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 | Hidden | Hidden | 46.5% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 57.5% | 40 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 10.8% | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Nolley | Artistic Director | 25.2% of Rev | ||
| Amy Robertson | Accompanist | 14.3% of Rev | ||
| Deborah McGuire | Assistant Accompanist | 2.9% of Rev | ||
| Audrey Shenk | Secretary | 2.1% of Rev | ||
| Miriam Clark | Treasurer | 2.1% of Rev | ||
| Donna Tinsley | Board President | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Nolley | Artistic Director | 22.4% of Rev | ||
| Amy Robertson | Accompanist | 13.5% of Rev | ||
| Deborah McGuire | Assistant Accompanist | 3.1% of Rev | ||
| Audrey Shenk | Secretary | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Miriam Clark | Treasurer | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Donna Tinsley | Board President | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtis Nolley | Artistic Director | 4.8% of Rev | ||
| Amy Robertson | Accompanist | 3.1% of Rev | ||
| Deborah McGuire | Assistant Accompanist | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Ronald Matthews | Board President | — | ||
| Audrey Shenk | Secretary | — | ||
| Miriam Clark | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 147 other orgs in VA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 14 points above the peer median (50 vs. 36).
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 46.5% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 46.5% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~40 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.