Cii Launches Charity Sector Salary, Benefits & Retention Survey 2026

Members should keep an eye on their inboxes next week, when the survey will be issued across the Cii membership.

We’ve been asked time and again by members for up-to-date, reliable salary benchmarking data for the Irish charity sector. But we also know that salary alone doesn’t tell the full story when it comes to recruiting, retaining and supporting great people.

That’s why our 2026 research will go further.

Building on Cii’s previous salary research, the new survey will explore salaries alongside benefits, flexible and hybrid working, career progression, workload, job satisfaction and the factors influencing whether people choose to stay in or leave the sector.

Hearing directly from people working in the sector

There is one particularly important difference in how we are approaching this research.

Rather than asking a CEO, HR lead or designated representative to provide information on behalf of an entire organisation, we will invite individual employees across Cii member charities to confidentially self-declare their own salary, benefits, working arrangements and employment experience.

This approach will allow us to build a much richer picture of what it is actually like to work across Ireland’s charity sector, while also providing the robust salary benchmarking information organisations have been asking for.

The resulting report will help charities benchmark roles and remuneration, understand emerging workforce trends, inform recruitment and retention strategies, support workforce planning and provide boards and leadership teams with stronger evidence when making decisions about investment in their people.

Developed with the sector

Cii has brought together a working group representing organisations of different sizes and areas of the sector to help shape the research. The group includes Nano Nagle Place, Arc Cancer Support, Mercy University Hospital Foundation, Children’s Health Foundation, Oxfam Ireland, Spunout, Trinity Development & Alumni and Vita, alongside CCI Executive Search, Cii’s partner in this important research for the sector.

Their input has helped ensure the survey reflects the realities facing charity employees and employers today.

We need your participation

When the survey lands in your inbox, we’re asking members to do two things: take part yourself and encourage your colleagues to participate too.

The strength of the final research will depend on participation. The more people we hear from, across different roles, organisations, career stages and parts of the country, the more useful and representative the resulting benchmarks will be for everyone.

All responses will be confidential, and everyone who completes the survey will also have the opportunity to enter a draw to win a €150 Charities Institute Ireland Academy voucher, which can be used towards one of our training courses.

When the survey arrives, please take a few minutes to make your experience count.