what's the deal?
May 18, 2010 6:16 PM Subscribe
Does anyone know anything about the Boston nonprofit Corporate Accountability International?
It seems like an org that does, on the face of it, groovy stuff. However, every time I'm on Idealist, I notice that every few weeks they post listings for the same not-insignificant number of jobs. I'm pretty sure they've been looking to fill these for at least a year or two, and with the massive amount of demand for nonprofit positions, and the fact that there's nothing particularly hard-to-fill or specific about these positions (they're mostly basic communications or nonprofit management jobs; nothing that requires a Thai-speaking scuba-diving expert with twenty years of high-end boutique experience) makes the whole thing seem a little fishy. Does anyone have direct experience with this organization? Are they legit and I'm just being weird?
Anonymous in case I ever deal with them.
It seems like an org that does, on the face of it, groovy stuff. However, every time I'm on Idealist, I notice that every few weeks they post listings for the same not-insignificant number of jobs. I'm pretty sure they've been looking to fill these for at least a year or two, and with the massive amount of demand for nonprofit positions, and the fact that there's nothing particularly hard-to-fill or specific about these positions (they're mostly basic communications or nonprofit management jobs; nothing that requires a Thai-speaking scuba-diving expert with twenty years of high-end boutique experience) makes the whole thing seem a little fishy. Does anyone have direct experience with this organization? Are they legit and I'm just being weird?
Anonymous in case I ever deal with them.
I have had direct contact with them and have former coworkers who work there. They are totally legit. They run very ambitious long-term campaigns and they have a successful track record.
It wouldn't surprise me to hear that they paid low wages, worked people hard, and had a culture of dedication to the cause. They are anti-corporate in their manifestation not only in their targets. So if you travel don't expect to go first class and you might be expected to crash on a friend's couch rather than in a hotel. Is that weird? Maybe. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. But it's also legit.
I'd say put in the application and if you get an interview check it out. Go in with your eyes open and radar turned on and see if it's something you'd want to contribute to.
Oh, they were previously known as INFACT. It was in that phase that they did their GE work and contributed to an Oscar-winning documentary. So yes, definitely real.
posted by alms at 7:49 PM on May 18, 2010
It wouldn't surprise me to hear that they paid low wages, worked people hard, and had a culture of dedication to the cause. They are anti-corporate in their manifestation not only in their targets. So if you travel don't expect to go first class and you might be expected to crash on a friend's couch rather than in a hotel. Is that weird? Maybe. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. But it's also legit.
I'd say put in the application and if you get an interview check it out. Go in with your eyes open and radar turned on and see if it's something you'd want to contribute to.
Oh, they were previously known as INFACT. It was in that phase that they did their GE work and contributed to an Oscar-winning documentary. So yes, definitely real.
posted by alms at 7:49 PM on May 18, 2010
I'm looking at their 2008 990 now (the most recent available).
They have about a $2M in direct public support, and operated with a little deficit in 2008. Expenses were about half that, around $1M. Their executive director makes piddly, all things considered - only a little over $40,000/yr. Weirdly, in 2008, they were paying some former directors or staffers, over $100,000/yr worth in total.
Their independent contractors are well-regarded in the industry: Mal Warwick, a fundraising consultant, who they paid a bit over $131,000, and Green Corps, who did campaign organizing, for about $52,000. Their income has gone up consistently since 2003. They spend quite a bit of money on lobbying; that's understandable considering the organization.
I can't speak to how they treat employees, just their fiscal responsibility. If you want a copy of their 990, just message me with your email, I'll keep it private and send you the 990.
posted by juniperesque at 7:55 PM on May 18, 2010
They have about a $2M in direct public support, and operated with a little deficit in 2008. Expenses were about half that, around $1M. Their executive director makes piddly, all things considered - only a little over $40,000/yr. Weirdly, in 2008, they were paying some former directors or staffers, over $100,000/yr worth in total.
Their independent contractors are well-regarded in the industry: Mal Warwick, a fundraising consultant, who they paid a bit over $131,000, and Green Corps, who did campaign organizing, for about $52,000. Their income has gone up consistently since 2003. They spend quite a bit of money on lobbying; that's understandable considering the organization.
I can't speak to how they treat employees, just their fiscal responsibility. If you want a copy of their 990, just message me with your email, I'll keep it private and send you the 990.
posted by juniperesque at 7:55 PM on May 18, 2010
I have done work for them, through another company, but haven't had much contact with people there. My impression has been that they are "legit," in the sense of being a functioning organization that regularly completes interesting projects and gets noticed.
However, the company I work for is unlikely to work with CAI again due to some less than great attitude on their part. I would not be at all surprised to learn they go through staff quickly, as they were constantly pushing us to deliver way more than we had contracted for, in a shorter timeframe, for no additional compensation. Maybe they can get away with that internally (or maybe not) but they didn't come off as a good place to work.
posted by ungratefulninja at 4:56 PM on May 19, 2010
However, the company I work for is unlikely to work with CAI again due to some less than great attitude on their part. I would not be at all surprised to learn they go through staff quickly, as they were constantly pushing us to deliver way more than we had contracted for, in a shorter timeframe, for no additional compensation. Maybe they can get away with that internally (or maybe not) but they didn't come off as a good place to work.
posted by ungratefulninja at 4:56 PM on May 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
They do have a great campaign record though - they were the pioneers of the successful Nestle boycott and did a lot of the grassroots work on the Phillips Morris/Kraft boycott.
posted by lunasol at 7:31 PM on May 18, 2010