ABOUT IMPACT GUILD
A cross-sector network connecting creators, strategists, and funders to move ideas into action.
Vision
We envision a world where the most popular and profitable storytelling is prosocial.
Mission
To connect, educate, and empower members to leverage media, arts, and entertainment for social change.
Core Values
- Media Responsibility. Media, arts, and entertainment can and should be forces for good in society.
- Diversity & Inclusion. We embrace diversity and treat all people with dignity and respect.
- Equality. We are committed to eliminating inequities and barriers across our industries.
- Civic Participation. We encourage informed engagement in democratic processes.
- Sustainability. We work to protect our natural environment and address climate change.
- Accuracy & Authenticity. We prioritize truth, integrity, and authenticity in our work and workplaces.
- Global Community. We support a connected, global network aligned around shared values.
- Common Good. We use storytelling to serve the broader public good.
Origin
The Impact Guild was founded in 2019 to address a structural gap in the field of narrative change.
Across media, arts, and entertainment, efforts to organize practitioners were fragmented and siloed. Documentary filmmakers were rarely in conversation with those working in scripted film and television—let alone creators in music, gaming, or other emerging forms. At the same time, the space often operated with a scarcity mindset that limited trust, encouraged competition, duplicated efforts, and made it difficult for funders to confidently engage.
While convenings and isolated programming existed, they were not enough to build a durable, connected field.
The Guild was created to offer a more cohesive model, grounded in three core priorities:
- Fostering connection and trust among practitioners,
- Educating and coordinating funders, and
- Streamlining metrics and measurement to better understand what works.
This approach began with an exploratory Roundtable, followed by the inaugural Impact Guild Forum, which became the flagship convening. From there, we expanded into a broader system of year-round programming, peer communities, and collaborative containers designed to sustain relationships and support ongoing work.
That founding strategy continues to shape the Guild today.
