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 | 27.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 27.7% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 27.6% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 30.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | 18.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 16.4% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 19.2% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 24.8% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 28.6% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 26.3% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 29.1% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 31.6% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 25.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RONALD RUSSELL | Executive Director | 7.9% of Rev | ||
| JAMES WALLERT | Artistic Director | 7.2% of Rev | ||
| MELISSA FRIEDMAN | Artistic Director | 7.2% of Rev | ||
| MARK KOLLAR | Board President | — | ||
| MEAGHAN BROWN | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID ZWEIGHAFT | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANDREA BONIME-BLANC | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET HOLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MEREDITH ELLIOT | Board Member | — | ||
| PABLO VELEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| SOPHIA MCGEE | Board Member | — | ||
| CAITLYN MACDONALD | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RONALD RUSSELL | Board President | 7.7% of Rev | ||
| MELISSA FRIEDMAN | Artistic Director | 7.0% of Rev | ||
| JAMES WALLERT | Artistic Director | 7.0% of Rev | ||
| MARK KOLLAR | Board President | — | ||
| MEAGHAN BROWN | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID ZWEIGHAFT | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANDREA BONIME-BLANC | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET HOLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MEREDITH ELLIOT | Board Member | — | ||
| PABLO VELEZ | Board Member | — | ||
| SOPHIA MCGEE | Board Member | — | ||
| CAITLYN MACDONALD | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RON RUSSELL | Board President | 6.9% of Rev | ||
| JAMES WALLERT | Board Member | 6.2% of Rev | ||
| ANDREA BONIME-BLANC | Board Member | — | ||
| MARK KOLLAR | Board President | — | ||
| MEREDITH ELLIOT | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET HOLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| HEDIEH FAKHRIYAZDI | Board President | — | ||
| MEAGHAN BROWN | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID ZWEIGHAFT | Treasurer | — | ||
| DAVID SMITH | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 699 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 31 points below the peer median (0 vs. 31).
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 31 → 30 over 5 years (declining by 1 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 27.8% 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:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 27.8% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~12 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.