What are the possibilities of securing benefits for the paid staff of a nonprofit organization?

I am looking to start a nonprofit organization in a small rural town. My research has only just begun, but it feels like the best route to take with this particular project. Any experience with the area of paid staff and how their employment may be different from a for profit business would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
PS The business project is a Community Learning Center that picks up where our federal government services leave off: child care, after school program, tutoring, and a homeschool supplement program.

Staff at a nonprofit need to be paid a competitive salary -- you want the best people for jobs, and you don't want to lose them. If you can't pay, say, the marketing director the same salary as at a for-profit business in your area, then you have to come up with other benefits, such as three weeks vacation, for instance. You will need to provide a health care plan, or an addition to the salary that will allow the employee to pay him or herself. A continuing education program is an excellent benefit (where you will pay a certain percentage of staff's coursework that enhances their work at your organization, such as language courses).

You don't say what state you are in, but most large cities have a nonprofit support center or nonprofit development center with low-cost classes on various nonprofit management issues. Your nearest United Way will know where this is.

Also see:
Pay Rates in Nonprofit Organizations
http://www.abbott-langer.com/snosumm.htm...

Also see:
http://www.managementhelp.org/pay_ben/pa...

payroll and benefits work exactly the same for a non-profit and for profit organization.

www.salary.com