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 managers of foundations, associations and federations who took part in the study earn between CHF 125 and 150 thousand a year, 26% between CHF 150 and 200 thousand and 22% between CHF 100 and 125 thousand. The remaining percentages are above CHF 200T resp. under CHF 125T. The median is CHF 135T. However, it can be assumed that this value may be higher. This is because organizations with extremely high executive salaries are missing from the study. This is because they are unlikely to be very interested in a remuneration comparison.
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% receive between CHF 2,000 and CHF 5,000 and a further 10% between CHF 5,000 and CHF 10,000. 16% have a higher remuneration than CHF 10T, 12% up to CHF 2T. The average value is CHF 6T per year.
NPO salary: Variable salaries in the NPO sector remain the exception
Performance-related salaries for managers play a subordinate role, although 13% of aid organizations have such a system in place.
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 standard sector salary for a specific management position.
