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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 15.4% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 9.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 14.0% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 13.6% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 8.0% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Lam | Artistic Director | 6.7% of Rev | ||
| Les Mizzell | Executive Director | 3.2% of Rev | ||
| Shannon Manning | Board Member | 3.0% of Rev | ||
| Bonnie Boiter-Jolley | Board Member | 2.6% of Rev | ||
| James Schuller | Board Member | — | ||
| Teresa McWilliams | Board Member | — | ||
| Todd Shevchik | Board Member | — | ||
| Donna Shevchik | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Lam | Artistic Director | 7.6% of Rev | ||
| Bonnie Boiter-Jolley | Board Member | 2.9% of Rev | ||
| Les Mizzell | Executive Director | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Shannon Manning | Board Member | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| James Schuller | Board Member | — | ||
| Teresa McWilliams | Board Member | — | ||
| Todd Shevchik | Board Member | — | ||
| Donna Shevchik | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale Lam | Artistic Director | 7.6% of Rev | ||
| Les Mizzell | Executive Director | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Shannon Manning | Board Member | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| James Schuller | Board Member | — | ||
| Bonnie Boiter-Jolley | Board Member | — | ||
| Teresa McWilliams | Board Member | — | ||
| Todd Shevchik | Board Member | — | ||
| Donna Shevchik | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 97 other orgs in SC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 33 points below the peer median (0 vs. 33).
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 15.4% 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:
- 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.