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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 20.4% | 22 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 53.1% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 39 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 39 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 35 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claire Van Cott | Artistic Director | 38.3% of Rev | ||
| Andrew Brecher | Board Member | — | ||
| Joy Fausey | Board Member | — | ||
| Jennifer Wethje | Board Member | — | ||
| Tiffany Smetak | Board Member | — | ||
| Stacey Drezek | Board Member | — | ||
| ChristopherDeFrancesco | Board President | — | ||
| Jaime Trevethan | Treasurer | — | ||
| Caroline DeFrancesco | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claire Van Cott | Artistic Director | — | ||
| Hope DiPetro | Board Member | — | ||
| Joy Fausey | Board Member | — | ||
| Andrew Brecher | Board Member | — | ||
| Jaime Trevethan | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris DeFrancesco | Board President | — | ||
| Caroline DeFrancesco | Secretary | — | ||
| Lynn Bak | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 130 other orgs in CT with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 39 points below the peer median (0 vs. 39).
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.
Overall score has gone from 39 → 22 over 5 years (declining by 17 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 20.4% 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:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- 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.