Consider that the people holding some of these jobs could make MUCH more in the for profit sector.
If you want someone to head an organization like the Red Cross or United Way, who can do the job properly, then you are probably going to have to pay them fairly decent salaries. Otherwise, you're going to get someone without the education and experience to do the job well. There can also be an issue of having the contacts in the business & political world to head up an agency of this type.
Also, remember that 200k or 300k is not the same in every part of the country.
Frankly, if you paid someone 150k to head one of these organizations, you're going to get someone who doesn't have the necessary qualifications.
It's sort of like finding someone to manage the local corner market or someone to head up the
Wal-mart empire. You want someone that can handle the kind of things involved in big business (or big charity) then you are going to have to pay for it. Otherwise, you'll get someone who just finished their MBA at the corner college but doesn't have real life experience.
The Red Cross has a $3.4 BILLION expenditure per year. I'd say that less than a half million a year for a CEO who can handle that job is probably a bargain. Total administrative expenses is only 4.4%.
World Vision has $1.1 Billion in expenses. Administrative expenses are under 5% -- pretty low.
United Way Worldwide (which is just one portion of United Way) has $57.6 million / yr annual expenses. At 12.4% administrative expenses, this is a bit higher. If the pres / ceo is making (in the range of) a million bucks a year as Snopes states, then this one does bear examination. [It's hard to know why they included this one in the list. It's not even remotely in the same class as the other charities listed in the e-mail, as far as $ handled goes.)
The US Fund for UNICEF is about $483 million in expenditures per year. Administrative expenses are a MEASLY 2.5%. Virtually nothing as far as these things go. I'd say their CEO is probably a bargain, even if he is making in the 400k-500k range.
All figures are from Charity Navigator's stats, which you are welcome to look at - CharityNavigator.org
Do you really think you'd find someone with the ability to handle billion dollar (or 3 billion dollar) organization for 200k a year? It's just not likely...possible, but not likely...
but, the Red Cross was the group that stepped in for my S.O.'s house burned down this year. They got the family going with some emergency provisions and shelter until they could get some compensation through their insurance. So I guess I can overlook their archaic blood donation policies this year.
