In not-for-profits we trust

Not-for-profit organizations have been "trusted" for years to do the right thing more than state, business and media globally This paper examines the issue of trust of the citizens regarding not-for-profit organizations. Using the terminology of Luhmann it presents that this trust can be all the three versions of trust used by Luhmann: it can be familiarity citizens being familiar with the sector; and it can be confidence as well as real trust. The basis of this claimed global trust in non-profits is based on the assumption about the characteristic traits of organizations that are part of common knowledge (even if one does not know any concrete organization). In issues related to trust, not-for-profits, being tertiary associative forms, can benefit from both interpersonal and institutional trust that gives them a unique opportunity in their relations with the citizenry Non-profits are viewed to be benevolent, another trust advantage in their favor in comparison to other sectors. The available trust enhancing mechanisms are not universal and are unlikely to be the key component towards the global trust to not-for-profits. The article also points out that the survey results of trust in institutions should not be interpreted as not-for-profits being trusted more than state or media. They are trusted in their own domain, and because the judgment of ability is domain specific, one has to be careful in its interpretation of which institutions are trusted most globally.