The Hollow Shell
What does this mean?
A 10-year slow bleed. Revenue shrinks slightly every year, board size shrinks to the legal minimum, and the organization slowly burns assets to pay a single administrator.
The Path Forward
The Seed
Forces the ultimate reckoning. It requires the board to either secure massive transformative funding immediately or begin the legal process of dissolving to preserve whatever assets remain.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | — | — | -2.7% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 8.4% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 4.3% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 7.2% | 46 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 4.5% | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 2.3% | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 9.8% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 9.2% | 46 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 9.0% | 48 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 8.9% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 9.5% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Ferraro | Executive Director | Hidden | ||
| No board members at dissolution | Unspecified Role | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARK FERRARO-HAUCK | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| MIKE ERLANDSON | Board President | — | ||
| RHONDA FEIST | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER PROCK | Board Member | — | ||
| TAMRA DAVIS COWNIE | Board Member | — | ||
| MAGGIE DAYTON | Board Member | — | ||
| JARED KEMPER | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANNA TOBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| PONDIE TAYLOR | Board President | — | ||
| SHWETHA VIJAYAKUMAR | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARK FERRARO-HAUCK | Artistic Director | Hidden | ||
| MIKE ERLANDSON | Board President | — | ||
| RHONDA FEIST | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER PROCK | Treasurer | — | ||
| TAMRA DAVIS COWNIE | Board Member | — | ||
| MAGGIE DAYTON | Board Member | — | ||
| TOM D'ONOFRIO | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHY ENGESSER | Board Member | — | ||
| JARED KEMPER | Board Member | — | ||
| ANNA TOBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| PONDIE TAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| SHUN TUCKER | Board Member | — | ||
| SHWETHA VIJAYAKUMAR | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 175 other orgs in MN with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 32 points below the peer median (5 vs. 37).
5-year trend: The Hollow Shell
A 10-year slow bleed. Revenue shrinks slightly every year, board size shrinks to the legal minimum, and the organization slowly burns assets to pay a single administrator.
Overall score has gone from 51 → 22 over 5 years (declining by 29 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of -2.7% 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.