Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions about the NGO Local Pay survey.  If you do not find the answer to your question below, please contact us, and we would be happy to assist you.

  1. Will the focus of the report be on understanding a single country market, or making comparisons between different countries?
    The survey reports are focused on a single country.  However, a consistent methodology is used in all of the surveys, so the content in each country will be comparable. 
  2. What will be the Return on my Investment of US$595 in the survey, apart from the data?
    Click here for Return on Investment information.
  3. What data is actually collected – salary scales or actual salaries paid to staff?
    We will collect salary scales, and the average actual rate for each position. 
  4. We have so many different allowances and benefits in some countries. Will you be looking at salaries only or at the whole reward package?
    The survey covers base salary, plus all non-salary elements of compensation, whether paid in cash or in-kind.  For example, we value food and beverages, recreational activities, housing and transport assistance, subsidized loans, etc. 
  5. How do you ensure that the job matching is done accurately?
    Accurate job matching is the single most important aspect of a survey.  If the matches are incorrect, all of the data is wrong as well.  We ensure that the matching is accurate through our data collection interview process, where our survey specialists interview each participant. 
  6. How much time is required to participate in the survey?
    Participation requires a minimum effort on your part. No paper to fill out – data is collected over the telephone.   A limited amount of data is collected, and our staff does all of the job matching for you!  It usually takes 90 minutes or less. 
  7. Is there a minimum number staff needed to participate?
    No.  Organizations of any size can participate. However, we require a minimum of 15 local staff to count an organization towards the threshold for launching a survey.  This is because experience informs us that organizations with 15 or more local staff are better benchmarks for survey purposes.
  8. How is the NGO Local Pay survey different from other surveys?  We’ve already participated in some surveys this year – what is the added value of this one?
    We understand that there are many surveys out there, and sometimes it seems they all do the same thing.  NGO Local Pay is different in several ways:

    • A survey shaped and led by a steering group of INGO members.
    • Educational webinars and tools to help you apply the data accurately.
    • A consistent approach across all countries using a methodology that has been tested in over 140 countries globally.  
    •  A comprehensive survey containing all of the key elements of compensation, including many that are overlooked by other survey providers.  
    • The confidence and security of using third-party experts, saving you time and ensuring confidentiality and high-quality results. 
    • State-of-the-art technology to manage the survey data, with options for both local, regional, and headquarters access from the same datasets.
  9. Will this survey provide us with any benchmarking for internationally recruited positions?
    The NGO Local Pay survey data is limited to locally engaged staff.  However, we offer a companion survey, NGO Global Pay, which covers internationally-recruited positions at headquarters and in the field.
  10. What will the survey outputs look like? Do you have some samples?
    Yes. Sample Reports can be downloaded here. 
  11. I know some other organizations that would benefit from participation in my country? Can they join, too?
    Absolutely!  We would be happy to invite them – there is a place to provide their contact information on the registration form.  Or you can mention it to them and give them our contact information. 
  12. How much does survey participation cost?
    The cost for NGO Local Pay surveys is:

    1. US$595 per country  for NGOs
    2. US$1,000 per country  for Commercial Development Organizations
  13. The NGO Local Pay survey for my country is not yet available.  When will you be adding more countries?
    We plan to keep expanding the survey to address the needs of the sector; so, it will respond to demand. The best way to ensure your country gets added is to register now.If you need immediate access to data in your country, Birches Group offers multi-sector surveys that could meet your needs, including assistance to interpret the data properly for the NGO sector.  Contact us for more information.
  14. Who should serve as a survey respondent?
    The survey respondent or Local Data Contact should be the person who actually submits the registration form.  This will be the person who provided your organization’s data to the survey.  The survey respondent will be asked to participate in a 60 to 90 minute phone interview with the Birches Group. 
  15. How will I know that my registration has been processed?
    You will receive a confirmation email within 7 days of registering for the NGO Local Pay surveys. 
  16. How should I prepare for the interview with the analyst from the Birches Group?
    We suggest you download the Salary Survey Interview Guide and look it over in advance of the interview.  It contains the information you need about what to expect during the interview. 
  17. Whom should I contact if I have questions about the registration process?
    Please email us using the Contact Us form. 
  18. I’ve participated in the survey, and received an email indicating the report would be delivered on a certain date. I did not receive it. Whom should I contact?
    Please check the survey status page on the website.  This page should indicate when the survey results have been distributed.  If it is past the date indicated on the website, and you still have not received your report, please email us using the Contact Us Form.
  19. Why do we have to pay before we receive the survey results?
    Simply stated, we priced the survey at a level which requires we use standard processes without exceptions.  We did not budget for the extra time and effort required for extensive follow-up of outstanding invoices.  With over 1,000 invoices being generated each year, we must insist on upfront payment.  We do not require payment until the survey process begins, avoiding the situation of making a payment before we are certain that the survey will be delivered.