Lessons from the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer

Written by Ellen Graf-Martin

Every year, I look forward to distilling the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer report for my team and our non-profit community. This year, the insights feel more urgent than ever. As one of my colleagues put it, “trust is plummeting hard”.

The global landscape is now defined by insularity. 7 in 10 people are hesitant or unwilling to trust those who differ from them in values, background, or even the facts they rely on. In this environment, your donors are retreating into "local circles" of trust - neighbors, family, and coworkers - while distancing themselves from institutions. If you don’t understand this and lean into it, this statistic will affect - or is already affecting - your organization.

For seventeen years, Graf-Martin has operated on a "human-to-human" model. We’ve seen that when economic uncertainty rises, organizations often double down on fundraising as a mechanical activity. While increased rigour is good, fundraising in a vacuum doesn't work when trust is the primary currency. That’s when building a connected community of support matters even more.

Through many years serving this sector, I know that you have invaluable insight your community needs in this time of uncertainty.  To thrive, you must move beyond perceptions as a distant "institution" and become a trusted friend to your community of support - and the good news is, you already are this. They just might not know it.. Below are my strategic insights to help you navigate this "Age of Insularity."

1. Brand Strategy is More Important than Ever

You’ve probably heard me say this before - your brand is not your logo. It’s the experience real people have with you - and you must be strategic with it.

The Opportunity: With 70% of people unwilling to trust those with different values, there is an enormous opportunity to connect deeply with those who do share yours.

The Shift: Your constituents need to know your common heartbeat and if they can trust you - not just get another appeal from you. How are you doing that? They must know how you align with them, their values, and their real day-to-day life. Your communications strategy should fuel and lead your fundraising efforts - not the other way around.

Go Further: Brand strategy is knowing who your organization really is, who you are best aligned with, and how you’ll communicate that identity to them. If your brand feels unclear, we can work with your team to build a GM Brand Strategy Playbook ™ that increases engagement immediately. 

2. Internal Brand Clarity Builds Trust Brokers. 

The data shows a massive expectation-performance gap for NGOs: 72% of people believe NGOs should bridge societal divides, but only 44% feel they are doing it well.

The Opportunity: Your team members should be your number one “trust brokers” with the community, other organizations, and your donors. "My Employer" remains the most trusted institution at 78%, while trust in general NGOs stagnates at 58%. But, are they clear on your brand?

The Shift: Your team members are your number one "trust brokers". Build internal alignment first. When your staff speaks with a unified, confident voice, they become the bridge your donors are looking for.

Go Further: Build clarity and connection inside your organization first. One of the reasons I believe our GM Brand Strategy PlaybookTM Process works every single time is because, through a time-tested process, we’re working with great intentionality with your team. Equipping your team to speak with a unified, confident voice and truly become their organization’s primary trust brokers shows proven growth, year over year. 

3. Insularity Means Your Message Must Feel "Homegrown"

Whether you’re working across the province or across the world, people are going local - and we’re seeing that proven in this data. 

The Opportunity: If your charity is serving national or global interests and priorities, connecting via shared values and building community has become non-negotiable. 

The Shift: Thought Leadership, Content Plans, and Key Messaging might seem tactical - or even tacky - but trust me: when done well, these are incredible tools to connect with intentionality and show up well, with consistency. 

Go Further: The good news is, you don’t have to do this alone. In fact, we’ve been doing this for over seventeen years. With the right tools and a trained team, you’ll connect in a way that stays authentic and feels hyperlocal. 

4. PR & Earned Media REALLY Matter

Oh boy, this is a big one. A record-high 65% of people worry that foreign actors are spreading disinformation to sow domestic division. Recent Canadian-centred data shows this is a huge problem in our country as well. 

The Opportunity: Do your constituents really know who you are? Could they recognize you? If not, you have an incredible opportunity to leverage earned media and PR to grow trust. 

The Shift: Stop thinking that PR = spin. Accurately telling your story through Earned Media is essential to combating the predisposition to distrust. Third-party validation from trusted journalists is now just as valuable as an advertising budget. 

Go Further: Do you know how to use earned media coverage to accurately tell your story and engage the media to combat distrust? Our PR team’s expertise in this area means we know the journalists working in your space, we understand your story, and know how to connect the dots between those two, with authenticity and clarity.

5. Strategic Marketing & Communications are not optional.

In Canada, only 54% of the population says they believe that NGOs will do what is right. 

The Opportunity: Every organization tells us they need new donors. You’ve got an unprecedented opportunity to grow credibility and engage those who align with you.

The Shift: Stop treating communications and marketing as newsletter churners, and start leveraging them as a critical piece of your operations. Your growth starts with clarity and strategy, and then a plan to make it come to life. 

Our Commitment: At Graf-Martin, we’re driven to strengthening organizations committed to hope, generosity, and justice. We believe that means starting with a trusted, informed strategy, tested tools, and trained teams. You’re not alone in this journey - we’re walking alongside you and ready to help you thrive.