Methodology
Our Standards
Trust requires transparency. These are the principles that govern how we gather, normalize, and present compensation intelligence.
Provenance
Every data point in our system has an explicit source and “as-of” date. The primary source is IRS Form 990, Schedule J — the annual filing that reports compensation for officers, directors, trustees, and key employees of tax-exempt organizations.
Where available, we supplement with open-records and FOIA responses for public entities, including employment contracts, amendments, and comp committee minutes. We document the retrieval method for every supplemental source.
Comparability
Peer sets are constructed with explicit rationale: institutional size (operating budget), geography, governance type, complexity, and service mix. We document why each comparator was included or excluded.
Total compensation is normalized to a consistent definition across filings. When components are ambiguous or incomplete, we annotate the uncertainty rather than fill gaps with assumptions.
Documentation
Every deliverable includes methodology notes sufficient for independent review. Peer set rationale, normalization decisions, data limitations, and confidence indicators are standard. Our artifacts are designed to survive board scrutiny, regulatory review, and public records requests.
Confidentiality
Executive data shared with us is confidential by default. We do not share individual executive information with institutions, boards, or third parties without explicit, prior consent.
We do not contact executives about roles or opportunities unless they have specifically opted in. Data deletion is available on request, no questions asked.
Conflict Policy
When we have an existing relationship with a candidate or party in a search or negotiation, we disclose it. Candidate consent is required before any introduction. We do not represent both sides of a negotiation without full disclosure to all parties.