Managing the Public's Trust in Non-profit Organizations / SpringerBriefs in Psychology (PDF)

For charitable organizations seeking relationships with donors, trust is as critical a factor as reputation. Simply put, people are reluctant to give if they can't be sure of where their money is going. Building trust is fast becoming recognized as a key not only to attracting donors, but to keeping them as well. 

Managing the Public's Trust in Non-Profit Organizations analyzes the intricate psychological processes behind trust and philanthropy and applies this knowledge to best-practice guidelines for nonprofits. This monograph explores cognitive, affective, societal, and other contexts for trust, and how these influence giving in the short and long term. On the practical level, chapters offer new research-based methods of assessing and gauging donor trust, and a real-world framework for building trust with donors, communities, and the public at large. These organization-level ideas are also related to larger policy initiatives such as the Millennium Development Goals. Among the book's core topics: 

• The role of trust in donating money.
• Understanding and measuring donors' trust in a charity.
• Improving charity efficiency and accountability in building trust.
• Communicating effectively with donors.
• Dealing with violations of trust.
• The future of charities and nonprofit organizations, especially in the digital age.

The current climate demands more of the nonprofit sector as a major player in poverty reduction around the globe. Managing the Public's Trust in Non-Profit Organizations brings innovative thinking on philanthropy to researchers and academics, professionals in charity and nonprofit management, and policymakers.