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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 12.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 30.1% | 21 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 24.8% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | 18.0% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 17.7% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 8.3% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Kik | Board Member | 6.4% of Rev | ||
| Amanda Kik | Board Member | 5.6% of Rev | ||
| Michelle Ferrarese | Board Member | — | ||
| Ellen Fred | Board President | — | ||
| Jack Seaman | Board Member | — | ||
| Barb Tholin | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAD KIK | Board Member | 6.1% of Rev | ||
| AMANDA KIK | Board Member | 6.0% of Rev | ||
| HEATHER RATLIFF | Board Member | — | ||
| ERIN ANDERSON WHITING | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN BOURDAGES | FORMER PRESI | — | ||
| MICHELLE FERRARESE | FORMER PRESI | — | ||
| ELLEN FRED | Board President | — | ||
| NICCO PANDOLFI | Secretary | — | ||
| BARB THOLIN | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMANDA KIK | Board Member | 5.6% of Rev | ||
| BRAD KIK | Board Member | 5.6% of Rev | ||
| AMANDA KIK | Board Member | 4.7% of Rev | ||
| BRAD KIK | Board Member | 4.7% of Rev | ||
| MICHELLE FERRARESE | FORMER PRESI | — | ||
| ELLEN FRED | Board Member | — | ||
| HEATHER RATLIFF | Board Member | — | ||
| ERIN ANDERSON WHITING | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN BOURDAGES | Board President | — | ||
| NICCO PANDOLFI | Secretary | — | ||
| BARB THOLIN | Treasurer | — | ||
| MICHELLE FERRARESE | FORMER PRESI | — | ||
| LISA FRANSEEN | Board Member | — | ||
| ELLEN FRED | Board Member | — | ||
| HEATHER RATLIFF | Board Member | — | ||
| ERIN ANDERSON WHITING | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN BOURDAGES | Board President | — | ||
| NICCO PANDOLFI | Secretary | — | ||
| BARB THOLIN | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 45 other orgs in MI with NTEE prefix A2.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 44 points below the peer median (0 vs. 44).
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
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 12.0% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- 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.