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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 16.4% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 19.2% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 40.4% | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 32.7% | 19 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 17.9% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 15.0% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 35 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aimee Stewart | Artistic Director | 12.3% of Rev | ||
| Ashley Whipple | Board Member | 6.6% of Rev | ||
| Julie Schlarmann | Board Member | 5.3% of Rev | ||
| David Coburn | Chairman Of The Board | — | ||
| Adam Stewart | Treasurer | — | ||
| Howard MacPhail | Board Member | — | ||
| Brooke Stephens | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aimee Stewart | Artistic Director | 11.1% of Rev | ||
| Ashley Whipple | Board Member | 5.9% of Rev | ||
| Julie Schlarmann | Board Member | 4.7% of Rev | ||
| David Coburn | Chairman Of The Board | — | ||
| Adam Stewart | Treasurer | — | ||
| Howard MacPhail | Board Member | — | ||
| Brooke Stephens | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aimee Stewart | Artistic Director | 10.1% of Rev | ||
| Julie Schlarmann | Executive Director | 5.6% of Rev | ||
| Adam Stewart | Chairman Of The Board | — | ||
| Issa Johnson | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris Nguyen | Board Member | — | ||
| Howard MacPhail | Board Member | — | ||
| David Coburn | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aimee Stewart | Artistic Director | 9.8% of Rev | ||
| Ashley Oakley | Executive Director | 8.6% of Rev | ||
| Adam Stewart | Chairman Of The Board | — | ||
| Ashley Arp | Board Member | — | ||
| Issa Johnson | Board Member | — | ||
| Andrew Campbell | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris Nguyen | Board Member | — | ||
| Howard MacPhail | Board Member | — | ||
| David Coburn | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aimee Stewart | Artistic Director | 8.9% of Rev | ||
| Ashley Oakley | Executive Director | 7.6% of Rev | ||
| Adam Stewart | Chairman Of The Board | — | ||
| Andrew Campbell | Board Member | — | ||
| Issa Johnson | Board Member | — | ||
| Ward Andrews | Board Member | — | ||
| Ashley Arp | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 118 other orgs in AZ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 26 points below the peer median (5 vs. 31).
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.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 16.4% 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:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- 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.