Foundation Compensation Data
Now in its 24th year, the Croner Compensation Survey of Foundations is conducted annually to provide up-to-date and accurate market compensation data to private, independent grantmaking foundations in the U.S. The Survey was expanded to also include community foundations as of 2019.
In 2020, a total of 137 foundations participated in the Croner Compensation Survey of Foundations . Of the total participants, 98 are primarily grantmaking foundations, eight are primarily operating foundations, 20 are a hybrid (both grantmaking and operating foundations) and 11 are community foundations. Geographic scope of grantmaking is: 32% international, 17% national, 28% multiple states / counties or cities, 16% state, 5% county and 2% city.
Salary Data for Foundations
The Croner Company brings together specialists in the field of compensation for foundations and other nonprofits with expertise in conducting professional compensation surveys.
2020 Croner Compensation Survey of Foundations Position Grids
CSF Survey – Sample Executive Level Compensation Data
CSF Survey – Sample Staff Level Compensation Data
List of Survey Participants
2020 Participant Foundations
(Bold=Sponsors)
A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Annenberg Foundation
Archstone Foundation
Arnold Ventures
Bainum Family Foundation
Barr Foundation
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Blandin Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation
Bush Foundation
California Healthcare Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Casey Family Foundation
Central Indian Community Foundation
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative LLC
Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
ClimateWorks Foundation
College Futures Foundation
Community Foundation of New Jersey
Connecticut Health Foundation
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Dogwood Health Trust
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Echidna Giving
Episcopal Health Foundation
Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Fidelity Foundation
Ford Foundation
Foundation for a Just Society
Foundation for the Carolinas
Frey Foundation
GHR Foundation
Goldman Environmental Foundation
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Great Lakes Protection Fund
Greater Texas Foundation
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Headwaters Foundation
Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
Health Foundation of Western & Central New York
Healthcare Georgia Foundation
Heising-Simons Foundation
Helios Education Foundation
Houston Endowment, Inc.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Humanity United
J. Paul Getty Trust
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
Jim Joseph Foundation
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
John Templeton Foundation
The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
King Philanthropies
Lisa & Douglas Goldman Foundation
Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health
Lumina Foundation
M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies
Marin Community Foundation
May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust
McKnight Foundation
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Montana Healthcare Foundation
Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
Muriel McBrien Kauffman Foundation
Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust
Nobel Research Institute, LLC
Open Philanthropy Project
Open Society Foundations
Otto Bremer Foundation
Overdeck Family Foundation
Paso Del Norte Health Foundation
Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
Pisces Foundation
Pivotal Ventures
Pohlad Family Foundation
Polk Brothers Foundation
Rasmuson Foundation
REACH Healthcare Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Robertson Foundation
Rockefeller Brothers Fund Inc
Russell Sage Foundation
S.H. Cowell Foundation
Santa Barbara Foundation
Sierra Health Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Simons Foundation
Skoll Foundation
Sobrato Family Foundation
St. David's Foundation
Stuart Foundation
T.L.L. Temple Foundation
The Ahmanson Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The California Endowment
The California Wellness Foundation
The Columbus Foundation
The Commonwealth Fund
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The Duke Endowment
The Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation
The Ford Family Foundation
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.
The Heinz Endowments
The Henry Luce Foundation, Inc.
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation
The Joyce Foundation
The JPB Foundation
The Kresge Foundation
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Libra Foundation
The McConnell Foundation
The Meadows Foundation, Inc.
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
The Rapides Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rose Hills Foundation
The Russell Family Foundation
The San Diego Foundation
The Spencer Foundation
The Wallace Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
UniHealth Foundation
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
Water Foundation
Weingart Foundation
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
Wyandotte Health Foundation
Wyoming Community Foundation
Sponsorship Level
The Survey's Sponsors ensure, through their financial support, that the Survey remains a robust, reliable, annually published compensation and benefits resource for the sector. In appreciation for their commitment to the Survey, Sponsors receive additional benefits. The Sponsor level of participation includes:
Custom Report of selected comparison foundations
Invitation to the annual Survey Planning Meeting to help determine the Survey's content and to engage in round table discussions and networking
Electronic Survey results in Microsoft Excel
Login and access to the secure Survey web portal (for reports, materials and data queries by position)
Recognition in the Full Report of Results as a Sponsor and throughout the Survey season
The 2021 Sponsor Fee is $6,000.
