www.SomeWriters.com: C is Charitable Offenders A-Z Challenge for April 3rd

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Tuesday, April 3, 2012

C is Charitable Offenders A-Z Challenge for April 3rd

11:22 AM | Posted by Alisia Compton | | | Edit Post

Do You Know What Grinds My Gears?

And… No, it isn’t Lindsay Lohen.

It’s actually something not everyone is going to agree with, or maybe they’ll be angry at me for saying it. I’m annoyed with charities. More specifically, I'm annoyed by Charitable Offenders. Yeah, I said it. Now what are you going to do? Lecture me about the benefits of non-profit organizations? Well, before you get all preachy on me, let me explain why my gears are so ground up over this. And let me also say, I was there with you - I'm a notorious donator and still am. I don't know how else to get the money in the right hands and I want to fund cancer research, I want to make sure there's drinkable water in 3rd world countries and I'm desperate to feed the hungry. There are good charities out there, it's simply a matter of finding them.

The biggest frustration I have with charities is how much their CEO’s make. The below is a list of Charitable Offenders and how much their CEO’s make. Now keep in mind, these organizations employ more than one person. This is just how much their CEO makes… Imagine how much else they spend on other employees, stuff, events and more. How much is going to the people who really need it? This is something we need to address, as a country. Our country is in an economic crisis but these people have tax exempt status. Of course, in order to stay afloat these companies need to pay their employees, but that paycheck is furnished from your donations and there's no way to justify what they're making at the top.

Think about this list, and then tell me… How do you feel about charities now?

The first list is non-profit organizations responsible for caring for and saving children at home and abroad.

This information was taken from http://www.squidoo.com/child-organizations and has been updated as recently as August, 2011.

Children International
www.Children.org
Jim Cook CEO
Oct 2009- Sept 2010: Salary $435'992 + $40'886 = $476'878
Oct 2007- Sept 2008: Salary $357,097 + $61'183 + $17'838 = $436'183

Save The Children
www.savethechildren.org
Charles MacCormack, President:
Jan 2010- Dec 2010: $339,767 + $51'427+ $38'500+ $28'4800=$458'174
Oct 2007- Sept 2008: $354'081 +$66'805 +$5'735 = $426'621

World Vision
www.worldvision.org
Richard Stearns, President:
Oct 2009- Sept 2010: $340,507+ $38,662 + $39,552 + $20,434 = $439'155
Oct 2007- Sept 2008: $336'472 + $44'382 + $40'327 = $421'181

Child Fund
AKA Christian's Children's Fund
http://www.childfund.org/
Anne Goddard President:
July 2009- June 2010: $258'738+ $59'170 = $317'548
July 2007-June 2008: $249'231 + $32'994 + $12'000 = $ 294'225

Compassion International
www.compassion.com
Wess Stafford, CEO
Jul 2009- June 2010: $267'058 + $39186= $306'244
Jul 2008 - Jun 2009: $214'943+ $34'743 = $249'686
Jul 2007- Jun 2008: $206.673 + $20'521 = $227'194

Those charities are all for starving and hurt children at home and abroad. I wonder if these men consider bloated tummies while they’re snacking on caviar.

The following salaries are taken verbatim from Yahoo’s Associated Content. You can view the entire article here: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2889770/charity_ceo_salaries_jobs_that_pay.html?cat=31

Charity CEO Job that Pays Over 500k a Year #1: American Heart Association - As of June 2009, the CEO M. Cass Wheeler earned $1,010,656. That is quite a significant amount, considering that some cardiologists (heart doctors) only earn about $150,000 a year, although some can earn as much as $400,000/year. (Check out payscale.com for other doctor's salaries.)

Charity CEO Job that Pays Over 500k a Year #2: YMCA of Houston - The CEO of the YMCA of Greater Houston earns a salary of $661,634 a year.

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 500k #3: The Red Cross - As of June 2008, the CEO, Gail J. McGovern earned a comfortable salary of $565,000 a year.

