Trust-Based Philanthropy: Why All Five Elements of Trust Matter

By Sheri Chaney Jones, CEO of SureImpact

Trust-based philanthropy is an approach to giving that seeks to rebalance power, center relationships, and create equity. It resonates with those of us who believe generosity should be rooted in mutual respect and shared purpose. For this approach to succeed, we must understand what trust is built on.

Building on the work of The Trusted Advisor (Maister, Galford, and Green, 2021) and Slalom’s Trust Equation, trust can be understood through five elements: competence, reliability, authenticity, empathy, and intent. These elements work together to form strong, lasting relationships.

Many conversations around trust-based philanthropy highlight empathy and authenticity. These are vital, but competence and reliability often get less attention than they deserve.

Why Competence and Reliability Matter

Competence means having the skills and knowledge to do the work well. Reliability means consistently following through on commitments. In philanthropy, both funders and nonprofits need to demonstrate these qualities. Without them, confidence in the relationship can weaken. Funders may hesitate to give, and nonprofits may struggle to show effectiveness. Communities are the ones who ultimately lose when this happens.

This is where mutual accountability becomes essential. As Phil Buchanan of the Center for Effective Philanthropy has written, the pandemic prompted funders and nonprofits to rethink one-way accountability and adopt a model where both sides share responsibility for transparency and outcomes.

When funders demonstrate reliability by providing consistent multi-year support and nonprofits show competence by managing programs effectively, a virtuous cycle begins. Both parties gain confidence in each other, which leads to stronger, more ambitious work.

The Role of Impact Measurement

Impact measurement brings clarity and accountability. It shows that progress is real, that learning is happening, and that both funders and nonprofits are committed to improving.

In a trust-based model, measurement should be collaborative and open. Shared data gives both parties a clear picture of what is working and what may need to change. It is how competence and reliability show up in practice.

Open communication reduces power imbalances. Taking that a step further, shared measurement systems allow both sides to see the actual effect of their efforts in real time. This moves the relationship from compliance reporting to continuous improvement.

When nonprofits and funders build systems of measurement together, they create a culture that values learning. That culture leads to stronger outcomes for the people and communities they serve.

Building a Trust-Based Culture

Trust-based philanthropy is not just about process changes in grantmaking. It requires a cultural shift inside organizations. The Stanford Social Innovation Review has noted that philanthropy must reorganize itself to build a trust-based culture, invest in community leadership capacity, and open up decision-making.

Funders who commit to transparency about their own goals and desired outcomes make it easier for grantees to align their work. Grantees who are open about successes and challenges invite more constructive partnership. When both sides seek feedback and act on it, trust grows.

Open, honest, and transparent communication is the foundation. Yet the most effective partnerships go beyond communication by building leadership and measurement capacity. Community organizations with strong leadership teams can make better use of resources and scale their impact. When funders invest in training, education, and leadership development, they strengthen their grantees’ ability to serve.

Shared Measurement Infrastructure

One of the clearest ways to strengthen competence and reliability is through shared measurement. A common system allows grantees to track progress, demonstrate impact, and align their data with funders’ goals.

SureImpact’s collaborative data model was created for this very purpose. In this model, funders set shared outcome measures, and grantees enter their own data into a common platform. The information flows into dashboards that show results by organization, region, or across the full network.

This approach reduces administrative burden for nonprofits while giving funders a timely view of results. Instead of waiting months for custom reports, funders can see outcomes as they unfold. Nonprofits gain a single source of truth for data and can use the same dashboards to improve their programs.

A Model That Gets It Right: The Siemer Institute and SureImpact

The Siemer Institute, in partnership with SureImpact, provides a strong example of trust-based philanthropy that includes all five elements of trust.

Founded in 2011, the Siemer Institute supports a national network of programs that help families with school-aged children maintain housing and educational stability. Their grants are multi-year and flexible, which allows local providers to meet families where they are. This demonstrates empathy and intent.

Equally important is how they show competence and reliability. In 2020, the Siemer Institute began working with SureImpact to strengthen data systems across its network. Today, more than 150 service providers in 39 states use standardized outcome measures and shared dashboards.

The results are measurable and significant. In 2024 alone, the network served more than 22,000 families and 48,000 children. Ninety-seven percent of students avoided unplanned school moves, 72 percent of families maintained stable housing, and 65 percent increased their income.

The data also reveals how resources are used. On average, the cost to achieve housing stability for a family was $1,250 in 2024. This kind of insight helps the network plan for future investments and make the case for policy change.

Another strength of the Siemer model is how it builds collective learning. Partners meet to share strategies, identify what works, and adopt successful practices across the network. This shift from reporting to learning has allowed the Institute to act early when challenges arise and to scale promising approaches more quickly.

Grantees also benefit from less paperwork. Because SureImpact automatically collects and organizes outcomes, local providers spend more time serving families and less time on administrative tasks. Funders gain the assurance that results are accurate and consistent.

The Siemer Institute demonstrates that trust-based philanthropy can embrace both compassion and rigor. It shows that when all five elements of trust are in place, families and communities see tangible improvements.

Moving Forward

Trust-based philanthropy is a promising idea. To realize its potential, all five elements of trust must be present. Competence and reliability are as critical as empathy and authenticity. Impact measurement is the bridge that connects these elements and strengthens confidence on all sides.

For funders, this means providing multi-year, flexible support and investing in shared measurement systems. For nonprofits, it means building leadership and data capacity to show results clearly and consistently. Both sides have a responsibility to communicate openly and act on what they learn.

When trust is built with intent and supported by data, philanthropy creates stronger communities and more resilient families. Trust-based philanthropy will succeed when it is rooted in both relationships and results.

Download the Siemer Case Study to learn more about trust-based philanthropy in action.