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 | — | — | 21.4% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 10.9% | 40 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 11.5% | 40 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 9.1% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 8.7% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 10.7% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 10.3% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 11.4% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 10.0% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 9.6% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 10.0% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 10.8% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASSANDRA CROWLEY | Artistic Director | 10.2% of Rev | ||
| RYAN MCMCHAEL | Board President | — | ||
| EMILY GORDON | Board President | — | ||
| RUSS PHILLIPS | Treasurer | — | ||
| PAMELA SHAW | Board President | — | ||
| COLE BOND | Board Member | — | ||
| ALETHA CARVER | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHANIE CARGILL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIE CHARIF | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHELE DUNN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTINE PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| KIMBERLY PHILLIPS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASSANDRA CROWLEY | Executive Director | 11.0% of Rev | ||
| PAMELA SHAW | Board President | — | ||
| RYAN MCMCHAEL | Board President | — | ||
| ED CUTCHER | Treasurer | — | ||
| PENELOPE HARE | Secretary | — | ||
| CHRISTY DONNELLY | Board President | — | ||
| ASHLEY BETTIS | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLISON CHIOFOLO | Board Member | — | ||
| SHARON LUNTZ | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTINE PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ALETHA CARVER | Board Member | — | ||
| MINDY LEEDERS | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIE CHARIF | Board Member | — | ||
| VICTORIA KERR | Board Member | — | ||
| EMILY GORDON | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASSANDRA CROWLEY | Executive Director | 10.6% of Rev | ||
| DANIELLE ANGOTT HIGGINS | Board President | — | ||
| CHRISTY DONNELLY | Board President | — | ||
| PAMELA SHAW | Board President | — | ||
| ED CUTCHER | Treasurer | — | ||
| PENELOPE HARE | Secretary | — | ||
| ASHLEY BETTIS | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLISON CHIOFOLO | Board Member | — | ||
| EMILY GORDON | Board Member | — | ||
| RENATA LUNTZ | Board Member | — | ||
| DONNA LEIBENSPERGER | Board Member | — | ||
| SHARON LUNTZ | Board Member | — | ||
| MENKA MISHEFF | Board Member | — | ||
| JILL MORGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTINE PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ALETHA CARVER | Board Member | — | ||
| MINDY LEEDERS | Board Member | — | ||
| RYAN MCMICHAEL | Board Member | — | ||
| NICOLE SIPILLA | Board Member | — | ||
| VICTORIA KERR | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBY SHERROD BARATH | EX OFFICIO | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 212 other orgs in OH with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 41 points below the peer median (0 vs. 41).
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 34 → 31 over 5 years (declining by 3 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 21.4% 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.