Starting A Nonprofit: Average Staff Salaries?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 พ.ค. 2024
- Starting a nonprofit organization and wondering what nonprofit staff salaries are on average? I’ll share the latest stats in this video. #Nonprofit #Nonprofits #Startup
There is a lot of conflicting information out there about what the average staff salaries at nonprofit organizations are (or should be!). In this video, I look at the facts - the average staff salaries from real nonprofits compiled in the latest nonprofit and executive compensation research.
If you are starting a nonprofit organization, thinking about it, or know someone who is trying to start a nonprofit and make it their full time career, I hope this helps!
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// CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Salaries
02:15 Factors that Influence Salaries
06:08 Average Salaries
// MORE ABOUT ME
Hi! I’m Amber, a nonprofit founder, Executive Director, and public speaker on social impact, changemaking, nonprofits, leadership, and more. Want me to come speak at your business, college, school, or event? Reach out: ambermsmith.com/
My Nonprofit Founder to Full-Time Academy -- with online trainings to guide you through the steps to start a nonprofit (in the USA) and more -- is now LIVE! foundertofulltime.com/
On Facebook? Talk to me and other change makers about social change, nonprofits, social enterprise, leadership and more in my Facebook group, Change the World or Bust: / changetheworldorbust
Join my newsletter! ambermsmith.com/blog/newsletter/
I'm also on Twitter: / ambermelsmith
Pics of me and my cute dog on Instagram: / ambermelsmith
// SALARY REPORT FROM GUIDESTAR
(Report Sample; they have the full report for sale on their website)
learn.guidestar.org/hubfs/202...
My Nonprofit Founder to Full-Time Academy -- with online trainings to guide you through the steps to start a nonprofit (in the USA) and more -- is now LIVE! foundertofulltime.com/
Can we also do stipends for volunteers that's 23 years and younger after maintaining a decent annual budget? I mean since the nonprofit I want to start also targets the youth.
@@harlemdakey You can certainly support your volunteers with things like that, BUT be careful about tax obligations and doing so much that they'd have to be classified as an 'employee' of the org; then they'd have to pay taxes on stipends.
I don't want to get rich just want to do it because i like charity work for unfortunate
I'm gonna volunteer at food bank for church next month
@@aliciamack9323 Definitely! I think the vast majority of people I've met in the nonprofit world are doing this type of work for the cause. It's rare I come across someone who is doing it because they think there's a lot of money involved in it for them (there isn't).
This is great information. It’s been hard to see so much talent leave the nonprofit sector because people need higher salaries to take care of their families .Thank you for sharing good resources as well.
Absolutely!
Thank you for your info, my non profit just had its first event last night & we raised 1k! You’re always so informative
That is awesome! Congrats!
Amber! You’ve been a great inspiration toward me pursuing starting a no -profit as I do a few business start ups.Giving back to the community is so quintessential now a days, especially due to the current economic environment. I want to thank you for allowing me to elevate my belief in myself in being able to accomplish what I envision. Thank you for all your great content. 🙌🏻
Yay! Best of luck to you!
Thank you for this information!
Glad it was helpful!
This was so helpful. We are establishing our nonprofit and our biggest back & forth is salary. This was a great point!
Awesome!! So glad it helped!
Thank you very much. Excellent!
You are welcome!
you are so common sense! I love it! keep doing what you're doing!
Yay! Thanks for watching!
Thanks Amber,
I just got approved and received 501 c (3).
Congrats!
How was the process and how long did it take?
Very insightful video. After viewing it I felt a confident in my ability to to learn my duties as a new and first time Ceo of a non-profit youth organization.
Awesome! Thanks so much for watching!
AMEN! We are the unsung heroes of this country. And yes, we do deserve to feed our families too!
⚡
Thank You So much Amber, for sharing very important lesson forme, Particularly as I am a new Founder!
Glad to hear it was helpful!
Thanks for this! As a founder, I appreciate it
Yay! Founders unite
Great info
Thank you for watching!
Great video Amber thank you so much :-) I am intending ro approach a foundation and propose the creation of a new role ( my future job ) which could be quite profitable to the foundation. Now I am quite hesitant about the way to do it, but also about choosing the right foundation as there are national, regional and private foundations on the same subject.
Good luck with your search / goals!!
