November 2009

Download 990-PF (PDF, 3MB)
Download 990-T (PDF, 1MB)

The James Irvine Foundation posts on its website each year its federal tax return. We have recently completed and filed our 2008 tax return. It consists of two forms, Form 990-PF and Form 990-T.

Some readers are particularly interested in the executive compensation data that is included in our tax return. Below, we provide a direct link to the page where you can find that information. We believe it is important to understand the context for executive compensation, so we are also providing the following brief explanation of our compensation philosophy.

Compensation and Benefits Philosophy

Irvine is committed to providing competitive salaries and benefits to its staff. We review compensation annually and compare it to peer foundations and similar nonprofits in California and nationally. Based on that information and cost-of-living changes in the region, the Foundation sets and adjusts salaries on an annual basis.

All Irvine employees are also eligible for a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Contributions to a defined-contribution pension plan
• Medical and dental insurance
• Paid time off as well as family, parental and other paid leave programs
• Tuition reimbursement and other ongoing training and professional development opportunities

Officer Compensation

Compensation for Irvine's three staff officers — the President, the Treasurer and the Corporate Secretary — is set by the Board of Directors. The board relies on annual benchmarks of salary and benefits for comparable positions nationwide. Comparative data include salary and benefits information published annually by the Council on Foundations and the Foundation Financial Officers Group, and regional information such as the annual survey commissioned by the Foundation Administrators of California. The total compensation of staff officers includes deferred compensation and benefits, consistent with the policies that govern all Irvine employees.

Compensation information for our staff officers, as well as five additional employees with the highest compensation, is listed on pages 92–97 of our tax return.