Charity CEO Job that Pays Over 500k a Year #4: St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital - donations help pay the salary for the CEO, John P. Moses. As of June 2008, John Moses' compensation was $589, 833 a year.

Charity CEO Job that Pays Over 500k a Year #5: United Way of America - As of December 2007, Brian Gallagher earned a salary of $530,667 a year.

Taken from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2889356/nonprofit_ceo_salaries_jobs_that_earn.html?cat=31

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 300k #1: Susan G. Komen Race for Cure - $459,406

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 300k #2: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - As of December 2008, Edwin J. Sayres earns a salary of $473,998 a year.

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 300k #3: World Vision - As of September 2008, Richard E. Steams, World Vision's president, earned $376,799 a year.

Like many Americans, cancer is a powerful subject for me. My favorite uncle has been in an on again/off again battle with cancer. We make donations…guess where they go?

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 300k #4: American Cancer Society - As of August 2009, the Deputy CEO, Donald Thomas, earns a salary of $1,027,308. The Chief Executive Officer, John Sefrin, earns a salary of $685, 884.

“Are those salaries too high? When compared to the salaries of the doctors who treat cancer, it might be. (The average salaries of oncologists is about $150,000/year, though some with many years of experience earn $250,000 - $300,000 a year.)” Quoted from article.

Nonprofit CEO Job That Pays Over 300k #5: Make a Wish Foundation - As of August 2008, the CEO, David A. Williams, earns $354,487 a year.

Wow… That’s a lot of wishes he has granted for himself.

Read this PDF to see how organization leaders are paid by region. These are national averages. Remember this is one person’s income and is largely made up by “donations.” http://www.charitynavigator.org/__asset__/studies/2010_CEO_Compensation_Study_Revised_Final.pdf

Now, maybe you're thinking that your favorite charities aren't like this. Do me a favor and start looking up percentages and statistics. How much money donated goes to help the actual charity? You may just be horrified by your findings.

4 comments:

Sherry GloagApril 3, 2012 at 1:57 PM
A thought provoking post. i do remember being lambasted by a collector for a certain charity (which will remain nameless) because it was not one I wanted to fund.
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Jemi FraserApril 3, 2012 at 8:34 PM
You raise a good point. I do donate a lot to charity and I always research them before I make my decision. The higher % that goes to the charity, the more likely I am to donate! :)
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Teresa PotterApril 3, 2012 at 11:07 PM
This is an interesting idea. However, we need to keep in perspective that regardless of if you work in the nonprofit sector or the private sector (or even the public sector) in order to attract and KEEP the most talented people you must pay them a competitive wage. If you do not, they can go elsewhere and receive better pay.

People who are the CEO are there because they are educated and experienced. Yes, they could choose to work for less, but the stress of a CEO position as well as the market value for your talent requires that Nonprofits function in realities of economics.

I say this specifically because I have worked for nonprofits who paid me a lot less then I was worth and I have worked for nonprofits who have paid me a competitive wage (though not top dollar). The trends I have seen through my own experience as well as the experiences of those I know is that the ones who think they can get away with paying to little "because it is a charity" also have other serious financial and management problems as well.

I would rather they pay them what they are worth and get the best talent to run their operations then allow a sub-par person (or economically frustrated person) to do a sub-par job of allocating my donations.
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AlisiaApril 3, 2012 at 11:42 PM
You make a very compelling argument Teresa, and I have to agree with you. Still, most household name charitable organizations are not so charitable. Like the Susan G. Komen foundation which has been exploiting cancer for a long time. Many of the people at the top think of their charities like a cash cow and not like a charity at all. While there are wonderful people who take these jobs and work their butts off, in love with helping and idealism, there are also pocket padders who could care less. It sucks. If I find the time, I'll post a better one with actual dollars contributed to actual causes and people vs dollars collected for personal profit and only list the gains at the top. Clearly, they need employees and those employees need enough to succeed in their personal lives in order to do their job well. Those workers are everyday heroes and I thank god for them.
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