Executive Director / CEO
This analysis benchmarks the total compensation of Dr Candace Ashby, Executive Director / CEO ($26,639) against every comparable organization that fit the selection criteria — 245 in total — drawn systematically from IRS Form 990 filings, not a hand-picked subset.
Compensation sits at approximately the 69th percentile of comparable organizationswithin the typical range
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 IN cost of living (BEA RPP, 2023) and to its filing year (CPI-U); the reported amount is on each linked 990.
| Organization | State | Total revenue | Total comp | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion Volunteer Fire Department | SD | $177,200 | $509 | 990 |
| Educators School Safety Network | OH | $176,215 | $38,785 | 990 |
| Northwest Rockingham County Fire Protection Association Inc | NC | $175,710 | $3,327 | 990 |
| Carlton Complex Long Term Recovery Group | WA | $175,703 | $69,545 | 990 |
| Manhasset-lakeville Fire Department Corp | NY | $179,932 | $643 | 990 |
| Mora Fire Department Relief | MN | $175,382 | $819 | 990 |
| Grand Mound Volunteer Fire Company | IA | $175,138 | $1,298 | 990 |
| Tscra Special Ranger Foundation | TX | $180,649 | $21,879 | 990 |
| Ua Charitable Fund Trust | MD | $174,618 | $133,205 | 990 |
| The National Institute For Hometown | KY | $174,362 | $226,746 | 990 |
| Springs Fire Department Inc | NY | $174,314 | $1,714 | 990 |
| Cattaraugus Volunteer Fire Co Inc | NY | $181,531 | $811 | 990 |
| Bikehouston Inc | TX | $173,613 | $125,046 | 990 |
| Lebanon Valley Protective | NY | $182,228 | $1,285 | 990 |
| Bradley Gardens Volunteer Fire Company Inc | NJ | $172,869 | $494 | 990 |
| Depew Volunteer Fire Department Inc | NY | $182,645 | $999 | 990 |
| Orange County Rural Vfd District 1 | IN | $172,578 | $9,600 | 990 |
| Traphill Volunteer Fire Department Inc | NC | $182,877 | $1,692 | 990 |
| Fire Services Training Institute | CA | $172,244 | $15,907 | 990 |
| Veteran Sailing Inc | FL | $183,464 | $2 | 990 |
| Silver Creek Volunteer Fire Department | WI | $171,764 | $1,467 | 990 |
| Bowmanstown Volunteer Fire Company | PA | $170,750 | $7,164 | 990 |
| Granville Rural Fire Department | NC | $170,290 | $1,190 | 990 |
| Millbrook Engine Hook & Ladder Co | NY | $185,671 | $5,951 | 990 |
| Cottage Grove Vol Fire Department | WI | $169,568 | $4,447 | 990 |
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 IN 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.
Sensitivity — the subject's percentile under alternative compensation definitions:
| Basis | Subject percentile |
|---|---|
| Total compensation (D + F), cost-of-living + inflation adjusted — the PeerBasis default | 69th |
| Total compensation (D + F), as reported (no adjustments) | 68th |
| Reportable pay only (column D), adjusted | 73rd |
| All sources (D + E + F), adjusted | 68th |
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.
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
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.