Have you ever stayed in a job you’re passionate about, even though you know you could earn significantly more in another sector? This is a common reality for professionals in the NGO and charity space. They trade in the possibility of a larger salary for their passion to contribute to positive social impact. While this mahi / work is deeply rewarding on a personal level, it often comes at a high cost—especially when it comes to salaries.
Nonprofit salaries often need to be more consistent and reflect the true value of the skills, responsibilities, and experience required. For many NGOs, pay levels are based on outdated salary structures or benchmarks that don’t keep up with the sector’s demands. Trustees, in particular, can be hesitant to offer competitive wages, often worried about how funders or the public will perceive salaries, or how they compare to their own. This is especially prevalent when discussing leadership roles, where NGO leaders can face pressure to accept lower pay in the name of maintaining the organisation’s image. The result? Stagnant wages across the board, and a reluctance to have much-needed conversations around fair compensation.
The impact of this reluctance is particularly evident in smaller charities, where many NGOs need more formal systems for performance reviews, training, or professional development. With these structures, it becomes easier for leaders and staff to negotiate fair pay or map out their career growth. As a result, many NGO leaders end up taking on multiple roles within their organisation, handling everything from operations to marketing, often well beyond what’s outlined in their job descriptions.
The typical NGO leader is juggling far more than just leadership responsibilities. It’s not uncommon for them to work 50-60 hours per week, despite being contracted for 37.5 hours. And when they get home, the mahi / work doesn’t stop. Whether it’s preparing grant applications, organising and attending events, responding to endless streams of emails, or keeping funders and donors happy, the workload continues well beyond office hours. This workload, paired with lower salaries, can take a significant toll on the wellbeing of these dedicated leaders, and is a contributing factor in burnout.
Despite these challenges, discussing pay in the nonprofit sector remains an uncomfortable topic. Many NGO professionals find it hard to advocate for fair wages, particularly when they’re constantly reminded that their communities often face far worse hardships. This comparison makes it easy to downplay their own struggles and accept being underpaid. But being passionate about your mahi / work doesn’t mean you should accept being undervalued.
If the NGO sector truly valued the dedication, leadership, and expertise that nonprofit leaders bring to the table, compensation structures would look very different. Paying people fairly is not just about salaries; it’s about recognising the immense contribution they make to society. It’s about acknowledging that passion and purpose don’t pay the bills. We must address the compensation issue head-on to keep attracting and retaining talented leaders.
When NGO leaders are underpaid, the ripple effect extends far beyond their personal finances. It affects the organisation’s ability to grow, innovate, and deliver on its mission. A leader who is overworked and underpaid is more likely to burn out, which in turn leads to turnover and instability. This constant leadership churn impacts the organisation’s effectiveness, making it harder to build relationships with funders, stakeholders, and the communities they serve.
The question we should be asking is: how can we expect our NGO leaders to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges if we don’t give them the support, resources, and compensation they need to thrive? We must stop treating nonprofit mahi / work as something that doesn’t deserve competitive pay. If we want to see long-term impact in the sector, we must start valuing the people driving that impact.
It’s time to rethink how we approach compensation in the nonprofit sector. Pay isn’t just a financial transaction—it reflects the value we place on our NGO leaders and their contributions. If we fail to recognise them, we risk losing some of our most passionate, talented, and driven leaders. And if that happens, what kind of sector will we have left?
So, what’s the solution? It starts with open conversations. Trustees and boards must be willing to address the topic of fair pay without the fear of public perception. They must recognise that competitive wages don’t detract from the organisation’s mission—they improve it by allowing the best leaders to stay focused, engaged, and passionate about the mahi / work they do.
Isn’t it time we started treating those who dedicate their lives to social impact with the respect—and pay—they deserve? Let’s ensure that the leaders who are committed to creating a better world are compensated fairly for their invaluable contributions.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.