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 | — | — | 4.7% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 7.8% | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 15.1% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 9.0% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 11.2% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 14.5% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 13.3% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 13.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 6.6% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 5.5% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 5.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 5.6% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEIGH WHITWORTH | Artistic Director | 6.8% of Rev | ||
| ALYSSA BLANCHARD | Board Member | — | ||
| ARLENE RYAN | Secretary | — | ||
| BRITTANY GRAY | Board Member | — | ||
| HUITT RABEL | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROLINE TEZZA | Board Member | — | ||
| JERI MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| KEN JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT PARKER | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHELLE TILLIS | Board President | — | ||
| BRETT MCCLUNG | Treasurer | — | ||
| MELANIE KAGAN | Board President | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEIGH WHITWORTH | Artistic Director | 7.4% of Rev | ||
| MERIDITH BURBA | Board President | — | ||
| MICHELLE TILLIS | Treasurer | — | ||
| MELANIE KAGAN | Secretary | — | ||
| ALYSSA BLANCHARD | Board Member | — | ||
| AMANDA SEALS | Board Member | — | ||
| ARLENE RYAN | Board Member | — | ||
| BRETT MCCLUNG | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROLINE TEZZA | Board Member | — | ||
| CHERYL JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| KEN JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN REID | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEIGH WHITWORTH | Artistic Director | 8.2% of Rev | ||
| AMANDA SEALS | Board Member | — | ||
| ARLENE RYAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHERYL JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| KATE GALAT | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLOINE TEZZA | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN REID | Board Member | — | ||
| KEN JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| MERIDITH BURBA | Board President | — | ||
| MICHELLE TILLIS | Treasurer | — | ||
| LISA NOVAK | Board President | — | ||
| MELANIE KAGAN | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 123 other orgs in GA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 22 points below the peer median (15 vs. 37).
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 29 → 38 over 5 years (improving by 9 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 4.7% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- 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:
- 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.