Firstly, let me say you have great information. Now I was looking at your salary scale of some of the top tier people of the nonprofit. To get to a consistent 250k takes blood, sweat and tears. The emphasis needs to be on the community outreach not necessarily on pay scale. You let the people coming in your organization know that from the beginning, just on the 5 members that you have listed that is over half of your total income in budget. Now you will be paying more people down this chain and that will eat up more of your budget. People are not dumb and want their money to do the maximum for the cause that they believe in, if your board, executives, managers, supervisors, leads and events eat more of your budget less people will want to donate (if your nonprofit is transparent).
Thank you! I hope the video was helpful!
I think the goal here is fair, equitable, and reasonable pay. Paying skilled staff can (and often is) definitely be a part of maximizing the impact of a cause for the community, as well as being an equitable practice to promote community well being (if a nonprofit combatting poverty doesn't pay a staff member enough to pay their rent, is the organization really living up to its mission and values?). There are many times having a skilled professional running a program will lead to way bigger impacts than otherwise, so it's definitely a good return on investment and is actually better for all. Staff aren't unnecessary "overhead", they are a core part of sustainable operations. :) (Check out the "Overhead Myth" too - fascinating stuff!)
Unions are a good example
Hi from malaysia. Useful content for non goverment organization start ups too.
That's great!
great video. for me to make a great living it appears i can be most help not trying to take my nonprofit in this direction. For me to work a nonprofit full time would probably cost me a lot of money each year. Smaller scale nonprofit seems to be where i need to focus if I am understanding everything correctly.
It really depends what your goals are. Most brand new organizations start out small! That's just the nature of starting up. But depending on the mission and project - and with the right community connections and relationship building and fundraising work, you can scale up in a reasonable period of time.
I understand and I am just a beginner. You probably have a full time job, possibly family and other obligations. While your doing what your life requires, who is talking about the NPO, who is assisting the people in need of NPO, who is marketing the NPO, and on the ground answering the phone. Someone needs to be available, maybe 2 part-Time people that should be paid to help with these things. I am just saying, I don’t know your direction, but this is what I have been thinking about
Hey Amber great video, your videos are really informative and are helping me get my plans together to start a nonprofit. I'm trying to start a research / conservation and rescue non profit for right whales. I was wondering if a founder could have a combination job such as executive director and lead scientist?
Hey there! A Director can do many things - I haven't specifically heard of a scientist example, but here's what I'll say: Being a Director requires a lot from a person and it may be hard to focus on more than one thing at a time!
You are so right that all people that work, employees, should have a living wage not a starving wage. Nonprofits are important because the benefit society and the employees that make the nonprofit work should have a livable wage with benefits like medical.
Everyone deserves to eat and have a roof over their head 🙂
I'm very fortunate to be collecting both a military pension and SSA. As such, I can draw a salary at the low end and still be ok. I think that people looking at my salary will get aa better idea that I'm more interested in helping others. Knowing what to offer people applying for positions in very useful because so many people around here seem to think salaries in the mid to upper six figures is reasonable.
It's all about reasonable balance. You need to be able to pay enough for nonprofit staff to attract solid talent and ensure your team isn't unable to put food on the table (that's not helpful to the mission of nonprofits anyway!). For the most part, nonprofits are notorious for NOT paying staff enough and a lot of advocates are working to change that. If you're curious look up the Overhead Myth!
Can you do a video on fundraising? How can you do fundraising in places or to people you don’t know.
Hey Cindy! I covered some of that in this video - maybe it can help as a starting point? Fundraising for Nonprofits: How To Start Raising Money (Step by Step) th-cam.com/video/9z3X4hZfGDs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you. Very detailed. Do you have updated information for 2022?
Not yet, but that sounds like a great updated video topic!
@@AmberMelanieSmith Thanks. Look forward to it!
I've watched a bunch of your videos. You are clearly brilliant and passionate. I can see you feel things very deeply. Sometimes, especially in this video, I feel like you are on the verge of tears. Watching you, I want nothing more than to reach out and hold you and let you cry. If your donors and funders see what I see than you must be very successful. I dont even know what your cause/mission is and I would donate millions to you (your organization) if I had it. I am in sales and it is very hard persuading people all the time (to buy a product so i can eat), being a man of integrity, in a dog eat dog world where frankly people are hostile towards other people. There are times when i want to cry, but no one respects a man that cries. It is unfortunate that organizations like yours must exist. But this is capitalist America where people are forced to beg for the table scraps of billionaires and millionaires just to help each other. It's the governments job (we the people) to lift each other out of poverty and give each other healthcare--instead we are forced into debt by our capitalist regime. Thank you for these videos. Your soul shines Amber!
