2026 Compensation & Benefits Survey

Why fair pay matters

Attracting and keeping talented nonprofit professionals has never been more important — or more challenging. Fair, competitive pay is one of the most powerful tools organizations have to recruit and retain mission-driven employees.

• Attract top talent. In today’s job market, candidates compare nonprofit and for-profit roles side by side. Competitive pay helps your organization stand out.
• Retain institutional knowledge. Staff turnover costs time, money, and continuity. Competitive compensation supports stability and long-term impact.
• Promote equity and trust. Transparent, data-informed pay decisions build confidence and morale across teams.

A 2023 review of workforce retention research found that “compensation is one of the most important factors affecting employee retention — organizations can improve retention by offering competitive compensation packages.” (Scientific Research Publishing, 2023)

Likewise, a CUPA-HR study found that employees who believe they’re paid fairly are significantly less likely to seek other employment. For nonprofits, fair pay is not just an HR issue — it’s a mission issue.

What You’ll Gain

MNA members who take the survey will receive the 2026 Nonprofit Compensation & Benefits Report free of charge. Not a member? You can still take the survey and get the final report for a discounted price of $75 (but you should probably become a member!). MNA members who don’t take the survey can purchase the report for $75. For all others, the report will be available for $150.

The report includes:

• Regional benchmarking for salaries, benefits, and non-monetary perks
• Filters by state, organization size, and job category
• Insights into pay ranges, benefits packages, and compensation philosophies
• Data-driven tools to support fair and informed pay practices

Your Participation Builds a Stronger Sector

How It Works

• One person per organization (usually your Executive Director or HR lead) should complete the survey
• Estimated time: 30–45 minutes
• You can pause and return later — your progress will be saved

By contributing your organization’s data, you’re helping create a clearer, more accurate picture of nonprofit compensation across Montana and the region. This report becomes a shared resource for all — supporting advocacy, fairness, and sustainability for the nonprofit workforce.

Join us in shaping a stronger, more equitable nonprofit sector.

Survey Preparation Checklist

1. Download the Employment Category Descriptions to confirm your position titles align with standardized position descriptions. This ensures that salaries can be accurately compared across the survey.
2. Most organizations will complete the survey in 30–45 minutes. Larger organizations with many positions may take longer.
3. Use the checklist below to gather the information you need before beginning. Having this data ready will help you complete the survey efficiently.
4. We recommend that your Executive Director, HR Manager, or Finance Lead be the primary respondent.

General Organization Information

• Employer Identification Number (EIN)
• Current annual operating budget
• Total number of employees:
  • Full-time (FT) last year and this year
  • Part-time (PT) last year and this year
  • Net staffing changes over the past year

Compensation & Staffing

• Annual gross wages (total salary/wage line from your current fiscal year budget)
• Average percent increase in employee salaries at each level (entry, mid, executive)
• Cost of employee benefits (excluding payroll taxes and workers’ compensation)
• List of types of additional compensation offered (e.g., cash-in-lieu, bonuses, parental leave, stipends, etc.)

Retention & Recruitment

• Description of current staff retention challenges, if applicable
• Kinds of open positions (entry-level, mid-level, executive)
• Actions taken to retain or attract staff (e.g., increased benefits, flexible schedules, pay adjustments)

Employee Benefits

Gather details and eligibility information for the following benefit types:

• Group health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and/or disability insurance
• Retirement plans (including employer match policies)
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and/or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Paid family or medical leave policies
• Any additional paid parental leave or caregiver leave policies

Paid Time Off (PTO) Policies

• Annual vacation or leave accrual schedule
• PTO carryover or rollover limits
• Holidays offered per year
• Number of paid days by length of service (e.g., after 1, 5, 10 years)
• PTO eligibility for part-time employees

Position-Specific Data

For each job title or position included in the survey, be ready to provide:

• Average number of hours worked per week
• Average annual salary or hourly rate (converted to annual equivalent using 2,080 hours for a 40-hour work week)
• Average salary for all employees in that job category (if more than one person holds the same role)

? Tip: Round all wage calculations to the nearest cent for consistency across data.

Before You Begin

• The survey is hosted on a secure Qualtrics platform.
• You can save your progress and return later if needed.
• Be sure only one person per organization completes the survey to avoid duplication.
• Not sure if your organization has taken the survey? Because the survey is administered by a third party, MNA does not have immediate access to a list of participants. However, if you contact us we can request a list of participating organizations.