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 | — | — | 24.2% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 14.4% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 36 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRIGITTE COWAN | Board President | — | ||
| BARB SHUE | Vice President | — | ||
| MARTIN GEIGER | V-P EDUCATIO | — | ||
| JULIA VESSEY | V-P EXHIBITI | — | ||
| AMBER OCASIO | Treasurer | — | ||
| CANDACE CHRISTY | Board Member | — | ||
| CANDISE ENOCH | Board Member | — | ||
| SAGE HASTERT | Board Member | — | ||
| DEONA HOUFF | Board Member | — | ||
| AMY LASER KIGER | Board Member | — | ||
| HANNAH SCOTT | Board Member | — | ||
| ANTHEA SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRIS SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY JAYNE SWANSON | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMANDA AVERY | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID BOTTENFIELD | Board Member | — | ||
| ANGUS CARTER | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIGITTE COWAN | Board President | — | ||
| HUNTER HANGER | Board Member | — | ||
| SAGE HASTERT | Board Member | — | ||
| DEONA HOUFF | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL HOUGH | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN HUDSON | Vice President | — | ||
| GREG JONES | Vice President | — | ||
| PEGGY MOYE | V-P MEMBERSH | — | ||
| BARB SHUE | Vice President | — | ||
| ANTHEA SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRIS SMITH | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 28 other orgs in VA with NTEE prefix A2.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 19 points above the peer median (45 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.
Overall score has gone from 25 → 32 over 5 years (improving by 7 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 24.2% 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.