Public trust in charities has decreased over recent years in many countries, but there is not much research that explains why,” Searing said. “Even though this is about charities, foundations and regulators, in a way this is also about the best of society. Though these four countries are similar, there is significant variation in regulation, interpersonal trust and popular sentiment toward public-serving institutions. Searing is especially interested in learning about the trust inherent in the relationship between a donor and a charity, she said. “We’re also going to be making sure that the interviews and procedures that we have are meaningful in all the other countries,” Searing said.