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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 23.1% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 23.3% | 45 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 11.7% | 40 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 17.8% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 12.3% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 40 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 11.9% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 44 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 38 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 36 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KELLI COLEY | Executive Director | 22.7% of Rev | ||
| LEIGH DYER | Executive Director | 18.0% of Rev | ||
| BENJAMIN R RIPPLE | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANNABEL NORMAN | Secretary | — | ||
| JAMIE STONE | Board President | — | ||
| CHIP SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| BESS DUBOSE | Board Member | — | ||
| DIXIE CULVER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE CONE | Board Member | — | ||
| TRACIE CATLETT | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE ANDREW BRANTLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH BELK | Board Member | — | ||
| BRADSHAW ORRELL | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN VEAZEY | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEJANDRA THOMPSON DE JORDAN | Board Member | — | ||
| FRANCES OXNER | Board Member | — | ||
| KRYSTYNA RODRIGUEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| JODEE RUPPEL | Board Member | — | ||
| JORDAN ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDSAY JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| LEKECIA GLOVER | Board President | — | ||
| POLLY SMITH FINN | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM GALLUCCI | Board Member | — | ||
| PATRICK DIAMOND | Board Member | — | ||
| ASHLEY VANORE | Board Member | — | ||
| TESS WORTH | Board Member | — | ||
| SOUMYA IYER | Board Member | — | ||
| ZACK MATHENY | Board Member | — | ||
| CYNTHIA TOWNES | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEIGH DYER | Executive Director | 23.1% of Rev | ||
| JAMIE STONE | Board President | — | ||
| TESS WORTH | Secretary | — | ||
| BENJAMIN R RIPPLE | Treasurer | — | ||
| LINDA SPITSEN | Board President | — | ||
| SWATI ARGADE | Board Member | — | ||
| PATRICK DIAMOND | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM GALLUCCI | Board Member | — | ||
| POLLY SMITH FINN | Board Member | — | ||
| LEKECIA GLOVER | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDSAY JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| KRYSTYNA RODRIGUEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| JORDAN ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JODEE RUPPEL | Board Member | — | ||
| CHIP SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| ANNABEL NORMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE ARMOUR TAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEJANDRA THOMPSON DE JORDAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CYNTHIA TOWNES | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARBARA RICHTER | Executive Director | 24.1% of Rev | ||
| LINDA SPITSEN | Board President | — | ||
| DEBBIE CHAMPAGNE | Secretary | — | ||
| BRENT CHRISTENSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| BILL CROWDER | Board Member | — | ||
| PATRICK DIAMOND | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM GALLUCCI | Board Member | — | ||
| LEKECIA GLOVER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARJORIE HODGES | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY HOFFMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDSAY JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| BENJAMIN R RIPPLE | Board Member | — | ||
| KAOLA PHOENIX | Board Member | — | ||
| KRYSTYNA RODRIGUEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| JORDAN ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| CHIP SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| BRYAN STARRETT | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMIE STONE | Board Member | — | ||
| ALEJANDRA THOMPSON | Board Member | — | ||
| TESS WORTH | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARBARA RICHTER | EXEC DIRECTO | 23.9% of Rev | ||
| DEBBIE CHAMPAGNE | Secretary | — | ||
| BRENT CHRISTENSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| KARA COX | Board Member | — | ||
| BILL CROWDER | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM GALLUCCI | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY HOFFMANN | Board Member | — | ||
| ANNE HURD | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDSAY JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| BERT DAVIS JR | IMMEDIATE PA | — | ||
| KAOLA PHOENIX | Board Member | — | ||
| JORDAN ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| KRYSTYNA RODRIGUEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| CHIP SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA SPITSEN | Board President | — | ||
| BRYAN STARRETT | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMIE STONE | Board Member | — | ||
| TESS WORTH | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BARBARA RICHTER | EXEC DIRECTO | 20.0% of Rev | ||
| BILL BENJAMIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBBIE CHAMPAGNE | Secretary | — | ||
| BRENT CHRISTENSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| KARA COX | Board Member | — | ||
| BILL CROWDER | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM GALLUCCI | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY HOFFMANN | Board Member | — | ||
| ANNE HURD | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDSAY JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| BERT DAVIS JR | Board President | — | ||
| KAOLA PHOENIX | Board Member | — | ||
| JORDAN ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| KRYSTYNA RODRIGUEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN SHORE SCHWARTZ | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIE SOPER | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA SPITSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| ART WINSTEAD | IMMEDIATE PA | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 5 other orgs in NC with NTEE prefix A4.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 10 points above the peer median (45 vs. 35).
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 23.1% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- 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.