NAB Launches Nonprofit Salary Setting Toolkit
The Nonprofit Alliance of Bermuda [NAB] has released a new Toolkit for Setting Nonprofit Salaries in Bermuda, highlighting “growing workforce pressures across the sector and the need for more consistent, transparent, and sustainable compensation practices.”
A spokesperson said, “The guidance is grounded in findings from the 2026 NAB Workforce Survey, which shows that many Bermuda nonprofits operate with lean staffing models while delivering complex, high-impact services requiring professional expertise, regulatory compliance, and public accountability. The findings also reinforce a consistent international trend: nonprofit salaries lag behind public sector compensation, particularly for executive and specialist roles—creating risks for recruitment, retention, and organisational continuity.
“For example, Clinical Directors earn an average of $140,000 in the public sector compared with $110,000 in nonprofits, while Social Workers and Counsellors earn $117,000 compared with $61,000 in the nonprofit sector. These disparities create substantial recruitment and retention challenges for organisations delivering essential community services.
“Developed using findings from the 2026 Survey and informed by international benchmarking research, the toolkit provides practical guidance to help nonprofit boards and leaders make fair, transparent, data-informed, and financially responsible compensation decisions that can support sustainable nonprofit recruitment and retention. Importantly, the toolkit is not intended to encourage excessive spending or compensation practices that exceed an organisation’s means. Rather, it emphasises financial sustainability, sound governance, and phased organisational growth as key principles for workforce investment.
“The toolkit provides a structured framework for nonprofit boards and leaders to:
- Establish clear and defensible compensation approaches
- Benchmark roles against relevant labour market data
- Balance financial sustainability with workforce competitiveness
- Strengthen governance, transparency, and documentation practices
“The Alliance hopes the resource will support boards, funders, nonprofit leaders, and the wider community in fostering more balanced, informed, and sustainable conversations about attracting and retaining talent within Bermuda’s charitable sector.”
“Nonprofits are expected to meet high standards of oversight, compliance, and accountability while addressing some of Bermuda’s most pressing social challenges,” said Nicola Paugh, Executive Director of NAB. “That requires qualified and stable staff. The toolkit is designed to help boards make informed, transparent compensation decisions while advocating for the resources needed to sustain a strong nonprofit workforce.”
A spokesperson added, “Recent omnibus survey data commissioned by NAB shows that a majority—and a growing number— of Bermuda residents have trust and confidence in nonprofits [65%, up from 59% in 2023]. However, where trust is lower, it is often linked to concerns about effectiveness, management, and financial oversight. This underscores that public confidence is closely tied to organisational capability—and the resourcing required to sustain it.
“Strengthening compensation practices is a critical component of building a resilient, well-governed nonprofit sector and aligns with emerging international trends toward greater pay transparency and accountability. The Toolkit for Setting Nonprofit Salaries in Bermuda is now available online.”
