Fundraising challenges rarely start with the ask. They begin years earlier, when trust is either quietly built or unintentionally eroded through misalignment between marketing and advancement. This session makes a clear case that donor confidence is downstream from institutional trust, and that trust is shaped jointly by marketing and advancement, whether leaders intend it or not. The session focuses on leadership choices that influence trust long before a campaign begins. Participants will leave with six leadership strategies to strengthen collaboration, reduce risk, and protect institutional trust.