Structural Deficit
What does this mean?
Persistently low financial health over 5 years despite strong programmatic output. They are borrowing from their future (or bleeding an endowment) to pay for today's programs.
The Path Forward
The Truth-Teller
Forces necessary, painful cuts to preserve the core. It demands that the organization stop borrowing from its future and align its current programmatic output with actual sustainable revenue.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 8.0% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 8.2% | 44 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 9.1% | 44 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 10.2% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.8% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 11.7% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 11.7% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 15.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 10.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 12.8% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 12.1% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RO NITA HAWES-SAUNDERS | Executive Director | 6.1% of Rev | ||
| DEBBIE BLUNDEN-DIGGS | Artistic Director | 5.5% of Rev | ||
| LISA ROBERTS - ROSSER | Board Member | — | ||
| KARL ULRICH | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD L JACKSON PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| DR ERIK BROOKS | Board Member | — | ||
| KELLY MERCER | Board Member | — | ||
| DR ZILLAH FLUKER | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN HINES | Board Member | — | ||
| STEVE PETITJEAN | Treasurer | — | ||
| MONTI MOYER | Board Member | — | ||
| TAMMY SCHAFF | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY TRZECIAK | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD LAPEDES | Board Member | — | ||
| DR PAUL BENSON | Board President | — | ||
| CLINTON BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROLAND CALDWELL | Board Member | — | ||
| DR SHARON DAVIS GRATTO | Board Member | — | ||
| JACQUELINE GAMBLIN | Board President | — | ||
| AGNES GEORGE | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| DR CHARLOTTE HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| DR GARY LEROY | Board Member | — | ||
| DR DEIDRE LOGAN | Secretary | — | ||
| DOUG LUNNE | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN MCDONALD | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL POWE | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RO NITA HAWES-SAUNDERS | Executive Director | 5.8% of Rev | ||
| RO NITA HAWES-SAUNDERS | Executive Director | 5.4% of Rev | ||
| DEBBIE BLUNDEN-DIGGS | Artistic Director | 5.3% of Rev | ||
| DEBBIE BLUNDEN-DIGGS | Artistic Director | 4.9% of Rev | ||
| DR PAUL BENSON | Board President | — | ||
| CLINTON BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROLAND CALDWELL | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN WICK - GAGNER | Board Member | — | ||
| JACQUELINE GAMBLIN | BOARD SECRET | — | ||
| AGNES GEORGE | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID GOLTZ | Treasurer | — | ||
| DR SHARON DAVIS GRATTO | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| DR CHARLOTTE HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD LAPEDES | Board President | — | ||
| DR GARY LEROY | Board Member | — | ||
| DR DEIDRE LOGAN | Secretary | — | ||
| DOUG LUNNE | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN MCDONALD | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD L JACKSON PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL POWE | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA ROBERTS - ROSSER | Board Member | — | ||
| KARL ULRICH | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD LAPEDES | Board Member | — | ||
| DR PAUL BENSON | Board President | — | ||
| CLINTON BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROLAND CALDWELL | Board Member | — | ||
| DR SHARON DAVIS GRATTO | Board Member | — | ||
| JACQUELINE GAMBLIN | Board President | — | ||
| AGNES GEORGE | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| DR CHARLOTTE HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| DR GARY LEROY | Board Member | — | ||
| DR DEIDRE LOGAN | Secretary | — | ||
| DOUG LUNNE | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN MCDONALD | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL POWE | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA ROBERTS - ROSSER | Board Member | — | ||
| KARL ULRICH | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD L JACKSON PHD | Board Member | — | ||
| DR ERIK BROOKS | Board Member | — | ||
| SAMANTHA ELDER | Board Member | — | ||
| DR ZILLAH FLUKER | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN HINES | Board Member | — | ||
| STEVE PETITJEAN | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 212 other orgs in OH with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 31 points below the peer median (10 vs. 41).
5-year trend: Structural Deficit
Persistently low financial health over 5 years despite strong programmatic output. They are borrowing from their future (or bleeding an endowment) to pay for today's programs.
Overall score has gone from 38 → 38 over 5 years (stable by 0 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 8.0% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- Financial resilience score in the bottom quartile — reserves and liabilities ratios warrant review.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Build cash reserves to at least 3 months of operating expenses — moves financial resilience score meaningfully (~10 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.