More Grant Makers Gave Pay Raises in 2011, Says New Survey

Nearly 9 in 10 foundations gave or planned to give raises to their employees in 2011, according to a new survey of 910 grant makers conducted last year by the Council on Foundations.

That share is ticking upward with the improving economy. The previous year, 62 percent of grant makers gave or expected to give raises; in 2009, the figure was 57 percent.

But the size of the pay increases is relatively small. The median increase for 2010 and 2011 was 3 percent, not accounting for inflation.

Before the recession, grant-making organizations tended to give raises of 4 or 5 percent, according to Rachel Mosher-Williams, vice president for conferences and partnerships at the council.

“At the same time that there’s relative confidence in their ability to give increases, there’s still some caution when it comes to the actual increases,” says Ms. Mosher-Williams.

Over the past five years, foundation salaries grew by a median of 14.2 percent, not adjusted for inflation, according to the survey.

CEO Pay

Chief executives at the foundations polled by the Council on Foundations received a median salary of $142,000, while program officers were paid a median of $80,000.

Over the past five years, their salaries increased at roughly the same pace, 14.9 percent for chief executives and 14.7 percent for program officers.

The median salary for all full-time foundation jobs was $70,000. One-third of the foundations in the survey offered bonuses to their employees in 2011.

Of the grant makers surveyed, 36 percent were community foundations, 27 percent were private foundations, 18 percent were family funds, and the rest were corporate and operating foundations.

Among the other findings in the council’s report:

• Chief executives at the foundations surveyed remained in their jobs for a median of eight years. Program officers stayed in their positions a median of four years.
• Just over three-quarters, or 77 percent, of the foundations provided medical benefits to full-time employees. At grant makers with at least $100-million in assets, that figure was 98 percent.
• Funds with $250-million or more in assets employed a median of 20 people, while those with $25-million to $49.9-million in assets had a median of three staff members.

The “2011 Grantmakers Salary and Benefits Report” can be purchased by Council on Foundations members for $149 and by nonmembers for $199. Go to the council’s Web site at cof.org.