So, what is trust-based learning?
At its core, it's about funders building genuinely trusting relationships with the charities they support. That means valuing frontline expertise, asking open and honest questions, and making real space for learning that's iterative, messy and real — not just the polished highlights reel.
The payoff? Less performative reporting. More insight that actually means something.
Why does it matter?
Social change doesn't follow a neat trajectory. It's complex, non-linear, shaped by real people, real relationships and constant adaptation. Yet too often, funding relationships demand tidy numbers and predetermined outcomes that simply can't capture that reality.
Trust-based learning flips the script. Instead of fixating on accountability and pre-set metrics, it invites funders and organisations to ask better questions together: How is change actually happening? What assumptions are we making — and are they right? What are we learning, and how do we use it?
For funders, this has the potential for deeper insight and smarter decision-making. For charities, it means less time on paperwork and more time doing the work - with evidence that actually reflects what communities care about.
What does it take?
Trust-based learning isn't a quick fix. It's a commitment - to making time for shared learning, resourcing it properly, and being genuinely willing to do things differently. From both sides of the funding relationship.
But for those ready to make that shift, the potential is huge: moving from transactional, one-way reporting to something co-created, reciprocal and grounded in real trust.
That's not just a better evaluation. That's better funding. That’s better outcomes for communities.
To find out more about this approach and IVAR’s work on equity and power in funding systems, visit www.ivar.org.uk or contact info@ivar.org.uk.
