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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 5.8% | 40 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 5.9% | 40 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 6.4% | 40 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 11.1% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 13.7% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 12.5% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 12.3% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.0% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 16.3% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 15.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 12.2% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEAN OWENS | Artistic Director | 6.1% of Rev | ||
| TAMMY RUPE | Treasurer | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| CURTIS AMRINE | Secretary | — | ||
| KEN BENGTSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JACOB HOUSE | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| JIM LOGAN | Board President | — | ||
| BRIAN SMITH | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEAN OWENS | Artistic Director | 5.0% of Rev | ||
| TAMMY RUPE | Treasurer | 1.5% of Rev | ||
| CURTIS AMRINE | Secretary | — | ||
| KEN BENGTSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JACOB HOUSE | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| JIM LOGAN | Board President | — | ||
| BRIAN SMITH | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LINDA MCGINNESS | ART. DIR.-TE | 8.7% of Rev | ||
| DEAN OWENS | Artistic Director | 2.5% of Rev | ||
| CURTIS AMRINE | Board Member | — | ||
| KEN BENGTSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JACOB HOUSE | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM LOGAN | Board President | — | ||
| JEFF MORRIS | Secretary | — | ||
| TAMMY RUPE | Treasurer | — | ||
| BRIAN SMITH | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 59 other orgs in KS with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 19 points below the peer median (25 vs. 44).
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 31 → 40 over 5 years (improving by 9 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 5.8% 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.