Thank you for your kind words! I am definitely passionate about this work. "Nonprofits" are the vehicle I chose, but my mission is definitely around helping equip people to create positive change and meet their potential.
Hi Melanie, My name is Wilberforce from Uganda. I have benefited a lot since I started watching your videos. Currently I am starting up a CBO in my community, However I am quite concerned on how to get donor whole can fund with the salaries of staff inclusive. Apparently many donors prefer giving donations to fund the specific activities only. Thank you
I totally understand. There ARE more and more donors funding capacity building and operations, though - don't lose hope! Plus - program staff ARE a program expense, not an operations expense!
What are the averages for 500K to a million please? Thank you! (Very helpful video, except for that small omission.) :)
Hey Dave! Definitely check out the salary / compensation report linked in the description and / or find out specific to your state (as salaries vary by location of course)! I don't have all the data out there, just what I shared so far. :)
@@AmberMelanieSmith Thank you! (I should have looked in the description!) :}
Is it your goal to work full time for a nonprofit (whether you're starting it or hoping to join an existing one)?
Yes, it is my goal. This was a very good video Amber. Once again, lots of good information.
I totally agree with all your comments. Thank you, once again
@@cindycanuel6327 Thanks!
yes. my husband and i stepped out on faith when we met the founders of a nonprofit. they founded it in 2015 and now they have their own buildings, volunteers, programs and many projects. My husband and I are leaders of a division and we are in this full time. However, there is no current income. we work weekends to make ends meet. The founders currently have NO grants and NO donations (monetarily) ..so the major thing right now is to be able to have the funding for the expenses. The rent costs money, gas costs money and of course leaders wont want to work forever and push this to grow if they know they wont be getting some sort of income longterm.
We just started a 501c non-profit for a theater arts center in my home town which doesn’t have anything like this and there is need and interest. We are doing pop-ups until we can get a building (there are a few possibilities). There are 4 board members (we have website social media etc) but for me it’s a bit different. I had gone back to college in my 40s - graduated and found it was impossible to be hired due to age discrimination. I’ve literally had no choice but to try to create my own work. I think I could be ok if I could make 50-55 a yr. This is do or die for me. This arts space would include film, plays, music, author talks, classes. It’s horrible that there is simply almost no chance to work in career capacity due to age. Everyone wants their life to have potential for as long as they’re living. I’m hoping it’s possible to make about that. I tried for a while to get hired in this field (my degrees is in advertising ) but it really requires going to a top school at the right age to even be considered to work in that area (though I do have degree from nyc school.) Thank u for these videos. We are supposed to start working with an organization that assists these kinds of startups..
Thank you for sharing your dream!
hi there thank you for your video! Now how can a 501c3 go after this sort of funding? to be able to pay the full time staff? we are based in Georgia
Hey there! I talk about this in a few of my videos, but the simple answer is that it is typically pretty rare to receive a grant when you are just starting out to cover staff so you may need to take the time to build up other sources of revenue instead - like donations or earned income. You may not be able to hire paid staff right away because building up those systems takes time. It CAN be done, but usually happens when you have funders who know you / trust you / are working with you from before you even file to develop a business plan, know you have a proven model (that has perhaps at least been tested somewhere else) and / or know you have a lot of experience in the area related to your mission and that you have a track record of achieving results. Many times new orgs have to take a few years to prove themselves to be competitive for grants - it's kind of a "chicken and egg" thing.
@@AmberMelanieSmith thank you for your response. The nonprofit im in was founded in 2015 and grew immensely starting last year. My husband and I joined this year and now we have new partnerships and projects. Weve been on the news a few times, we have partnered with two police agencies, etc. So now due to the higher demand of work it takes, the founder really wants to be able to keep us and a few other staff to keep growing this.
What if I work as the executive director and the main staff. Basically working two jobs, two roles. For example In Home Therapy. I operate the business and I am the main Therapist. Should I get my hourly pay for therapy as well as my executive director salary?
There are various ways to do it but your Board would be responsible for voting on the budget which would include allocations for salaries.
Hi I am interested I am a therapist trying to start a non profit for teen mother. I eventually want to work towards providing CBT therapy and interventions any ideas ?
Starting a foundation or charity if you put $2500 in to start do you pull that out when you start getting donations or do you do it by percentage
Hey there! Whether you would reimburse yourself for costs of starting up depends on a few things: If your Board of Directors has an agreement to reimburse for reasonable expenses and a system to reimburse each other with appropriate financial checks and balances in place, and ensuring you're keeping really solid receipts and records for your tax filings and audits.
