What Trust-Based Philanthropy Project does

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is a 501(c)(3) movement-building organization founded in 2020 and fiscally sponsored by Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE). It operates as the central hub for a defined framework of six interrelated grantmaking practices — multi-year unrestricted funding, transparency and responsiveness, doing the homework, soliciting and acting on feedback, simplifying and streamlining, and offering support beyond the check — designed to shift power dynamics between funders and the nonprofits they support. The Project's core products include the Six Practices framework, a self-assessment tool hosted at assess.trustbasedphilanthropy.org, the TBP in 4D roadmap, an extensive open-source resource library of guides, templates, and sample agreements, the Peer Exchange listserv community (1,200+ practitioners), and the Meet the Moment pledge. Educational programming is delivered through multi-part webinar series (Fundamentals of TBP, Demystifying TBP, TBP in 4D, Trust-Based for Community Foundations) and the organization's YouTube and podcast channels.

The underlying technology is a Squarespace-hosted web platform (trustbasedphilanthropy.org) serving as the primary distribution hub for tools, resources, publications, and community sign-ups, supplemented by email (newsletter, Peer Exchange listserv), YouTube, LinkedIn, and partner-co-hosted webinar infrastructure. The organization is led by Executive Director Shaady Salehi, Director of Programs and Strategic Learning Chantias Ford, and Senior Fellow Pia Infante, and operates with 1-10 employees from San Francisco with administrative infrastructure in Los Angeles through its fiscal sponsor.

Its business model is donation-funded: the Project does not charge for its tools, guides, templates, webinars, or publications (free for non-commercial use), and accepts contributions through a PayPal donate button on its website. Distribution is achieved through direct digital self-serve access, peer-to-peer community engagement, a speaker request program, and a network of co-development and channel partnerships with the dominant U.S. philanthropy-serving intermediaries — NCFP, GEO (Grantmakers for Effective Organizations), Philanthropy Northwest, the Iowa Council of Foundations, and Arizona Grantmakers Forum — whose member networks amplify the Project's reach without requiring a sales force. As of 2025, the Project reports 11,000+ engaged individuals in its broader network and a sector-level adoption signal of 6 in 10 grantmakers embracing trust-based practices per the GEO 2025 National Study of Philanthropic Practice.

Name

Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

Legal name

Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

Website

https://trustbasedphilanthropy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is a 501(c)(3) movement-building organization that equips foundation grantmakers with frameworks, tools, a self-assessment, a peer listserv, and educational programming to operationalize trust-based, equity-centered grantmaking practices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Advisory Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Trust-based philanthropy framework
• Grantmaker education
• Foundation practice resources
• Peer learning network
• Equitable grantmaking movement

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is a nonprofit initiative that accepts donations to fund its operations, tools development, peer networking facilitation, and educational programming for the trust-based philanthropy movement. A donation mechanism via PayPal is present on their website.
2. Fiscal sponsorship: The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is a fiscally sponsored project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a 501(c)(3) public charity that provides administrative, legal, and financial infrastructure, enabling the Project to receive tax-deductible contributions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project provides free educational resources, frameworks, and peer networking to help funders shift from compliance-driven grantmaking toward trust-based, equity-centered philanthropy. Its core offerings include the six trust-based grantmaking practices framework, a comprehensive resource library of guides, templates, and sample agreements, a self-assessment tool, and the Peer Exchange listserv community for grantmakers.

