How high are salaries in foundations, associations and federations? The VMI Salary Study from 2017 provides insights into the remuneration of CEOs and presidents in the non-profit sector. In addition to concrete figures, the study also shows what role performance-related salaries play and how the dependence on donations affects remuneration.
Managing directors of associations and their salary
30% of the executives of foundations, clubs and associations who participated in the study earn between CHF 125K and 150K annually, 26% between CHF 150K and 200K and 22% between CHF 100K and 125K. The remaining percentages are above CHF 200K resp. under CHF 125K. The median is CHF 135K. However, it can be assumed that this value is higher in actuality. This is because organizations with exceptionally high executive salaries are missing from the study. Then the interest in a compensation comparison is unlikely to be very pronounced among the latter.
Salary on the Board of Trustees: this is how much presidents earn
52% of the presidents of foundations and associations receive no remuneration at all, 10% between CHF 2K and 5K and another 10% between 5K and 10K. 16% have a higher compensation than CHF 10K, 12% have one up to CHF 2K. The average value is CHF 6K per year.
Variable wages in the NPO sector remain the exception
Performance-related salaries for managers play a subordinate role, although 13% of the aid organizations have such a system.
And a sentence that is worth quoting because of its content as well as its wording: “In the case of aid organizations, the probability of remuneration [of honorary board members and foundation board members, editor’s note] decreases with increasing dependence on donations under otherwise comparable conditions.”
New salary calculator for management positions
A new feature is the salary calculator, which can be used to estimate the salary customary in the sector for a specific management position.
