Structural Deficit
"Empowers children to share their voices through creative writing workshops, then adapts and performs their stories on stage with professional actor/educators for both school and public audiences."
— Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
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.
Demonstrated Impact
- creative writing workshops
- in-school performances of children's stories
- public performances
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 | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | — | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 11.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 12.2% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 10.9% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIKE LUBIN | Board President | — | ||
| DEANNA MYERS | Board Member | — | ||
| JACK REICH | Board Member | — | ||
| DORI SCALLET | Board Member | — | ||
| HARRISON WAYNE SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLISON SOKOLOWSKI | Secretary | — | ||
| MERISSA STEWART | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER ALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ASHLEY BLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| STEVE CROTHERS | Treasurer | — | ||
| MARY WINN HEIDER | VICE PRESIDE | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER ALLMAN | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| SOPHIA AUDREY | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY WINN HEIDER | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE LUBIN | Board President | — | ||
| DEANNA MYERS | Board Member | — | ||
| JACK REICH | Treasurer | — | ||
| DORI SCALLET | Board Member | — | ||
| ALLISON SOKOLOWSKI | Secretary | — | ||
| MERISSA STEWART | Board Member | — | ||
| RAVEN STUBBS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JILLIAN ABBINANTI | Board Member | — | ||
| JEN ALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID BOROWSKI | Secretary | — | ||
| TOM CUEVAS | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY FISHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN GILMOUR | Board President | — | ||
| ERICA HALVERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN GILMOUR | Board President | — | ||
| MANDY JONES | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| MANDY JONES | VICE PRESIDE | — | ||
| JOE LEVERING | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH BULLOCK | Secretary | — | ||
| LIZ JOYNT SANDBERG | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICIO SARDISCO | Treasurer | — | ||
| MAURICIO SARDISCO | Treasurer | — | ||
| JEN ALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID BOROWSKI | Board Member | — | ||
| IMRON BHATTI | Board Member | — | ||
| TOM CUEVAS | Board Member | — | ||
| ERICA HALVERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| EDDIE JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY FISHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JOE LEVERING | Board Member | — | ||
| KAYLA PULLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| JILLIAN ABBINANTI | Board Member | — | ||
| LIZ JOYNT SANDBERG | Board Member | — | ||
| COLETTE GREGORY | EXECUTIVE DI | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 376 other orgs in IL with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 47 points below the peer median (10 vs. 57).
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.
What's driving this score
- All-volunteer org with no paid officers — governance signal is neutral (default 50), not absent.
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
- 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).
- Stabilize program expenses or grow earned-income revenue to break the consecutive-deficit pattern (~8 points to financial score).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.