Savannah, GA Nonprofit Executive Jobs & Leadership Guide
Savannah anchors Georgia’s Coastal Empire with a nonprofit community shaped by human services, a deep arts and heritage tradition, and higher education. It is a smaller, more intimate market than Atlanta, where local networks and long institutional histories carry real weight. This guide maps it: what leadership pays, the major employers, and where to find senior roles.
- Savannah anchors Georgia’s Coastal Empire, spanning Savannah and the surrounding coastal counties
- Average nonprofit Executive Director salary in Savannah: $107,263, with a typical range of $92,758 to $119,397 (Salary.com, Savannah, 2026)
- That runs slightly below the Georgia statewide average of $111,433, consistent with a smaller metro; larger institutions pay above the range
- The sector’s defining strengths are arts and human services, alongside historic preservation and higher education
- The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a major nonprofit employer in the market
- A smaller, relationship-driven market where local networks and long institutional histories carry weight in executive hiring
The Savannah Nonprofit Landscape
Savannah’s nonprofit sector is led by human services, historic preservation and the arts, and higher education, with SCAD as a major nonprofit employer. It is a smaller, more intimate market than Atlanta, where local networks and long institutional histories carry real weight. Use the directory links below to research specific organizations and their 990 data.
What Nonprofit Leadership Pays in Savannah
The rows below marked to verify should be confirmed against Cause IQ / Form 990 data for comparable Savannah organizations before you rely on them.
| Role | Savannah benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Director / CEO | $92,758 to $119,397 (avg $107,263) | Salary.com, Savannah, 2026 |
Top Nonprofit Employers in Savannah
Human Services
United Way of the Coastal Empire
Federated Philanthropy · SavannahAn anchor human-services organization coordinating federated giving across the Coastal Empire.
Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia
Food Security · SavannahThe regional food bank and a leading human-services anchor for the coastal region.
Union Mission
Homeless Services · Savannah
A homeless-services organization and one of the market’s anchor human-services employers.
Arts, Heritage & Education
Telfair Museums
Arts & Culture · Savannah
One of the South’s oldest public art museums, anchoring the city’s arts and culture sector.
Georgia Historical Society
Heritage / History · Savannah
Headquartered in Savannah, a leading heritage and historic-preservation institution.
Savannah Music Festival
Arts & Culture · Savannah
A signature arts organization in Savannah’s cultural nonprofit community.
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Private University · Savannah
A major nonprofit employer and the leading higher-education institution in the Savannah market.
Bethesda Academy
Education · Savannah
A historic Savannah institution within the city’s education and heritage sector.
A starting list of anchor organizations. Use the directory links below to find specific Savannah nonprofits and their 990 data.
Search Partners & Recommended Reading
Recruiters and search partners for Savannah nonprofit leadership. In a market this size, local connections matter, so combine national mission-driven specialists with coastal networks:
- ExecSearches.com, nonprofit executive job board, career coaching, and search support; post a Savannah role or browse senior openings.
- The Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), the statewide association, for sector connections and its job board.
Recommended reading for your search. Laura Gassner Otting’s work on building a career that is limitless and aligned with your own definition of success pairs well with the practical steps in this guide.
Browse Nonprofit Jobs
Browse current openings on ExecSearches.com and the GCN job board.
Key Career Resources for Savannah Nonprofit Leaders
Directories & Sector Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
The average is about $107,263, with a typical range of $92,758 to $119,397 (Salary.com, 2026). That runs slightly below the Georgia statewide average, consistent with a smaller metro; larger institutions pay above the range.
Anchors include United Way of the Coastal Empire, Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia, and Union Mission in human services, plus Telfair Museums, the Georgia Historical Society, and SCAD in arts, heritage, and education.
Human services, a deep arts and historic-preservation tradition, and higher education. It is a smaller, relationship-driven market where local networks and long institutional histories carry weight.
Start with ExecSearches.com for senior nonprofit roles and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits job board, and use ProPublica to research organizations.