Product overview

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project operates as a movement-building organization offering a unified framework centered on trust-based philanthropy principles. The core offering is the Trust-Based Philanthropy Framework, which encompasses six interrelated grantmaking practices designed to redistribute power between funders and nonprofits. Surrounding this core framework, the organization provides an extensive Tools and Resources Library containing guides, templates, samples, videos, publications, and research reports. Additional offerings include a Self-Assessment Tool for funders to evaluate their trust-based journey, a Peer Exchange Community with over 1,200 practitioners, the Meet the Moment Pledge for crisis solidarity commitments, and educational series such as TBP in 4D and the Roadmap to Trust-Based Transformation. The organization also publishes periodic newsletters and offers materials under a user license for non-commercial dissemination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trust-Based Philanthropy Framework An approach to grantmaking that emphasizes trust, equity, and partnership between funders and nonprofits, built on six interrelated practices: multi-year unrestricted funding, transparency, doing the homework, soliciting feedback, simplifying processes, and offering support beyond the check.
• Tools and Resources Library A comprehensive collection of guides, templates, samples, videos, publications, and research reports supporting trust-based philanthropy practices, including resources on grantmaking operations, leadership, culture, and organizational structure, made available free for non-commercial use.
• Trust-Based Philanthropy Self-Assessment Tool An interactive web-based tool that helps funders examine how trust currently shows up in their work and identify areas for growth along their trust-based journey.
• Peer Exchange Community A listserv-based peer networking community for grantmakers on the trust-based journey to connect, share ideas, questions, lessons, and insights, with 1,200+ trust-based practitioners participating.
• TBP in 4D Series A four-part educational series exploring the multi-dimensional approach to trust-based transformation across four dimensions: culture, structures, leadership, and grantmaking practices.
• Roadmap to Trust-Based Transformation A one-page guide providing key milestones and how they connect to organizational culture, structures, leadership, and practices for trust-based transformation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 in 10 grantmakers have embraced trust-based philanthropy practices (based on GEO 2025 National Study of Philanthropic Practice)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Emergent LearningminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2024The Trust-Based Philanthropy Explained (for Giving Circles) guide was developed by the project in collaboration with Emergent Learning, providing tailored trust-based guidance for collective giving circles using Emergent Learning's facilitation framework.
• Philanthropy NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Philanthropy Northwest partnered with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and the Iowa Council of Foundations to produce a two-part series on Trust-Based Philanthropy for Community Foundations, exploring how trust-based practices apply uniquely to community foundations operating at the intersection of grantmaking, fund development, donor relations, and community leadership. The project also partnered with Philanthropy Northwest's The Giving Practice (TGP) to offer consulting services for TBP operationalization.
• Iowa Council of FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Iowa Council of Foundations co-produced the two-part 'Trust-Based Philanthropy for Community Foundations' series alongside the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and Philanthropy Northwest, helping extend the trust-based message to community foundation networks in Iowa.
• World CentricminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2023World Centric, a B Corp, participated as a featured speaker in the 'Planet & Partnership: Funding Climate Solutions via Equitable Partnerships' webinar hosted by the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, representing a corporate funder implementing trust-based practices in its philanthropy.
• Zoom (Social Impact Team)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2023Zoom's First Head of Social Impact Roxana Shirkhoda participated as a speaker in the Planet & Partnership webinar, sharing perspectives on how a major technology company approaches equitable and trust-based corporate philanthropy.
• Ayiti Community TrustminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2023Co-Founder and President Dr. Guerda Nicolas of Ayiti Community Trust spoke in the Planet & Partnership webinar, representing a community-rooted organization receiving trust-based support and sharing perspectives on equitable funding partnerships.
• Arizona Grantmakers ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 October 2022Arizona Grantmakers Forum collaborated with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project to produce 'The Fundamentals of Trust-Based Philanthropy,' a two-part educational series exploring the six grantmaking practices and the culture, structures, and leadership needed to embody a trust-based approach. The series featured foundation leaders sharing concrete examples of trust-based transformation.
• NCFP (National Center for Family Philanthropy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCFP collaborated with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and GEO to present the 'Meet the Moment' commitment and pledge for trust-based action. The partnership leverages NCFP's network of family foundation members to mobilize collective philanthropic response in solidarity with nonprofits during times of crisis.
• GEO (Grantmakers for Effective Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGEO co-presented the 'Meet the Moment' pledge with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and NCFP, combining GEO's sector-wide research on grantmaking practices (including the National Study of Philanthropic Practice cited on the project website) with the TBP framework to mobilize funders. GEO's research provides the evidence base showing that 6 in 10 grantmakers have embraced trust-based practices.
• Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE)coreOthersThe Trust-Based Philanthropy Project is a fiscally sponsored project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Los Angeles, California. SEE provides the organization's legal, financial, and administrative infrastructure, enabling it to receive tax-deductible contributions and operate as a public charity.
• Feedback LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 'Listening in this Moment: A Guide for Funders' resource was created by Feedback Labs and shared through the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project's resource library, offering advice on how funders can best listen to grantees and communities in moments of uncertainty.
• GrantbookminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrantbook's 'The More Good Podcast' featured an interview with Ashley Clark of the Libra Foundation about operationalizing trust-based philanthropy and grants management system decisions, amplifying TBP practices through the podcast platform.
• Grassroots InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots International contributed the 'Solidarity Philanthropy: Redefining Philanthropy's Relationship to Social Movements' publication to the TBP resource library, expanding on trust-based philanthropy by situating trust as integral to funder-movement-ally relationships for justice transformation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Philanthropy Group (Aspen Institute): The Aspen Institute operates programs that convene philanthropic leaders and publish research on sector trends (e.g., the Aspen Funder Summit). It overlaps with TBP as a thought leader shaping funder practice but with a much broader agenda beyond grantmaking reform.
• Council on Foundations: The largest U.S. membership association for grantmaking institutions, providing policy advocacy, education, and convening. As a broad incumbent in the philanthropy infrastructure space, it overlaps with TBP in serving foundation leaders but operates at significantly larger scale.
• The Center for Effective Philanthropy: A larger, established nonprofit that provides research, consulting, and data tools to help grantmakers improve their effectiveness. CEP addresses funder practice from an evidence/measurement angle, complementing TBP's relational/equity framing.

Direct peers

• National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP): An advocacy and research organization that promotes responsive, accountable, and equitable philanthropy — sharing TBP's mission of shifting funder practice toward equity and grantee power, but with a longer history and broader policy-advocacy footprint.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): GEO is a direct peer and strategic partner — both are nonprofit infrastructure organizations serving U.S. grantmakers with research, peer learning, and advocacy. GEO's National Study of Philanthropic Practice provides the underlying data on TBP adoption, and the two co-present the 'Meet the Moment' pledge.
• National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP): NCFP is a direct peer serving family foundations with educational programming, peer networks, and resources. It co-presents the 'Meet the Moment' pledge with TBP and serves an overlapping audience of family foundation leaders seeking to modernize their grantmaking practices.
• Funders' Committee on Civic Participation: A national membership network of foundations that supports civic participation and inclusive democracy — operating as a peer learning and advocacy organization for funders with an explicitly equity-centered, field-building model comparable to TBP.
• Philanthropy Northwest: A regional association of funders in the Pacific Northwest that co-produced the 'Trust-Based Philanthropy for Community Foundations' series with TBP and operates The Giving Practice consulting arm — a referral channel that operationalizes TBP for funders needing hands-on support.

Emerging players

• Inside Philanthropy: A digital media and research platform covering philanthropic trends, funder profiles, and sector analysis. It shapes funder discourse and convenes leaders around emerging practices — adjacent to TBP's role but focused on journalism rather than direct practice change.
• Emergent Learning: A collaborative learning organization that partners with TBP to develop guides for giving circles (e.g., 'Trust-Based Philanthropy Explained for Giving Circles'). It is an emerging peer in funder capacity-building and collective-giving facilitation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@trust-basedphilanthropyproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trust-based-philanthropy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Trust-Based Philanthropy Project