Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
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 | 43.8% | 48 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | — | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | Hidden | Hidden | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 27.5% | 48 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 35 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oskar Espina Ruiz | Board Member | 35.0% of Rev | ||
| Richard Wenz | Board Member | 8.8% of Rev | ||
| Robert Cantwell | Treasurer | — | ||
| Beverley Dean | Board President | — | ||
| Scott Armstrong | Board Member | — | ||
| Mark Hellmann | Board Member | — | ||
| Maria Montanaro | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oskar Espina-Ruiz | Executive Dir. | 14.6% of Rev | ||
| Jack Levy | Treasurer | — | ||
| Scott Armstrong | Board Member | — | ||
| Mark Hellman | Board Member | — | ||
| Maria Montanaro | Board Member | — | ||
| Beverley Dean | Board President | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 145 other orgs in NC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 38 points above the peer median (75 vs. 37).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 43.8% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 43.8% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~40 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.