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 | — | — | 26.4% | 38 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | 10.0% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 15.8% | 43 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 9.0% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 16.2% | 43 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 14.8% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 16.0% | 43 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 13.0% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 15.7% | 43 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 17.5% | 44 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 16.5% | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 17.9% | 42 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 15.5% | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 13.9% | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEATHER JOHNSON | Executive Director | 26.4% of Rev | ||
| Heather Lanning | Board President | — | ||
| Sean Thornton | Board Member | — | ||
| GALEN WILKE | Treasurer | — | ||
| RACHAEL RAIL | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heather Lanning | Board President | — | ||
| Mark Looney | Board President | — | ||
| EMILY HAGER | Treasurer | — | ||
| MARY RICHARDS | Secretary | — | ||
| HEATHER JOHNSON | Executive Director | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEATHER JOHNSON | Executive Director | 16.0% of Rev | ||
| ASHLEY RIPPKE | Board President | — | ||
| ROB WALLACE | Board President | — | ||
| EMILY HAGER | Treasurer | — | ||
| MARY RICHARDS | Secretary | — | ||
| ASHLEY RIPPKE | Board President | — | ||
| ROB WALLACE | Board President | — | ||
| EMILY HAGER | Treasurer | — | ||
| MARY RICHARDS | Secretary | — | ||
| HEATHER JOHNSON | Executive Director | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Fewer than 3 peers found in IA for this NTEE subcategory; peer comparison would not be statistically meaningful.
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 26.4% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
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).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 26.4% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~9 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.