Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 22.7% | 36 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 22.2% | 40 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 19.7% | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 12.0% | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 7.6% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 4.8% | 48 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 11.5% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 8.1% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Severy | Office Manager | 7.5% of Rev | ||
| Marcia Sloane | Bookkeeper | 2.2% of Rev | ||
| Eva von Bahr | Board President | 1.1% of Rev | ||
| Abigail Strock | Board Member | 0.7% of Rev | ||
| Nathaniel Waletzko | Board Member | — | ||
| Paul Sweigart | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Archuletta | Board Member | — | ||
| Terry Knaus | Secretary | — | ||
| Randy Masselink | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abigail Strock | Board Member | — | ||
| Paul Sweigart | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Archuletta | Board Member | — | ||
| Nathaniel Waletzko | Board Member | — | ||
| Richard Breen | Treasurer | — | ||
| Terry Knaus | Secretary | — | ||
| Eva von Bahr | Board President | — | ||
| Marcia Sloane | Bookkeeper | — | ||
| Nancy Severy | Office Manager | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nancy Severy | Office Manager | 4.8% of Rev | ||
| Eva von Bahr | Board President | 2.4% of Rev | ||
| Abigail Roland | Board Member | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| Elizabeth Swenson | Treasurer | — | ||
| Terry Knaus | Secretary | — | ||
| Paul Sweigart | Board Member | — | ||
| Richard Breen | Board Member | — | ||
| Stan Malos | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 829 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 14 points above the peer median (45 vs. 31).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
Overall score has gone from 50 → 36 over 5 years (declining by 14 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.7% 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.