Governance Lag
What does this mean?
Revenue and Program Scale spike rapidly, but the Governance Score remains stagnant. The organization has outgrown its founding era but hasn't installed proper oversight.
The Path Forward
The Scaffold
Brings immediate structural maturity. It represents the necessity of outside, independent oversight to manage new scale, breaking the echo chamber of a founding 'friends and family' board.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 32.2% | 46 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 61.3% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 48.1% | 38 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 27.4% | 46 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIRIAM B STILLMAN | EXECUTIVE DI | 23.6% of Rev | ||
| RONNI L GORDON | CHAIRMAN OF | — | ||
| JAMES A BARNSHAW | Board Member | — | ||
| STUART FLEMING | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM A LOEB | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT MCSHEA | Board Member | — | ||
| RALPH ROSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEX STILLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CELINA VELEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM WARD | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIRIAM B STILLMAN | EXECUTIVE DI | 23.7% of Rev | ||
| RONNI L GORDON | CHAIRMAN OF | — | ||
| JAMES A BARNSHAW | Board Member | — | ||
| STUART FLEMING | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM A LOEB | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT MCSHEA | Board Member | — | ||
| RALPH ROSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEX STILLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM WARD | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIRIAM B STILLMAN | EXECUTIVE DI | 24.9% of Rev | ||
| RONNI L GORDON | CHAIRMAN OF | — | ||
| JAMES A BARNSHAW | Board Member | — | ||
| STUART FLEMING | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM H LOEB | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT MCSHEA | Board Member | — | ||
| RALPH ROSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEX STILLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM WARD | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 295 other orgs in PA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 13 points above the peer median (50 vs. 37).
5-year trend: Governance Lag
Revenue and Program Scale spike rapidly, but the Governance Score remains stagnant. The organization has outgrown its founding era but hasn't installed proper oversight.
Overall score has gone from 46 → 46 over 5 years (stable by 0 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 32.2% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (healthy band: 18–22%).
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 32.2% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~20 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.