About us
The Personio Foundation invests grants, expertise, and time to strengthen the people behind great ideas.
Through our grantmaking, we support outstanding organizations working in education and climate with unrestricted, multi‑year funding.
In parallel, our HR and organizational capacity programs are open to all nonprofits globally, providing learning, mentorship, and tools to build strong, sustainable teams.
Together, these pillars allow us to reach deeply through funding and widely through open learning.
2025 at a glance
New
website launch
6
events hosted
CoachAI
product launch
NPO Salary Benchmark 2025
DEEP DIVE
People Partner for Good (PP4G)
People Partner for Good (PP4G) connects nonprofit HR professionals with experienced HR leaders
Through structured one‑on‑one exchanges, participants share challenges, strengthen HR practices, and build lasting peer connections.
From a first trial in 2024, we scaled to 95 active matches in 2025.
A diverse global cohort bridging nonprofit and private‑sector expertise.
The NPS of 74 highlights both the emotional and practical value of structured mentorship.
Every pair worked on real HR challenges, ensuring impact beyond each conversation.
Mentorship reminded us that human connection is the most scalable tool there is.
95
Mentees matched
74
Overall NPS
12%
Increase in HR confidence
Measured during mentorship: ≈ 70% of the possible growth curve.
“Working with Natalie has been incredibly valuable. Her support helped us tailor our learning approach and develop clear job descriptions and KPIs. I truly feel we’re making significant progress under her mentorship.”
Grace - Mentee & Founder
@Asembo Skills for Hope
“I’ve truly enjoyed learning about Asembo Skills for Hope and their work empowering women. Mentoring Grace has allowed me to apply my private sector experience to areas like performance management and talent development”.
Natalie - Mentor & Senior Director People
@Typeform
"It is a great opportunity to learn from an experienced HR expert, but most of all I appreciate having a partner with whom I can reflect on Organizational Development and my own role. As a CEO, such an exchange is rare and I really appreciate it."
Wenke - Mentee & CEO
@Kiron Open Higher Education
“The mentorship program has truly been a game changer! My match was perfect — I couldn’t have imagined a better mentor. Each conversation gives me exactly the inspiration and boost I need, tailored to where I am right now.”
Kasia - Mentee & Head of People
@Krisenchat
DEEP DIVE
CoachAI - using technology to strengthen human leadership
From a bold student project to a voice-based AI tool empowering HR leaders worldwide.
Developed together with the brilliant student team at CSEE, CoachAI is a smart, voice‑based training app helping HR professionals in nonprofits master difficult workplace conversations.
Using lifelike AI simulations, users can practice with different personalities - from angry to calm to positive - and receive feedback on tone, empathy, and structure.
With more than 90 users already testing the app, CoachAI makes leadership practice accessible anywhere, anytime - proving that the power of AI can truly strengthen the human side of HR.
“Very realistic and user-friendly. The suggestions after each conversation helped me improve how I communicate.”
Gülçin - People & Operations Specialist
@Kiron Open Higher Education
DEEP DIVE
Salary Benchmark 2025
German Nonprofit Sector.
In partnership with Talents4Good.
Fair and transparent compensation isn’t only about numbers - it’s about trust.
Nonprofits need to show they value their people not just morally, but materially. The study provides organizations of all sizes with data and guidance to assess their salary practices, advocate for equity, and make informed decisions that strengthen retention and wellbeing.
The results show: Entry‑level salaries are stronger than expected, but leadership and progression lag behind. And while compensation matters, lack of development opportunities remains the top reason for turnover.
This report is a tool for change. By exposing these gaps, we are empowering boards and funders to rethink compensation and focus on sustainable models that value professional expertise.
LOOKING AHEAD
2026 and beyond
Our next chapter is about moving from strong individual programs to an integrated, measurable support system for the nonprofit sector. We’ll deepen impact, sharpen our learning loops, and use data to continuously strengthen how we serve.
Our priorities for 2026:
Grow to 200 mentor–mentee pairs while keeping the same level of connection and quality that define the program.
Launch peer-learning circles to complement the 1:1 mentorships - creating safe spaces for exchange, reflection, and shared growth among HR leaders in NGOs.
Use tools, automation, and community, including CoachAI, to better support mentors and mentees and strengthen cross-learning.
Conduct a new Salary Benchmark Study with expanded data points to combine insights from our programs and broader sector data - strengthening understanding of pay, growth, and people practices across nonprofits.
Ultimately, the Personio Foundation’s intended impact is a stronger nonprofit field where people practices are normalized, resourced, and evidence based - enabling organizations to be more resilient and deliver greater mission impact.
Next to uplifting HR in nonprofits, we also want to explore further, what our role in the international donor landscape can and will be. We are steadfast in our commitment to unrestricted funding - now we need to explore, who we can partner with to leverage every Euro we spend.
Supporter
Our heartfelt thanks goes out to our members, donors, partners, and volunteers for their vital contributions, which have been instrumental in driving our mission forward.
First and foremost our HR volunteers - the mentors who make the PP4G program possible.
Our partners: Talents4Good for the collaboration on the Salary Report. The MAZI CPO Collective and The Power People Community for championing our mentorship program.
Our portfolio: Thank you for your continued partnership, your trust, and your relentless drive to change the world.
Everybody at Personio, who commits their time to give advice, insights and volunteers for the Personio Foundation and everyone who supported the Personio Foundation this year through their Impact Day - Thank you!
Personio Foundation Team
Elisabeth, Anna, Philipp & Linda (not in image)
Personio Foundation e.S.
Seidlstr. 3, 80335 Munich, Germany · info@personio.foundation · www.personio.foundation