Was curious about the foundation I donate to. Turns out about 80% of the donations go to pay the executive director…

  • oce 🐆@jlai.lu
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    3 days ago

    Checking the Electronic Frontier Foundation Inc, my cool t-shirts provider. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43091431

    Revenue $17,954,838
    92.7% from contributions
    7.4% goes to Executive Compensation with the top earner being for Cindy Cohn (Executive Director) $336k, 58% to other salaries.

    7% doesn’t seem too bad, but I still wonder if an international free web defending non-profits requires being in SF, one of the most expensive cities in the world. It could probably move to a normal city and cut compensations cost by 2 or 3.

    Similar situation for the Wikimedia Foundation Org https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/200049703.

    • DantesFreezer@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      Yo, compensation doesn’t matter.

      Outcome per dollar matters.

      Hiring people at starvation wages may work, or hiring more expensive cream of the crop may work. What I care about when I’m donating is “did my dollars accomplish what I wanted?” And “could my dollars have done more for the cause elsewhere?”

      If people are making the world better and have nice office furniture I don’t really begrudge them that.

    • stelelor@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      Yeah, Wikimedia is disappointing… The CEO makes over $500k and there are half a dozen other people who each make over $300k. I am seriously reconsidering my monthly donation to them. I love Wikipedia with all my heart, but it looks like my money would go further if I donated to the Internet Archive instead.

      • rothaine@lemm.ee
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        2 days ago

        Wikimedia is a big organization though, right? $500k doesn’t seem too outrageous considering the scope.

    • Ajen@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      That seems like a much lower salary than they would get running a for-profit tech company, though. Moving out of SF would also make it harder to hire people with a lot of experience in tech.

      • oce 🐆@jlai.lu
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        2 days ago

        Isn’t it obvious that people working at a for profit company would earn much more?
        We are not in the 2000’ anymore, there are people with 30 years of experience in tech in many other places. Furthermore, internet nonprofit could champion remote working.