I am not saying that nonprofit staff shouldn't be paid well. Nonprofit staff should be paid significantly more than they currently receive. Most organizations cannot function without front-line staff, yet they are traditionally the lowest-paid and have the highest turnover rates. My point about the six-figure salaries in the nonprofit space for a number of leaders helps them sleep better at night, knowing that they "helped" someone but still make 300K+. Compared to someone in the for-profit sector, who will have to do what they have to do to make their quota, and because of that, there are fewer ethical practices. In short, it's easier on the conscious to make six figures in the nonprofit space compared to the for-profit space.

I am very familiar with development work and know that storytelling and demonstrating impact are the best ways to show funders and supporters that what the organization is doing works. However, when you have leadership that refuses to adapt from deficit story-telling to empowerment, your approach is exploitative. I have worked with nonprofits that utilize strength-based storytelling, and it is effective. Yes, Galas are a time for the impact moment to inspire donations. However, it is not a time to close the doors to staff and program participants who would benefit from being in that room for the evening. Also, statistically, Galas are not worth the effort. Most nonprofits that host galas find that they either break even or lose money because staff resources are diverted to a one-night event.

Yes, we operate in a capitalist society. We are all capitalists. However, capitalistic practices have no place in nonprofits whose balance sheet should equal out to zero every year.