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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | — | — | 28.0% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | 36.0% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 24.1% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 41.0% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 54.4% | 17 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 30.2% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 26.8% | 36 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 18.6% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 14.3% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 24.1% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 22.4% | 37 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 29.1% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLAINE HESS | Executive Director | 12.6% of Rev | ||
| CHRIS BROWN | Artistic Director | 10.4% of Rev | ||
| SELENA MIDKIFF | Board Member | 5.0% of Rev | ||
| CHRISTY DIETZ | Artistic Director | — | ||
| EDDIE BUCKLEN | Board President | — | ||
| SHANA CLAY | Treasurer | — | ||
| JANE FOUTY | Secretary | — | ||
| JEFF COX | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA HAMRICK | Board Member | — | ||
| LAURA HAYES | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN HAWKS | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSICA LAMBERT | Board Member | — | ||
| RAY LOWTHER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARSHALL MURRAY | Board Member | — | ||
| WALTER TUCKER | Board Member | — | ||
| LACI WEBB | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDREY PITONAK-GOFF | Executive Director | 6.1% of Rev | ||
| BLAINE HESS | Executive Director | 6.1% of Rev | ||
| CHRIS BROWN | Artistic Director | 5.5% of Rev | ||
| SELENA MIDKIFF | Board Member | 5.0% of Rev | ||
| CHRISTY DIETZ | Board President | — | ||
| EDDIE BUCKLEN | Board President | — | ||
| SHANA CLAY | Treasurer | — | ||
| JANE FOUTY | Secretary | — | ||
| JB AKERS | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFF COX | Board Member | — | ||
| LAURA HAYES | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN HAWKS | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSICA LAMBERT | Board Member | — | ||
| RAY LOWTHER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARSHALL MURRAY | Board Member | — | ||
| WALTER TUCKER | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SELENA MIDKIFF | Executive Director | 14.3% of Rev | ||
| AUDREY PITONAK-GOFF | Executive Director | 14.2% of Rev | ||
| SELENA MIDKIFF | Artistic Director | 13.2% of Rev | ||
| AUDREY PITONAK-GOFF | Executive Director | 10.9% of Rev | ||
| CHRISTY DIETZ | Board President | 2.2% of Rev | ||
| CHRISTY DIETZ | Board President | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| JESSICA LAMBERT | Board Member | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| LAURA HAYES | Board President | — | ||
| JB AKERS | Board Member | — | ||
| EDDIE BUCKLEN | Board Member | — | ||
| DR PAUL DIETZ | Board Member | — | ||
| SHANA CLAY | Treasurer | — | ||
| JANE FOUTY | Board Member | — | ||
| DAN TATE | Board Member | — | ||
| ANGELA HAAS | Secretary | — | ||
| RAY LOWTHER | Board Member | — | ||
| LAURA HAYES | Board President | — | ||
| SHANA CLAY | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANGELA HAAS | Secretary | — | ||
| JB AKERS | Board Member | — | ||
| EDDIE BUCKLEN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE FOUTY | Board Member | — | ||
| DAN TATE | Board Member | — | ||
| RAY LOWTHER | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 3 other orgs in WV with NTEE prefix A2.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 37 points below the peer median (15 vs. 52).
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 28.0% 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 28.0% 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.