This study examines the role of trust in influencing funder decision-making processes in crowdfunding campaigns in the creative industries. We focus on the reward-based crowdfunding (RBCF) model because of its popularity among creators in the creative industries. The RBCF model differs from the equity-based crowdfunding model in the nature of exchanges. While individual investors in equity crowdfunding receive shares in exchange for their investments, funders in RBCF campaigns receive rewards or perks according to contribution levels. For example, organizations in the creative industries offer rewards comprised of various commercial products, such as exhibit tickets and live performances and project-related products that connect funders with their brands (Thurridl and Kamleitner, 2016). Compared to other crowdfunding campaigns, some studies (e.g. Mollick, 2014) argue that investing in RBCF in the creative industries has potential risks such as undeveloped products (Zvilichovsky et al., 2015), delivery delays and other deviations from campaign promises (Appio et al., 2020). Funders also face challenges in assessing the project’s actual value due to missing benchmark and unbiased information about the reputation and legitimacy of creative organizations. Unique characteristics of the creative industries also lead to further complexities that increase the risks. For example, risk might rise in collaborations as creative organizations often instigate innovative projects in cooperation with diverse entities (Huxham and Vangen, 2005; Khaire, 2017) and firms of all sizes. Consequently, RBCF creators must ensure that they are perceived as trustworthy as they seek to fulfill their campaign promises.