With editorial contributions from Jenni Moreno, who also co-created the hand-drawn companion visuals and the self-assessment tool, and contributed to extending the trust model into 2 CFR compliance frameworks.

Maya runs a nonprofit with a proven innovation. When a government partner arrives with a multi-year funding proposal, she believes her track record will be enough. She is wrong. The calls stop. Meetings get canceled. The partnership she thought she was building becomes something else entirely.

This is a parable about what happens when personal trust is not backed by organizational trust. These are the structures that protect your mission, your community, and your seat at the table. The workbooks that follow show how to put those structures in place.