I was shocked and saddened to read the headline and article in The N&O about excessive compensation paid to non-profit CEOs. At worst, this issue seems limited to a very small minority of organizations. The N.C. Center for Non-Profits or the United Way of the Greater Triangle would indicate that the majority of non-profits pay far less to their leaders than the few excessive cases you mention in the article. Most of us are in our jobs because we are passionate about our mission, not for personal gain.
The timing of your article was most unfortunate. This is the season when non-profits depend on year-end gifts to help cover a large part of their budgets. After they read your article, I'm afraid people will think their money will be going to line pockets instead of feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, assisting the sick and, in general, helping people in need. Most non-profits are mission-driven, not profit-driven. And the few that are profit-driven need to be investigated. However, they are clearly the exception.
We at Urban Ministries are grateful to the Wake County community that has shown an outpouring of support for our economically disadvantaged clients, especially in this down economy. We return 94 cents of every dollar back into direct services for our clients. Our total administrative overhead is 6 percent.
