4 ms·

no need to speculate, the financials are publicly reported: https://annualreport2016.burningman.org/financial-report/ https://annualreport2016.burningman.org/fi

no need to speculate, the financials are publicly reported: https://annualreport2016.burningman.org/financial-report/ https://annualreport2016.burningman.org/financial-report/ edit: here is a breakdown of expenses from 2016: https://burningman.org/expenses/expenses-2016/ https://burningman.org/expenses/expenses-2016/

sytelus 8y ago
For longest time BRC never released salaries of their ranking staff despite of pressure. In their yearly breakdown it can be clearly be seen that "payroll" and "management" is the overwhelmingly biggest component. It should also be noted that revenues have continued to increase massively year or year while cost of the services listed have remained more or less minor bleep on the balance sheet. For an organization with $35M in revenue in just a week and that everyone expects to be open and transparent, there is not much to be said.
- polyomino 8y ago
  take a look at page 7. https://z9hbb3mwou383x1930ve0ugl-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/BMP-2016-Form-990-Public.pdf https://z9hbb3mwou383x1930ve0ugl-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-...
  - sytelus 8y ago
    That doesn't have any more information. BRC has only agreed to disclose the pay for Jennifer Raiser because according to non-profit rules they had to disclose pay of at least one main person. She is treasurer making $111K. Not bad for a employee organizing once a year single week event, especially when the organizers asks everyone else to be volunteer. I've been part of several non-profits where treasurers were volunteers and got paid exactly $0 for year around activities. Despite of constant asks over the years, BRC has not agreed to breakdown their "payroll" category of expenses which is left to imagination for what goes to temporary staff vs BRC people. These secrets I would least expect from great non-profits let alone from Burning Man founders.
    - polyomino 8y ago
      I see 26 individuals listed with salaries totaling $2,392,870. 9 board members are unpaid. The highest paid employee not designated as "key" made $141,290.
    - rhizome 8y ago
      I've been part of several non-profits where treasurers were volunteers and got paid exactly $0 for year around activities. Were they responsible for (your numbers) $60MM/yr?
    - c22 8y ago
      Maybe the burning man people are overpayed, but being the treasurer of an organization that, as you say, deals with 35 million dollars every year sounds like a full time all year round position to me, regardless of when or how the money is made.
      - geezerjay 8y ago
        > but being the treasurer of an organization That's immaterial to the discussion. The point is that management rakes in the lion's share of a $35M revenue made largely at the expense of people paying well over $1k to attend an event which is sold as non-profit, non-capitalist and volunteer-only. Naturally, people need to get paid for the job they do, and organizer's do have the right and even obligation to profit from their initiatives, but questions do pop out regarding the ethical implications of doing so under what appear to be false pretenses.
      - aje403 8y ago
        Great point sir. I am interested in being a full time treasurer as well, will you give me $35mm/year? I will devote my full time to managing it
        pault 8y ago
        Don't be ridiculous, the treasurer doesn't make $35mm/year.

sytelus 8y ago

For longest time BRC never released salaries of their ranking staff despite of pressure. In their yearly breakdown it can be clearly be seen that "payroll" and "management" is the overwhelmingly biggest component. It should also be noted that revenues have continued to increase massively year or year while cost of the services listed have remained more or less minor bleep on the balance sheet. For an organization with $35M in revenue in just a week and that everyone expects to be open and transparent, there is not much to be said.

polyomino 8y ago
take a look at page 7. https://z9hbb3mwou383x1930ve0ugl-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/BMP-2016-Form-990-Public.pdf https://z9hbb3mwou383x1930ve0ugl-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-...
- sytelus 8y ago
  That doesn't have any more information. BRC has only agreed to disclose the pay for Jennifer Raiser because according to non-profit rules they had to disclose pay of at least one main person. She is treasurer making $111K. Not bad for a employee organizing once a year single week event, especially when the organizers asks everyone else to be volunteer. I've been part of several non-profits where treasurers were volunteers and got paid exactly $0 for year around activities. Despite of constant asks over the years, BRC has not agreed to breakdown their "payroll" category of expenses which is left to imagination for what goes to temporary staff vs BRC people. These secrets I would least expect from great non-profits let alone from Burning Man founders.
  - polyomino 8y ago
    I see 26 individuals listed with salaries totaling $2,392,870. 9 board members are unpaid. The highest paid employee not designated as "key" made $141,290.
  - rhizome 8y ago
    I've been part of several non-profits where treasurers were volunteers and got paid exactly $0 for year around activities. Were they responsible for (your numbers) $60MM/yr?
  - c22 8y ago
    Maybe the burning man people are overpayed, but being the treasurer of an organization that, as you say, deals with 35 million dollars every year sounds like a full time all year round position to me, regardless of when or how the money is made.
    - geezerjay 8y ago
      > but being the treasurer of an organization That's immaterial to the discussion. The point is that management rakes in the lion's share of a $35M revenue made largely at the expense of people paying well over $1k to attend an event which is sold as non-profit, non-capitalist and volunteer-only. Naturally, people need to get paid for the job they do, and organizer's do have the right and even obligation to profit from their initiatives, but questions do pop out regarding the ethical implications of doing so under what appear to be false pretenses.
    - aje403 8y ago
      Great point sir. I am interested in being a full time treasurer as well, will you give me $35mm/year? I will devote my full time to managing it
      - pault 8y ago
        Don't be ridiculous, the treasurer doesn't make $35mm/year.