Trust Is Essential to Changemaking, Funders Must Take the First Step

In any group or in any relationship, trust is the feeling that allows people to work towards a common purpose. Trust comes from a sense of common values and beliefs. But more than that, trust allows us to be ourselves, to be creative, use our talents and skills, and take risks. Where there is trust, we feel empowered to try new things and take advantage of opportunities.

Where there is trust, we feel safe enough to be vulnerable. This is really powerful. It means we can share challenges and problems, offer new ideas, and provide honest feedback. By being able to be honest and open, we make it more possible for problems to be addressed, and good ideas to be considered and put into action.

For all its power, trust is often elusive, difficult to build or keep.

What creates trust?

The foundations of trust have to do with a feeling of safety. And at organizations, a feeling of safety comes from the leaders, the people who have formal authority and power. The management expert and thought leader Simon Sinek explains (TED Radio Hour on NPR, originally broadcast May 15, 2015):

“The sense of feeling safe comes first. So when we feel safe, trust will emerge. This is what the foundations of leadership really are. The reason we call someone leader, is because they choose to go first. They choose to extend trust first, even before maybe any signs have been offered that they should.

It is the willingness to express empathy before anyone else. When we assess that someone would do that, and we see that they have that integrity, and they would willingly sacrifice their interests for our lives, we cannot help ourselves. The natural human response is trust.

As human beings, if those especially in leadership positions express empathy for our well being, we reward them with our trust, and our loyalty, our love, to see that their vision and the company is advanced.”

Opening up authentic conversations with grantees

The lack of trust between funder and grantee remains one of the biggest barriers to impact in philanthropy. Without open, honest conversations, funders cannot learn what nonprofits really need to deliver outcomes desired by funders, grantees and, most of all, people and communities in need.

Too often, nonprofits conceal their biggest needs from funders, out of fear of seeming weak or frail. But in truth, the vast majority of nonprofits deliver results without adequate resources, systems, staffing, training and time to plan for the future.

Without trust, the conversation and the relationship between funder and grantee remains superficial, ignoring or avoiding the deeper issues and opportunities that can open the way for funders to truly assist and build nonprofit organizations. Without trust, the often-expressed aspiration of ‘partnership’ cannot be attained.

A fundamental step in bridging the divide is for funders to acknowledge they have more power and recognize that they must go first to build trust. The funder must take the first steps, and lead.

Being really clear and transparent about their mission, and what they fund and do not fund.
Engaging grantees and making it a priority to spend time with them.
Listening carefully, openly and in a nonjudgmental way.
Having humility and empathy.
Respecting the knowledge and the experience of the grantee, and desiring to learn from them.
Desiring to understand the community, issue and field grantees are working in; this signals to grantees that the funder respects the complexity of the work, and are invested in it.
Providing multiyear funding, general operating support and capacity building grants.
Allowing time for the work to bring about results.
Coming together to reflect on the work; some funders call this “being together in process” and “working alongside grantees.”
Building evaluation collaboratively.
Offering to convene grantees to share experience with each other.

Foundations where trust is alive have terrific advantages

Everyone involved is clear about the organization’s purpose and goals.
The organization values learning, curiosity and the building of knowledge by all.
Trustees, staff and family members feel empowered to use the best of themselves and be creative. Every individual has the freedom to pursue and t6ctake advantage of emerging opportunities without having to seek permission.
Leaders spend less time checking, reviewing and micromanaging—freeing themselves to focus on exploring new and emerging ideas, opportunities and partnerships.
The funder is respectful of people’s time and asks grantees for only what she needs to perform due diligence effectively.
Funder and grantee have open and honest conversations; as a result, the funder is more likely to be responsive to real needs expressed by grantees.
Experimentation, learning, and discovery flourish inside the foundation, and in its work with grantees and in the community.