Would love to chat further ! do you offer consulting ?
Hey there! Email in my About section!
How many board members should be in a nonprofit organizations?
Depends on your region's laws about that. A rule of thumb in the USA is 3 or more unrelated board members.
These salaries are ridiculous! The high end salaries are not even a living wage in Flagstaff. And it’s ridiculous that art is more worthy of donations than those that save the lives of animals and conservation of our natural resources. The priorities are selfish and need to change.
And I’m sorry, just because we want to solve some of the most complex problems in the world, shouldn’t mean we want to be struggling financially or even want to do well and support our families. The attitudes and mindset must change. Someone that plays a game professionally is not changing the world but those that are should earn less than their nannies?
👏
My name is Melanie too 😁
:)
What state are you in?
Thank you for this information. The gender inequality of salary is CRAAAZZZYYYYY!
Hope it was helpful!
Im waqas
Thank you, you are so right about paying non-profit employees a liveable wage.. If the employee can not survive on their wages ,they suffer and the nonprofit will suffer too.
Agreed!
Hi l m pakistan
Welcome to the channel!
Wow these salaries are low!
They can be, yeah. :/ As I mentioned in the video there's a big push in the nonprofit world to help the public understand the need to pay nonprofit workers fair wages.
I haven't jumped ship ... yet... some of this is just hard to swallow, but I think it's because I'm so used to being my own boss, owning my own business... working endless hours, and not getting the help I have needed, and this is why I was considering the nonprofit way to go...
Question Amber:
Let's say that I'm not on the board... I'll get a paid salary, or however they pay (the foundation)...
Can family or friends be hired to do work for the foundation too?
The non-profit I want to do... I have already done many years ago for free... now I'd like to do it with my own company or as a non-profit.
I teach Acting Lessons for Film and Theatre... but truthfully I want to help more of the kids that need even more help... When I was younger, 11 years old, I became a Foster Child... I was Blessed by a few (great) mentors... they didn't give me anything for FREE, but Taught me how to survive and work for what I wanted, and don't expect a hand out... and I in return want to do the same thing. I"m already a licenced Teacher... and KNOW how hard it is to fit in, when you feel you don't fit in... I want to help those kids...
I have seen first hand how... "Acting" on Stage, even when the student (at first) doesn't want to be up there on stage... but SEEs others, and how much fun it is... and then when they accomplish something, even a small "skit"... it changes them from then on...
I remember my first lines on stage when I was in the 1st grade... "Would you like some Crepe Suzette?" Back then we took French Classes when we were young.
What is amazing is this... We as teachers can TEACH the child from right and wrong... give them examples, like a "Talking Head" in front of the class, when most children/students don't want to listen...
But in ACTING on stage or in front of the camera... They're having fun... even though Acting is psychically hard sometimes... I was a "Drama Mama" for my daughter since she was 4 years old. (she is 27 now).
I know her having been taught "Acting" on stage gave her confidence, and she learned how to "adjust" by ACTING a certain way... Learning Life's Lessons.
I could go on and on...
Ooopps... talking too much... LOL
Thank you Amber for all the great work you do...
Hey Judi; I get that - starting a nonprofit is similar in some ways but very different in other ways to starting a business. The IRS is giving the nonprofit special tax exempt status - which means it expects it to act like a public entity, not like an entity 'owned' by one person. It expects nonprofits to work with an elected Board that represents the community's interests, pour all revenue back into its charitable mission, etc. Nonprofits should be formed to tackle a community / social problem first and foremost. That is why conflict of interest policies - like not being able to vote to hire yourself or what your salary is - is in place. The IRS wants to make sure that the nonprofit is putting public interest first, not the interests of a single founder. That said, conflict of interest extends to all board members and nepotism (like hiring family / friends) could be frowned upon. The organization is required ethically to make a reasonable effort to get pricing / quotes for services from multiple vendors. If the best deal for the organization truly is going with a vendor that happens to be a family member or a friend, then it may be ok. The whole point is to put the mission of the organization first, not the founder's interests or desires.
Now, what I tell people - is if they want more control over an organization they start, consider starting a business instead of a nonprofit! Then you can have complete say over its direction and your own salary.
@@AmberMelanieSmith
I read EVERY word of this... and I totally agree with you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.
It's not so scary now.