Nonprofit executive compensation benchmark
Know What Comparable Nonprofits Pay
A board-ready executive compensation benchmark, built from public IRS Form 990 filings.
Make compensation decisions with confidence. We identify comparable nonprofits, analyze their reported executive pay, and turn the findings into a concise report your board can review in minutes.
Delivered within five business days. Includes a 30-minute 1:1 strategy call.
Executive Director, total reportable compensation, eight peers
| 25th percentile | $158,000 |
| Median | $176,500 |
| 75th percentile | $193,000 |
| Your organization | $152,000 |
Illustrative figures for a fictional organization. Your report names every peer and cites its filing.
Defensible data. Clear conclusions. No costly consulting engagement.
Executive compensation reviews shouldn’t require a $20,000 study or weeks of back-and-forth.
Our benchmark packet gives your board an independent view of the market using compensation reported by peer organizations in public IRS filings. You receive the relevant numbers, the method behind them, and a practical compensation range, all in a focused, two-page report.
Every report is manually reviewed by our experts. Where relevant, it can also combine salary data and current market trends from our exclusive recruitment reports. Supplemental figures are labeled separately from Form 990 data.
Your report includes
- A hand-reviewed group of comparable nonprofits
- Reported compensation for similar executive roles
- Median and market-range benchmarks
- Adjustments for budget, location, and organizational complexity
- A clear summary suitable for board minutes and compensation discussions
- Source references for every organization included
- A 30-minute 1:1 strategy call to walk through the findings
Built for nonprofit boards, finance committees, and executive teams
Use your report to:
- Prepare for an annual compensation review
- Assess a proposed salary or raise
- Support a board compensation decision
- Strengthen governance documentation
- Respond to questions from auditors, donors, or other stakeholders
How it works
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Tell us about your organization
Share your annual budget, location, mission area, executive role, and current or proposed compensation.
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Review the proposed peer group
We identify comparable organizations using public Form 990 filings. You approve the peer group before the analysis is finalized.
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Receive your report
Within five business days, you receive a concise PDF summarizing the evidence, benchmark range, and key considerations for your board.
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Talk it through with us
Your report comes with a 30-minute 1:1 strategy call to walk through the findings, answer questions, and plan how to present them to your board.
What makes a strong peer?
The peer group decides the answer, so we show our work.
No peer group is perfect. That’s why we show the selection criteria and identify important differences rather than presenting an unexplained average.
We prioritize organizations with similar:
- Annual revenue and operating scale
- Mission or service model
- Geographic labor market
- Executive responsibilities
- Organizational complexity
Straightforward pricing
One flat fee. No retainer, no hourly billing, no follow-on engagement required.
Executive Compensation Benchmark Packet
$1,200 one-time
- One executive position
- Up to eight peer organizations
- Manual peer-group review
- Two-page board-ready report
- One revision following board or committee feedback
- 30-minute 1:1 strategy call
When this isn’t the right fit
A two-page benchmark answers one question well. Some situations call for more.
You need a formal compensation opinion
This report supports your board’s decision. It does not replace advice from legal counsel or a credentialed compensation consultant.
Your organization is unusually large or complex
Hospital systems, universities, and national federations have few true peers in public filings. A full study will serve you better.
Pay includes complex incentive or deferred plans
Form 990 data reports what was paid. It does not explain how an incentive plan was designed or valued.
You need this year’s market, not last year’s
Public filings lag by a year or more. We can add current market data from our recruitment reports, but if you are pricing a hard-to-fill role today, talk to us about a search instead.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the compensation data come from?
The analysis uses publicly available IRS Form 990 filings and related public information. Each included organization is identified in the report so the underlying figures can be reviewed. Every report is manually reviewed by our experts. Where relevant, we can also draw on salary data and current market trends from our exclusive recruitment reports, shown separately from the Form 990 figures.
Is this a formal compensation opinion?
No. The report is a benchmarking and decision-support tool, not legal, tax, accounting, or compensation advice. Your board remains responsible for evaluating the relevant facts and approving compensation.
Can we choose the peer organizations?
Yes. We propose a peer group based on objective criteria and ask you to confirm it before the final report is prepared.
How current is the data?
Form 990 data is historical and may lag current compensation practices. The report clearly states the filing period for every data point and discusses this limitation.
What happens on the strategy call?
It’s a 30-minute 1:1 conversation after you receive your report. We walk through the findings, answer questions about the peer group and range, and talk through how to present them to your board. If a leadership search or transition is on your horizon, we can talk about that too. There’s no obligation either way.
Will our information remain confidential?
Information you provide is used only to prepare your report and is not added to a public database or shared with other clients.
Start your benchmark
Tell us about your organization. We’ll reply with a proposed peer group for you to approve before any analysis is finalized.
Give Your Board Better Numbers
Get a clear, credible compensation benchmark without commissioning a lengthy consulting study.
Questions? Contact mariya@charitysearchgroup.com or book a call.
The Executive Compensation Benchmark is a benchmarking and decision-support tool. It is not legal, tax, accounting, or compensation advice. Page updated September 2026.