The following foundations chose to elevate their participant status in 2019 and share in the funding of this valued data resource for the entire private foundation sector:
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
Annenberg Foundation
Bainum Family Foundation
Barr Foundation
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation
California Health Care Foundation
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
ClimateWorks Foundation
College Futures Foundation
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Fidelity Foundation
Ford Foundation
Foundation for the Carolinas
GHR Foundation
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Heising-Simons Foundation
J. Paul Getty Trust
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies
Marin Community Foundation
McKnight Foundation
Open Philanthropy Project
Open Society Foundations
Simons Foundation
Skoll Foundation
Stuart Foundation
The Ahmanson Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The California Endowment
The California Wellness Foundation
The Commonwealth Fund
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The Duke Endowment
The Ford Family Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation
The JPB Foundation
The Kresge Foundation
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
Walton Family Foundation
Weingart Foundation
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
Position Grids & Job Families Reported
View the 2020 Job Families and complete list of Positions covered in the Survey here: 2020 Croner Compensation Survey of Foundations Position Grids
Job Families:
Executives
Program
Program - Grantmaking and Community Outreach
Program / Project Management
Grants Management
Public Policy
Evaluation
Research
Library
Knowledge Management / Learning
Data and Analytics
Communications
Writing / Editing
Multimedia Production
Website
Convening / Event Planning
Convening / Events Planning
Audio / Visual Engineering
Investment Management
Investment Accounting
Social Investments
Office of the CEO
Finance / Accounting
Financial Analysis
Tax
Payroll
Legal
Human Resources
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Compensation and Benefits
Administration
Project Management
Facilities
Information Technology
System Administration
Business Systems Analysis
Information Technology Project Management
CRM Administrator
Development
Donor Service
Events
Scholarship
Gift Planning
Position Data Reported
For Staff Positions:
FLSA Status
Degree of Match
Prevalence of Incentives
Most Prevalent Level of Education Reported
Years Employed by Foundation
Years in Position
Number of Direct Reports
Annual Salary
Annual Cash Incentives / Bonuses
Annual Total Cash
Estimated Total Compensation
CSF Survey - Sample Staff Level Compensation Data
For Executive Positions:
Officer Status
Senior Leadership Team
Degree of Match
Prevalence of Incentives
Most Prevalent Level of Education Reported
Years Employed by Foundation
Years in Position
Number of Direct Reports
Annual Salary
Annual Cash Incentives / Bonuses
Annual Total Cash
Estimated Total Compensation
Benefits/Perquisites Data
Medical/Dental/Vision
Life Insurance
Retirement
Deferred Compensation Plan
Short-Term Disability
Long-Term Disability
Long-Term Care
Automobile Allowance
Housing Allowance
Entertainment Allowance
Country Club/Social Club Membership
Prevalence of Executive Practices
% of Foundations Offering Sabbaticals
% of Foundations with Written Employment Contract including Severance Agreement
% of Foundations with Written Employment Contract excluding Severance Agreement
% of Foundations with Stand-Alone Severance Agreements
% of Foundations with Discretionary Grantmaking
CSF Survey - Sample Executive Level Compensation Data
Survey Differentials - Cuts Reported by Position:
Asset Category
Asset Sub-Category
Workforce Size Category
Grants Paid Category
U.S. Region
Metropolitan Area
Policies and Practices Data Reported
Demographics
Focus Areas of Grant Making
Mission-Driven Investments
Year-end Financials
Year-end Grants Payment and Volume
Employee Population Information and Ratios
Work Week Hours
Most Pressing Issues
Salary Administration
Targeted Market Position
Job Descriptions
Salary Ranges / Structures
Frequency of Salary Ranges / Structures Reviews
Frequency of Market Reviews
Types of Salary Increase Budgets / Current and Projected Salary Increase Budgets
Timing of Salary Increases
Cash Incentives and Bonuses
Prevalence of Incentives and Bonuses
Prevalence by Type of Plan
Award Amount by Type of Plan
Benefits
Foundation Paid Benefits as Percentage of Salaries / Average Costs Per Employee
Benefit Cost Sharing
Health Plans - Prevalence and Special Policies / Practices
Disability Plans - Prevalence and Maximum Coverage
Life Insurance and AD&D - Prevalence and Coverage
Retirement Plans - Prevalence and Annual Contributions
Retiree Benefits
Other Paid Benefits
Paid Time Off
Other Paid Time Off and Unpaid Leaves
Tuition Reimbursement
Discretionary Grants
Matching Gifts
Work-Life Benefits
Board of Directors / Trustees
Board Size and Terms
Board Committees
Board Service / Meetings
Oversight of Board Compensation
Annual Retainers / Meeting Fees
Total Average Annual Cash Compensation per Director
Annual Chair Differentials
Non-Board Committee Members
Governance Policies
D&O Liability Insurance
Discretionary Grants and Matching Gifts
Board Expense Reimbursement Policies
Board-Related Administrative Costs
Survey Schedule
2021 Survey Planning Meeting for Sponsors: March 2021
Questionnaire Distribution: April
Data Effective Date: May 1
Questionnaire Completion Deadline: May 15
Full Report of Results Published: Late September
Review of Results Webinar: October
Eligibility Requirements to Participate
General eligibility criteria for your foundation to participate are $100 million in assets and/or a minimum of 10 employees.
Please contact Laurie Krashanoff at (415) 485-5521 or email us at info@croner.biz.
Participation Fee
The 2021 Fee for Participants / Non-Sponsors Is $850.
All survey participants receive a pdf version of the Report of Results when the results are published. The Report of Results (pdf) provides, in table format, the Compensation Data results for each survey position and the Policies and Practices results by foundation asset size category.
To Purchase Survey Results as a Non-Participating Foundation:
There are two purchase options to purchase the current published Report of Results without having participated in the Survey.
Purchase Option #1
For foundations that meet the participation criteria and commit to participate in the subsequent year Survey, the fee to purchase the 2019 Report of Results is $3,000. Commitment to participate in the subsequent year Survey is required. General eligibility criteria for your foundation to participate are $100 million in assets and/or a minimum of 10 employees.
Purchase Option #2
If your foundation does not meet the minimum participation criteria, the fee to purchase the 2019 Report of Results is $6,000.
Confidentiality
The Croner Company conducts this Survey as an independent third party to ensure the confidentiality and consistency of the data provided. All data are held in strict confidence and are reported only in summary form. No attribution is made to any specific data from any participating organization. The Croner Company aggregates data using DOJ "Safe Harbor Guidelines" to ensure full regulatory compliance of the Survey report. All participants are required to sign an agreement that confirms they will abide by our confidentiality standards.