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 | — | — | 8.5% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 8.0% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 4.2% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 4.8% | 35 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.4% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 9.8% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.0% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 21 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 8.9% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 11.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 13.2% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Sloan | General Manager | 3.4% of Rev | ||
| Steve Steiner | Board President | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Gail Steiner | Artistic Director | 2.6% of Rev | ||
| Cynthia Senft | Treasurer | — | ||
| Lori Pepenella | Board Member | — | ||
| Caroline Wilhusen | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Sloan | General Manager | 3.3% of Rev | ||
| Gail Steiner | Artistic Director | 2.9% of Rev | ||
| Steve Steiner | Board President | 2.7% of Rev | ||
| Cynthia Senft | Treasurer | — | ||
| Lori Pepenella | Board Member | — | ||
| Caroline Wilhusen | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Steiner | Board President | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| Gail Steiner | Artistic Director | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| Paula Sloan | General Manager | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| Cynthia Senft | Treasurer | — | ||
| Lori Pepenella | Board Member | — | ||
| Caroline Wilhusen | 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 NJ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 34 points above the peer median (60 vs. 26).
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 8.5% 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.