Free kit · Board and governance
Executive Director Compensation Review Worksheet: free compensation review template in Word, Excel and PDF
Set your executive director's pay in six weeks, with a record you can defend. The compensation committee logs comparable organizations from their Form 990s, compares the whole package rather than the salary line, and writes the decision down at the time. The executive director gets a page to prepare for the pay conversation, and the Excel workbook does the math.
Word, Excel and PDF · 8 pages · For compensation committees and executive directors
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What is inside
- Comparables log. Eight to twelve comparable organizations from their Form 990s, with pay brought up to this year, and at least one salary survey.
- Total compensation worksheet. Current and proposed pay, line by line, from base salary to benefits, set against the range and median of the comparables.
- Board decision record. The three checks the IRS describes – approved in advance without a conflict, based on comparable data, written down at the time – and the record of the vote.
- Pay conversation prep. For the executive director: five questions to answer before the pay conversation and four rules for the room.
How to use it
- Week 1: the committee confirms no member has a conflict of interest and asks the executive director for current figures.
- Weeks 1 to 2: the committee logs comparables in Form A while the executive director prepares with Form D.
- Week 3: the committee sets proposed pay against the comparables in Form B.
- Weeks 3 to 4: the pay conversation, at least a week after the evaluation meeting, then the vote with the executive director out of the room.
- Weeks 4 to 8: the board secretary writes Form C and the minutes before the next board meeting or within 60 days of the vote, whichever is later.
Not legal or tax advice. This kit follows the process the IRS describes for setting executive pay at public charities (Treasury Regulation section 53.4958-6). It is general guidance. Private foundations and some states follow other rules: have your counsel or accountant review your process, above all when the pay you approve is above the range of your comparables.
Questions
Is the kit free?
Yes. Enter your name, email and organization once, and every kit in the library opens on this browser.
Can I edit it?
Yes. The Word and Excel files are fully editable: replace the example figures in the workbook with your own, add up to twelve comparables and change the rows of the pay package to match yours.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs; the tables and ruled lines carry over.
Can I share it inside my organization?
Yes. Copy it, adapt it and share it with your board and staff.
Read the guide
More kits for boards
Executive Director Evaluation KitForms, a calendar and a development plan for one annual review
Conflict of Interest Policy and Disclosure FormA policy based on the IRS sample, an annual disclosure statement and the minutes for a member who steps out
Board Resolution TemplatesA blank resolution, samples for bank signers, the budget, pay and policies, and a resolution register
With pay, the numbers are rarely where it goes wrong. The conversation is. A coach helps the executive director make the case for a year of results without underselling it, and leave with a date for the next review.
Six sessions of executive coaching: $300, $400 or $600, set by your organization's yearly operating expenses.
