Setting pay can be one of the stickier issues in a worker self-directed nonprofit; but it can also be one of the most cathartic and liberating if approached with the right attitude. The beauty of self-governance is that folks get to work through the complicated issues and feelings together, instead of having an answer imposed upon them. Setting pay will always be a process. Groups can iterate on approaches over time and constantly move toward something that works better for more people -- as long as folks cultivate the trust, openness, and vulnerability required to participate in the process authentically.

There is no one-size-fits-all way to determine pay in any organization, but there are some common issues that come up and some insights into how to design a practice that works for your organization. This more in-depth guide shares some thoughts on the basic steps to setting up a pay scale, some issues that tend to come up, and some specific tools that can be used.

And check out this webinar, How to Pay Ourselves Equitably, which explores examples of salary calculators and how to navigate employment laws, anti discrimination laws, and nonprofit laws.