Cedarmere is a name that evokes memories and connection to family history. With the founding of the Cedarmere Foundation, the name gained a newfound significance as the catalyst for moving forward a vision of a strong, thriving nonprofit sector supported by a funding community committed to investing in capacity building. Kathy and George Edwards, the founders of the Cedarmere Foundation, brought their personal and professional backgrounds and experiences together to create a family foundation that merged their desires to strengthen the nonprofit community and engage with their family through philanthropy.
Sunsetting in 2024, this document is the culmination of their effort to share what they’ve learned about the power of capacity building grantmaking over the last 18 years. It contains a brief history of the foundation, six lessons learned, a profile of a long-term, highly effective grantee-grantor partnership and a list of the 51 organizations they have supported with capacity building grants since 2006.