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 | Hidden | Hidden | 12.7% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 12.2% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 13.1% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 13.5% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 8.0% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 10.2% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 8.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRISTEN VAN GINHOVEN | Artistic Director | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| WENDY HEALEY | Board President | — | ||
| TONI BUCKLEY | Board President | — | ||
| DONNA HAGHIGHAT | Treasurer | — | ||
| CAROLYN BUTLER | Board Member | — | ||
| ERICA BARRETO | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET FLUER | Board Member | — | ||
| KIM STAUFFER | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN SANDBERG-ZAKIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| NICOLE YOUNG MARTIN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRISTEN VAN GINHOVEN | Artistic Director | 9.9% of Rev | ||
| ERICA BARRETO | Board Member | — | ||
| TONI BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROLYN BUTLER | Secretary | — | ||
| MARGARET FLUHR | Board Member | — | ||
| WENDY HEALEY | Board President | — | ||
| ARWEN LOWBRIDGE | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| ELLEN RING | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE SCOTT | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 245 other orgs in MA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 42 points below the peer median (0 vs. 42).
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 36 → 31 over 5 years (declining by 5 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 12.7% 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.