The Founder's Trap
What does this mean?
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
The Path Forward
The Dispersal
Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | — | 1.4% | 50 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 48 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 46 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MELONIE RECTOR | Board President | 1.4% of Rev | ||
| JAYSON A SNIPES | Treasurer | — | ||
| SHARON BARNETT | REGISTRAR | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MELONIE RECTOR | Board President | — | ||
| JAYSON A SNIPES | Treasurer | — | ||
| SHARON BARNETT | REGISTRAR | — | ||
| MELONIE RECTOR | Board President | — | ||
| JAYSON A SNIPES | Treasurer | — | ||
| SHARON BARNETT | REGISTRAR | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 146 other orgs in NC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 28 points above the peer median (65 vs. 37).
5-year trend: The Founder's Trap
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
Overall score has gone from 47 → 50 over 5 years (improving by 3 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 1.4% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
What would change this score
No specific high-impact levers identified — this org's score is balanced across components.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.