Trust is one of the most important things a nonprofit can earn. Donors, partners, and community members all want to feel confident that the causes they care about are being handled with care and responsibility. Building trust through transparency is the best way to earn donor confidence.
Transparency means more than listing expenses on a form. It’s a mindset and constant goal. It shows that a nonprofit is willing to be open about how decisions are made, how funds are used, and what goals are being pursued.
According to a 2023 report from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, nonprofit organizations are the most trusted entities by the public when it comes to doing good deeds for the betterment of society, with 39% of Americans trusting them completely or very much. Despite this relative trust, the public does not view charitable entities as particularly transparent; only 11.7% are completely confident in Private Foundations to be transparent. And transparency is important! Candid, which tracks nonprofit data and public disclosure, found that nonprofits earning their Seals of Transparency receive up to 53% more in contributions than similar organizations that haven’t taken those steps. When people know how their donations are being used, they’re more likely to give and to keep giving.
At The Valentine Foundation, we take that responsibility seriously. This year, we earned the Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid.org, one of the most respected nonprofit evaluators in the country. This means we’ve publicly shared detailed information about our mission, leadership, and financial practices. It allows current and future supporters to see how we operate and what we’re working toward.
We also make a conscious effort to keep our overhead low. Our goal is to maximize the resources that go directly to programs (scholarships, conservation work, and community partnerships) rather than administrative or promotional costs. That’s a promise we make to every donor, and it’s part of the reason why transparency matters so much to us. If people are trusting us with their money, we should be just as ready to offer them clarity and honesty in return.
The nonprofit sector depends on public confidence. When that confidence is shaken, whether through mismanagement, poor communication, or lack of accountability, good organizations suffer alongside the bad. But transparency helps restore that trust. It invites questions, encourages better practices, and builds lasting relationships with the people who make our work possible.
We’re proud to be part of a growing community of nonprofits committed to building trust through transparency. We invite you to explore our profile on Candid, learn more about our approach, or reach out with questions. We may not have every answer, but we are always willing to share what we do, how we do it, and why it matters.
Because when trust is earned, impact follows.