Trust in action: Your favorite nonprofits know what they need

If you've supported a particular nonprofit for many years, and perhaps even served on its board, you're likely familiar with some basic concepts of "trust-based philanthropy," even if you didn't know that's what it's called.

As a consistent supporter of the nonprofits you love, you know an organization's chances of success are greatest when its leadership and talented staff can use resources in the ways they believe will best fulfill the mission. That's why many organizations place a high value on "unrestricted" donations, meaning the organization can use the dollars where they're needed most.

A simple example: a donor writes a check to a food pantry and asks that the money be used to buy canned goods. But the food pantry's leadership knows that what they really need right now is to fix the roof, or hire a staff member to help sort food, before they're in a position to accept more canned goods.

Indeed, multi-year, unrestricted funding remains a hallmark of trust-based philanthropy because it gives nonprofits flexibility to respond to changing circumstances, invest in organizational capacity, and plan beyond the next grant cycle. But unrestricted gifts are only one part of the bigger picture.

The broader model is designed to strengthen relationships among donors, funders, nonprofits, and the communities they serve. The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project identifies six core grantmaking practices: providing multi-year unrestricted funding; doing the homework rather than requiring nonprofits to repeatedly prove themselves through burdensome applications; simplifying paperwork; communicating transparently; soliciting and acting on feedback; and offering support beyond the check.

At its heart, though, the idea is simpler than the terminology suggests: The people closest to the work often know things that donors and funders don't.

That doesn't mean donors should stop asking questions or paying attention to results. In fact, accountability has become an important part of the ongoing conversation about trust-based philanthropy. Advocates emphasize that trust and accountability aren't opposites. Rather, the goal is mutual accountability, where nonprofits can speak candidly about challenges and changing circumstances, and donors can learn alongside them instead of relying only on restrictions, applications, and reports.

As an individual donor, you don't have to adopt an entire philanthropic philosophy to put some of these ideas to work. Consider asking yourself a few simple questions when you support an organization you know and trust. Could an unrestricted gift be more useful than one designated for a particular program? Would a multi-year commitment help the organization plan more effectively? Are you asking the organization what it needs, or telling it what you think it needs? And are there ways you can help beyond your charitable dollars, perhaps through connections, expertise, or advocacy?

So what can you do? For starters, we're here to help! Here are a few ways Kitsap Community Foundation can help you dip your toe into trust-based philanthropy.

We can share insight into local nonprofits and community needs.

Because our team works closely with nonprofits across the Kitsap Peninsula, we can help you learn more about the organizations addressing the issues you care about, including their missions, leadership, current priorities, and the challenges they're working to solve.

We can help you listen and learn before you give.

Sometimes the most valuable question a donor can ask a nonprofit is simply, "What do you need most?" We can help facilitate conversations with nonprofits so you can better understand where your charitable dollars could be most useful, whether that means supporting a particular program, providing unrestricted funding, or making a longer-term commitment.

We can help you build a giving approach that offers both flexibility and confidence.

A donor-advised or other type of fund at Kitsap Community Foundation gives you a convenient home for your charitable giving while letting you recommend grants over time. Our team can also help you do your due diligence, evaluate opportunities, and stay connected with the organizations you support, so that trust doesn't mean giving without information. It means giving from a place of knowledge and partnership.

One more way to show trust: say thank you out loud.

Know a nonprofit leader, staff member, or volunteer whose work you've come to trust completely? Nominate them for the 2027 Kitsap Philanthropy Awards! The Exceptional Nonprofit Service award honors exactly those people, and nominations are open through Friday, December 11. Learn more at KitsapFoundation.org/celebration.

We look forward to our next conversation!