Community Feature
Redefining Impact: Trust at the Heart of Giving
At Dawn Foods, a corporate giving program, they recognize that trust-based philanthropy is about building authentic, long-term relationships with their community partners that are grounded in mutual respect, transparency and shared purpose. They model this by supporting—not steering—those doing the vital work on the ground and in community.
“It means recognizing the expertise and lived experience of our community leaders and shifting the traditional power dynamic so that our giving is led by listening first,” Cherie Good, head of corporate giving at Dawn Foods said.
Trust-based philanthropy is rooted in the idea of building open and trustful relationships. By doing so, these relationships allow for a deeper understanding of what the community truly needs and create space for organization leaders to be honest about the concerns and challenges they face.
Since stepping into her role in July 2024, Good had led Dawn Foods into more engagement with trust-based philanthropy. She described how they are activating the process of navigating through actional steps to lean more towards a trust-based model, especially as it relates to their organization’s core values—passion, progress, relationships, optimism, and integrity.
“These efforts reflect who we are at Dawn. We are a company grounded in caring for the communities where we live and work,” Good said.
Good also underscored that CMF has been a critical partner in offering space for her learning, reflection, and connection. She shared that through CMF’s Leadership Development & Mentoring Program, a dedicated session on trust-based philanthropy provided confirmation for her desire to continue to step in this direction.
Having only started her role recently in August 2024, it’s allowed Good to examine Dawn Foods’ current corporate giving program with fresh eyes and compare it to the basis of the strategy it was established with. As they revaluate, she highlighted that they are exploring what’s working effectively and taking some of those approaches and expanding them to better support communities.
“Many organizations are navigating growing demand with limited resources. Supporting staff development, systems, and infrastructure may not always be visible, but it is often transformational. When nonprofits are strong internally, communities are stronger.” - Cherie Good, Head of Corporate Giving at Dawn Foods
She added that Dawn Foods has begun simplifying its grantmaking processes and is focusing more on flexible funding, like general operations support, so its partners can directly assist in areas where they’re needed most. Through this work, they’ve seen increased transparency, innovation, and more honest conversations with partners, who feel more comfortable sharing challenges and successes.
“We’re hearing feedback from our partners saying, ‘Thank you, we feel seen, we feel heard,’ and that’s really what’s needed right now,” Good said.
In November 2025, when food insecurity was high due to SNAP benefit disruptions and funding reductions for the fresh produce program, Dawn Foods moved quickly outside its usual grant process to work with nonprofit partners across the country through its Help Fight Hunger campaign. Together, they provided support to those impacted through product donations and flexible funding to meet urgent needs in real time.
“We focused on listening and responding, which allowed our partners to determine how resources were used, whether for direct distribution, meal programs, or support for homebound seniors,” said Good.
She shared that at Dawn Foods, trust looks like deep listening, consistent presence, and shared accountability. It means showing up—not just with resources, but with a willingness to learn and grow. She added that by reducing administrative burden, they are strengthening relationships that are rooted in trust and shared purpose. The organization is committed to standing by its partners through challenges, celebrating its wins, and committing to long-term relationships, not just short-term projects.
“We are trying to make an intentional shift with our partnerships from transactional to transformational. We no longer see ourselves as simply funders, but as collaborators.” Good said.
While connecting with partners, they have found themselves asking more questions centered around ‘How can we support your vision?’ and fewer like, ‘How will you fit into our priorities?’ In turn, they have seen that partners don’t feel intimidated by the funder-grantee relationship and must fit into a particular box to collaborate.
By modeling trust-based philanthropy through their corporate giving, Dawn Foods is redefining how they measure impact.
Good shared, “It isn’t about metrics, that it’s about relationships, capacity-building, and long-term community wellness. Trust-based philanthropy is helping them align their giving with their core values as a family company that’s committed to supporting the communities where they live and work.”
She emphasized how Michigan has a strong community and tradition of philanthropy and how it is a powerful opportunity to lead by example. By centering community voices—especially those historically marginalized—leadership can be redefined, and people can shape their own futures.
“We’ve found that when you trust your partners and center community voices, the work becomes richer and more aligned with real needs,” Good said.
She stressed the importance of embedding equity and belonging at every level of decision-making. One example she shared was diversifying who sits at the table, and making sure the community being served is represented, including youth. She also emphasized the significance of funding grassroots organizations and empowering them to take the steps that they need.
“My hope is that this will be an additional encouragement for others to consider navigating into the space more,” Good said.
Want More?
Learn more about Dawn Foods and about trust-based giving through The Trust Based Philanthropy Project.