The history of the DOER Trust goes back to 1980s. The DOER Trust is the initiative of the DOOR Trust UK which wanted to help development projects and provide durable solutions to the varying needs of the local Churches, Para Church organizations and communities in Pakistan. The objective was to support them with financial, technical, management and particularly training & consultancy assistance so as to encourage and enable the achievement of basic self sufficiency for whole community and not for the privileged few.

In 1987 there were about three million or so Christians were living in Pakistan in communities scattered widely all over the huge country watched by 94 million majorities. They were increasing rapidly although socially disadvantaged, usually poor, mostly illiterate and largely landless. The Church and Para Church Organizations in Pakistan had tremendous needs at that time as they remained poor and, for far too long, relied on the continuing generosity of overseas donors. The greatest need (not always clearly expressed) was for trained and skilled leaders who will serve their people with the creative and visionary love of their God. Many calls for help were went over a long period from Pakistan to concerned individuals and organizations in England and Australia who knew something of the background and complex problems faced by the Church in Pakistan. That common concern, frustrated by the lack of freedom to respond to new initiatives within existing support channels, eventually led to the formation of the DOER Trust and its wider vision beyond Pakistan. As a result, with the joint struggle and efforts of the DOOR Trust UK and leading Pakistani lay Christians, an independent organization "The DOER Trust" was established in 1987 with the similar objectives of the DOOR Trust UK. DOER Trust had linked with DOOR Trust UK which was a pioneer for DOER. The founding executive was Mr. Victor C. Tow, a missionary from Australia.

In 1987 DOOR Trust visited UK, Continental Europe, the USA & Canada and also Australia to inform and encourage support through local communities. They made a video film in Pakistan which was used to communicate what is DOER about. As a result, responding the needs of the DOER Trust Pakistan, Church Missionary Society Australia sent their one member of the management consultancy team Mr. Victor C. Tow to Pakistan as the first Chief Executive Officer for the DOER Trust.

DOER spent its first three years working with the Church, looking at its weaknesses and seeking to address them through low profile assistance in areas ranging from project development & evaluation to clergy retreats, income generation & non-formal apprenticeship training.

From 1990 to onwards DOER focused almost exclusively on capacity building training courses for Church/NGO leadership. In 1996, DOER began to move into strategic planning.

The DOER Trust has expanded much in the previous 17 years. It has tried to keep itself close to its vision and mission. The DOER Trust is unique in its own way. It has helped Church and Community by imparting trainings, building capacities and providing expertise in management and other fields. Now the DOER is fairly well known for its services and apart from its own (Christian) organizations, others are also inviting DOER for gaining its services.