Won't donate again
Posted by JoeCal  |  November 18, 2009 11:05:08 AM

I have donated to NRDC in the past but seeing the salary of their CEO, i can't in good conscience donate again. I feel now that my donations in the past have gone directly into her bloated salary. Do you realize that every year the first 10,000 people that donate $30 not a penny goes to anything other than her salary? And that does not even count the other upper management personel making, in my opinion, way too much, that are not listed here?

Reality check
Posted by lkregula  |  October 27, 2009 12:43:37 PM

Yes, 300K is a *lot*, but other charities pay an order of magnitude higher salaries (Children's Miracle Network pays 1.6M to an emeritus adviser, e.g.)

I give more to smaller orgs like CBD
Posted by fotobill3  |  August 25, 2009 6:29:19 AM

I want NRDC to be able to say it has a lot of members, and I want their newsletter, so I'll continue as a member, but just at the minimum level.

Orgs with budgets in the hundreds of millions don't notice my modest contribution. I am giving more to fewer and much smaller orgs. My favorite charity is the Center for Biological Diversity - more bang for the buck, and no salaries in six figures. They get amazing results with a total budget of just $6 MIL or so!

Get over it
Posted by FL George  |  August 20, 2009 6:17:56 AM

I can not comprehend the number of individuals who whine about the salary’s of CEO’s for these large environmental organizations. These individuals are highly qualified and are presented with enormous challenges that most people will never have to go through. Let’s just be fair, if these individuals were working in the private sector their salaries would be significantly higher. So YES, they are taking a pay cut to run these non-profits. But no, they are not going to do a job which carries challenges and burdens for the same amount of money that many people earn with a lot less responsibility. Do you want some Average Joe running organizations that charged with raising millions of dollars a year for environmental causes which benefit all of us? If not, shut up already.

over poaid ceo
Posted by z man  |  August 12, 2009 6:24:40 AM

i too decided not to contribute although i really wanted to after i saw the compensation to this ceo. i have a form letter already made out and when i get a request asking for contributions, and when i see salaries such as this, their ceo gets the letter. GIVE IT UP and get compensated and live the way the majority of your contibutors have to live on

CEO salaries and fact checking
Posted by Dorothy  |  July 30, 2009 8:03:20 AM

I, too, dislike seeing someone getting a salary that is so much greater than my own. (But then, I'd never want to be a CEO. I've been in management with a small salary, way too much responsibility attached, and don't want to go there again.)

I am troubled that no one seems to have compared similar organizations and the % of CEO salary to other expenses. Also, no one seems to have done the very superficial research to discover that Frances Beinecke is a woman.

I have not donated to this charity yet, but may...after I finish researching and getting all the facts.

Overpaid CEO
Posted by Thais  |  July 17, 2009 7:14:29 AM

I agree with most people who are upset over the amazing salaries that nonprofit CEOs are making. I have supported NRDC for some years but, due to financial restraints now, am very reluctant to renew this year. I believe that NRDC is an excellent organization if you care about the environment, and they don't burden members with additional fundraising appeals. However, the CEO salary issue does resonate in this time of economic instability. With folks losing their jobs and/or their homes, all the justification for a huge salary based on good math just doesn't cut it. And I think that some CEOs will "get it" and make adjustments. Time will tell. I wish NRDC the best.

CEO salary
Posted by IDF  |  July 16, 2009 2:29:42 PM

I have the same experience as others. I wanted to send some contribution for good sake, was very happy with 4* but than scrolled to CEO salary and got cold feet. I am on multiple times less income, so why should I contribute to his salary? I think people should wake up and charities should employ people who care more about targets and less about their salaries.

Overpaid CEO Salary
Posted by tony nguyen  |  June 10, 2009 5:57:52 AM

I was ready to write check for donation, and I went on to look at the CEO salary. Wow. . . in this current crisis we all keep trying to support our cause, but this is too much to understand. Sorry... until NRDC get back in reality.

nrdc expenses
Posted by gmolloy  |  March 27, 2009 1:38:46 PM

I am contributing this time;however, it is unlikely that I will contribute in the future unless you get your program effiency above 80%.

pay for NRDC CEO
Posted by consultrm  |  March 20, 2009 5:53:44 AM

I tire of hearing justifications for these salaries utilizing other examples of high salaries. Along the same old tired line, "if we don't pay these high salaries, we'll lose them". It is clear that the majority of American CEO's are mediocre to greedily inept at caring for their companies. I am not inferring this is the case with Mr. Bienecke since I do not have any data suggesting it. But CEO salaries and perqs are generally too high across the board

High CEO Salary
Posted by L**2  |  March 20, 2009 5:53:10 AM

I strongly support the goals of the NRDC. However, I must agree with those expressing concern with the salary of CEO Frances Beinecke. If the NRDC were a for-profit corporation, perhaps such a salary would be justified. But the NRDC isn't a corporation. It's purpose is supposed to be altruistic. As such, the salary of the CEO shouldn't be so high. I stopped supporting the Defenders of Wildlife for the same reason.

Respectfully disagree
Posted by Christina  |  March 17, 2009 11:46:47 AM

Respectfully, I submit that I disagree quite strenuously with George 77 characterization of the NRDC's "slamming" Bush and Palin. The NRDC, and virtually every other organization concerned with wildlife, flora and fauna concur that the practices allowed under the Bush presidency and Palin governorship have had, and continue to have, disastrous effects on our natural environment. If telling the truth is "slamming" then so be it, they were slammed. But the appeal from the NRDC to stop aerial killing was merely dramatizing the ugly truth - which would be just as ugly without the drama.

CEO's salaries.
Posted by bjogb  |  March 16, 2009 12:19:53 PM

I'm so tired of hearing how CEO's are justified receiving such huge salaries because they could command more elsewhere. So let them go! That's what's wrong with this country, people are getting paid far more than than any individual could possibly fairly earn.

Polar Bear SOS
Posted by george 77  |  March 10, 2009 5:46:42 AM

The request for money relating to Polar Bears I received to day the dumbest ever!! Slamming Palin and Pres Bush was totally uncalled for. Will also tell my Senator Ken Salazar how I feel.

executive pay and mission
Posted by bradkin  |  February 6, 2009 7:21:01 AM

The two previous comments have voiced problems with the executive salary. It is not at all excessive here. Mr. Beinecke's salary is .45% of the annual budget as compared to other similar organizations, whose executives gross somewhat less, but whose salaries make up.96% or more of their respective annual budgets (Defenders of Wildlife; EarthJustice; etc.). The large, complex organization that is the NRDC needs a highly qualified executive and the pay is actually low! In fact, it is way less than a for-profit company's exec. would get in a comparable size organization. The four star rating that this organization receives reflects good stewardship of its resources and faithfulness to its mission.

membership request
Posted by stl1  |  February 2, 2009 11:50:03 AM

I was going to join this organisation because their appeal to stop the war on wolves was important to me. However, after learning that the organisation's CEO Frances Beinecke receives over $300,000 dollars salary (almost as much as the President of the United States), I decided to not join until this salary is lowered. I will however send in the requested Petition of Protest.

Over Paid CEO
Posted by ricefly  |  January 30, 2009 6:37:31 AM

As long as Frances Beinecke gets a salary of over $300,000.00/ Yr. you do not need additional funding. Thanks but NO thanks!