Model A Only
This page applies only to Model A projects, not Model C, as Raft does not engage Model C employees or contractors directly.
Approaches to paid work
It is entirely acceptable for Project Leads and Project Committee Members to be remunerated for their labor. There are two ways this can be done:
- Contractors for Raft (see Contractors for details)
- Employees of Raft (see Employment for details)
The question of which one is appropriate begins from Raft’s approach to regulatory compliance with local, federal, and state worker classification laws, and further depends factors including:
- The timeline, scope, consistency, and oversight of the project member’s paid work
- Whether or not the member will have concurrent, external, paid contractor work
- The budget available
- The approach taken in the past with other project members and, in some cases, with other, similar Raft projects
- Where the project member resides
In advance of making any decisions regarding payment as a contractor or employee, you must initiate a conversation with us so we can collaboratively determine the best approach for the specific situation.
Project leads as contractors
In many cases, project leads who will be paid are treated as contractors to whom we are outsourcing the completion of our mission. Whenever a project lead is being paid, a contract is required.
The complexities of managing many different projects mean that we have a preference for contractor relationships. That said, we also understand that they can contribute to worker precariousness, and that they do not offer the same rights to workers as an employment relationship. We embrace this complexity and are open to continued dialogue.
Project leads as employees
Whenever Raft’s worker classification requirements are met, or if the project wishes to primarily engage workers through an employment relationship, they should see Employment for the details on how to proceed.
Committee support
For projects governed by a Project Committee, Raft will need to confirm that paying the project member, and the approach and amount of their pay, has the full support of the committee before proceeding with the contractor or employment relationship.
Solo project leads
If you are a solo project lead, before paying you we will need you to share your planned salary with us, so that we can: 1) compare it to industry standard to ensure that it is fair, and 2) check your cash flow to confirm that the project will be able to sustain the cost long-term.
A note on titles
At a nonprofit, there can be only one Executive Director, which is currently Nathan Hewitt. While Raft’s projects may operate quite independently, they are still programs of Raft. Thus, unfortunately you may not call yourself “Executive Director,” “CEO,” or any other such title of your project. We also try not to use language like “Senior” or “VP,” as it is extremely corporate, but if you need to use it in order to find that sort of job, just check with us first.
Here is our overall guidance on titles:
- Throughout your time in these roles, you may call yourself a Project Lead, or if applicable, Project Committee Member (this may overlap with other titles)
- As a contractor, you may additionally refer to yourself as a “Consultant” for the project (e.g., Project Lead and Finance Consultant)
- As an employee, you may refer to yourself as the “Director” or a “Co-Director” of the project, or if you lead a particular department, you can use “Director of Finance,” “Co-Director of, Finance” or “Finance Lead”
For more creative titles, just reach out to run them by us.