Community Chat

[Sooner]

---

@Lakelife62 wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@CalminHeart wrote:

I always look up financials before donating.  

I want to know what percent of donations goes to costs, salaries, etc. If it's high, I don't donate.

I don't donate if the CEO and executives are making big bucks. Yes, they need to be paid for what they do but some of the salaries are outrageous.

I want to know their reputation for helping. History. Problems. etc.

I stick with certain charities, certain food banks, my church's food bank, and such. 

I never donate when people call me. 

---

@CalminHeart 

I looked up a couple of animal charities in my city and was absolutely AMAZED at what some of the Administrator's salaries were: One was $112,000 another was $165,000...I can seeing paying the veterinarian a decent sum for their skills, knowledge, expertise....BUT Administrators......!!!!  

---

How much should a full time executive for an active charity make? Execs don't come cheap. They aren't going to head up an organization with all it entails for $80k a year. A MCDonalds manager makes more than that.

---

@Lakelife62 Look around any smaller city and look at how many charities on the books.  And yes, they make $100,000 plus to head them.  Look at the churches with food pantries, buildings like Braums with free food--no questions asked.  There should be some coordination of these efforts and how many perople are served.

I feel like charities are cropping up everywhere and with no accounting of money and where it all goes.  And I'm wondering who a lot of this benefits.  At least in my area.  Charities and foundations and non-profits with overlapping programs and services. . . new shelters costing millions and who profits from these?  

[Sooner]

---

@shoekitty wrote:

@Spurt  personally , for a large charity a salary of 150,000 or so is not uncommon. Sometimes they are the only paid employee and it is a full time job. If you think about it, if you have a larger charity, the work and delegation is endless.  It is full time job. You coukdnt find anyone with qualifications to do this without a paycheck. I don't mind. It is some of the larger charities like ASPCA, cancer society and the lot that do have a long list of paid employees and costs. 

---

@shoekitty It is a lot for any city in Oklahoma.  And you could find qualified people to work for a lot less.  And charities that do basically the same thing each with administrators when efforts could be combined and merged with church efforts in the community

[Lakelife62]

---

@Sooner wrote:

---

@shoekitty wrote:

@Spurt  personally , for a large charity a salary of 150,000 or so is not uncommon. Sometimes they are the only paid employee and it is a full time job. If you think about it, if you have a larger charity, the work and delegation is endless.  It is full time job. You coukdnt find anyone with qualifications to do this without a paycheck. I don't mind. It is some of the larger charities like ASPCA, cancer society and the lot that do have a long list of paid employees and costs. 

---

@shoekitty It is a lot for any city in Oklahoma.  And you could find qualified people to work for a lot less.  And charities that do basically the same thing each with administrators when efforts could be combined and merged with church efforts in the community

---

People don't work for free or for peanuts. Especially educated, competent ones. A mid level manager these days makes $100k. You will be hog tied to find anyone with proven experience in fund raising and financial administration for less than $150k. Even in Oklahoma.

P s. Check out Glass door or Salary.com for info on average non profit ceo salaries in Oklahoma City. I think you might be surprised.

[shoekitty]

@Sooner   it is the real world, lol there's a lot we think we can do, (and maybe we could) but it takes people , time, knowledge and money.  All four of these at the same time!   They need Organizers, tech savvy, people. etc.  You can't merge most charities with churches.  Churches have their hands full. Donations and tithes are down. Many churches can barely get volunteers to fill positions they need on a regular basis. Most people work,  retirees have limits as well.  And both the charity and the church have their reason for not merging.   You can't run a bigger charity without dependable, qualified help.  There are qualified people to HELP and volunteer several hours here and there.  but not to work full time, in this economy. I have volunteered in a few charities for uears .  Not lately as i m not able , or dependable at this time. We were small, unpaid, and it was tough because it was always something.  It is a fact  all charities on a certain level hire a CEI with pay, and a contract. Usually they have a degree from college in non profit management. It is a career in itself...working non profit . There are many smaller charities tht work for nothing, but they are limited.  That said, there are charities that hVe waaay too much paid staff, and I personally eschew those. All charities I donate too, whether they have paid execs or not, post online their audits, spread sheets, and have a legal audited account of of where every dollar goes. It's the way things work. What we think how things should work, and the way they actually work... most often don't mesh.  For the most part a paid position guarantees that someone will be there to carry the charity on, when one leaves, retires, etc.  actually our taxes ly mny non profits tht are government run, or affiliated.  

[Sooner]

@shoekitty Where I live Churches are very involved in charities, and some even have whole buildings devoted to food, clothing and missions work.  It is a large part of community aid.  Clothing for those who need it, food pantries (some with drive through), bicycles to give away, and lots of money put into the efforts along with volunteer hours served.  I just wish there were better coodination and accounting for funding so the community would have a better handle on and understanding of where our taxes are going, and what is reasonable.  

[CalminHeart]

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@CalminHeart wrote:

I always look up financials before donating.  

I want to know what percent of donations goes to costs, salaries, etc. If it's high, I don't donate.

I don't donate if the CEO and executives are making big bucks. Yes, they need to be paid for what they do but some of the salaries are outrageous.

I want to know their reputation for helping. History. Problems. etc.

I stick with certain charities, certain food banks, my church's food bank, and such. 

I never donate when people call me. 

---

@CalminHeart 

I looked up a couple of animal charities in my city and was absolutely AMAZED at what some of the Administrator's salaries were: One was $112,000 another was $165,000...I can seeing paying the veterinarian a decent sum for their skills, knowledge, expertise....BUT Administrators......!!!!  

---

I know of a couple of charities where the CEO is paid over $1,000,000 and that means I don't donate to them.

In today's world, $112,000 or $165,000 is peanuts for someone running a charity. 

[CalminHeart]

---

@Lakelife62 wrote:

---

@Spurt wrote:

---

@CalminHeart wrote:

I always look up financials before donating.  

I want to know what percent of donations goes to costs, salaries, etc. If it's high, I don't donate.

I don't donate if the CEO and executives are making big bucks. Yes, they need to be paid for what they do but some of the salaries are outrageous.

I want to know their reputation for helping. History. Problems. etc.

I stick with certain charities, certain food banks, my church's food bank, and such. 

I never donate when people call me. 

---

@CalminHeart 

I looked up a couple of animal charities in my city and was absolutely AMAZED at what some of the Administrator's salaries were: One was $112,000 another was $165,000...I can seeing paying the veterinarian a decent sum for their skills, knowledge, expertise....BUT Administrators......!!!!  

---

How much should a full time executive for an active charity make? Execs don't come cheap. They aren't going to head up an organization with all it entails for $80k a year. A MCDonalds manager makes more than that.

---

Most people who run charities are highly educated and have developed talents and expertise at what they do. Why should we not pay them a decent wage? I'm not talking $1Million or even $500,000. 

$165,000 is peanuts in some parts of the country and couldn't cover housiong, food, health insurance, etc. It's also an excellent salary in other parts of the country.