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PeerBasis
Compensation Comparability Determination

Colorado Democracy Network

Executive Director / CEO

EIN 454555568
CO · NTEE R194
FY ending 2023-12-31
June 9, 2026

This analysis benchmarks the total compensation of Daniel Ramos, Executive Director / CEO ($79,547) against every comparable organization that fit the selection criteria — 340 in total — drawn systematically from IRS Form 990 filings, not a hand-picked subset.

Compensation sits at approximately the 67th percentile of comparable organizationswithin the typical range

How comparable organizations were selected

340 organizations qualified on sector, size, and geography 340 within the band form the benchmarked peer set.

Distribution of comparable compensation

$665 total compensation of comparable organizations → $322,511 $79,547
$16,47210th
$34,74425th
$62,260Median
$88,89675th
$121,14090th
$79,547This org · 67th
p10$16,472
p25$34,744
p50$62,260
p75$88,896
p90$121,140
$79,547

Comparable organizations

Each figure is Form 990 Part VII columns D + F (reportable pay plus other compensation and benefits; column F may include amounts from related organizations), normalized to CO cost of living (BEA RPP, 2023) and to its filing year (CPI-U); the reported amount is on each linked 990.

OrganizationStateTotal revenueTotal compSource
Gay And Lesbian Community CenterMO $255,262$29,711 990
Formed FoundationDC $255,102$24,445 990
Muslim Justice LeagueMA $256,525$77,484 990
Casa Of Southwest Georgia IncGA $254,994$56,927 990
Casa Partners 4nmkids IncNM $256,941$49,028 990
No More A Stranger FoundationUT $254,010$47,515 990
Pregnancy Help & InformationFL $253,952$54,031 990
Fair Wisconsin Education Fund IncWI $253,859$62,733 990
Life Group IncNE $257,849$68,423 990
Naples Pride IncFL $253,687$61,457 990
Move To AmendCA $253,286$4,323 990
The Washington BusWA $253,250$101,549 990
Central Georgia Casa IncGA $253,174$69,458 990
Minnesota Youth CollectiveMN $258,414$46,808 990
Keystone Progress Education FundPA $253,066$85,200 990
Progress Texas InstituteTX $259,130$111,893 990
Southern JewishGA $259,492$108,006 990
The Jefferson CouncilVA $260,452$100,695 990
Rise FoundationVA $260,769$34,614 990
Asian And Pacific Islanders For Lgbtq Equality-laCA $250,327$69,319 990
Strategic Advocacy For Human Rights IncCA $261,338$30,369 990
Main Street Hanover IncPA $261,517$3,945 990
Advancement Project Action FundDC $250,000$41,989 990
Parityorg IncVA $249,976$189,099 990
Cair National Legal Defense Fund IncDC $249,901$27,999 990

Methodology

Comparable organizations were drawn from electronically filed IRS Form 990 returns and matched on sector (NTEE code), budget (a size-adaptive revenue band that tightens as the organization grows), and geography (same-state first, broadening only when too few peers qualify); every organization within the band forms the peer set. To compare fairly across regions and years, peer compensation is normalized to CO cost of living (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023) and to the subject's filing year (CPI-U). The figure benchmarked is Form 990 Part VII, Section A, columns D + F — reportable pay plus other compensation, benefits, and deferred amounts (column F may include amounts from related organizations) — with the chief executive matched by role. Related-organization amounts (column E) and institutional trustees are excluded. Full methodology: peerbasis.org/methodology.

Sample, role match & sensitivity

Sensitivity — the subject's percentile under alternative compensation definitions:

BasisSubject percentile
Total compensation (D + F), cost-of-living + inflation adjusted — the PeerBasis default67th
Total compensation (D + F), as reported (no adjustments)68th
Reportable pay only (column D), adjusted66th
All sources (D + E + F), adjusted96th

If the percentile moves materially across these definitions, the result is sensitive to methodology choices, and the board should weigh which basis best fits its facts.

Rebuttable presumption of reasonableness · 26 CFR 53.4958-6

Compensation paid by a tax-exempt organization is presumed reasonable — shifting the burden to the IRS — when three requirements are met. This report supplies the comparability data for the second. The board should record the following in its minutes concurrently with its decision:

Draft board minutes — executive compensation

  1. The compensation of the Executive Director / CEO (Daniel Ramos) was approved in advance by [the Board / Compensation Committee], composed of members with no conflict of interest with respect to the arrangement.
  2. Prior to its determination, the authorized body obtained and relied upon appropriate comparability data, namely the PeerBasis Compensation Comparability Determination dated June 9, 2026, comparing compensation against 340 similarly situated organizations (Same NTEE major group (R), nationwide + budget 0.67–1.5× revenue).
  3. The authorized body determined that total compensation of $79,547 is reasonable (approximately the 67th percentile of comparable organizations) and documented the basis for this determination concurrently, on [date], by a vote of [__ for / __ against].

Sources: IRS Form 990 e-file data (apps.irs.gov); IRS Business Master File (NTEE classification). This report is comparability data to support a board's good-faith determination under IRC 4958; it is not legal or tax advice. Generated by PeerBasis on June 9, 2026.