensure that all emerging foundation professionals reach their potential as leaders and stewards of philanthropic resources. We also want to support others emerging as community leaders through personal philanthropy. We're often asked what we mean by "emerging." Traditionally, our membership has consisted of young people under 40 navigating careers in philanthropy, so most people associate our use of this term with age. But for us, it's a bigger idea than that. We have grown our organization into one of the most diverse in the field. We reflect America's changing ethnic and social demographics and attract members from diverse professional backgrounds. After being around for a decade, we now recognize that you don't have to be young to be new to the field of philanthropy. We also recognize that everyone should be encouraged to practice philanthropy in their own lives, in small and large ways. We support emerging leaders and individuals that want to engage philanthropically. Our organization supports emerging thought nurtured in places outside traditional, old-guard philanthropy. We promote diverse perspectives and value innovation for meeting societal challenges. We recognize institutional and community-based forms of philanthropy. EPIP creates change agents who learn from prior generations and build upon their accomplishments. We are looking toward future innovations in the field.