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 | Hidden | Hidden | 24.3% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 17.2% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 18.3% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 17.8% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MELODY DALE | Board President | 7.4% of Rev | ||
| ADRIANNA BROWN | Board Member | 1.4% of Rev | ||
| ELIZABETH PALMORE | Board Member | 1.4% of Rev | ||
| MACKENZIE NEWBURRY | Board Member | 0.7% of Rev | ||
| IMANI WULFF-COCHRANE | Board Member | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| KENDALL GILBERT | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| CHERYL DALE | Treasurer | — | ||
| DARLENE WULFF-COCHRANE | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MELODY DALE | Board President | 6.6% of Rev | ||
| MELODY DALE | Board President | 6.2% of Rev | ||
| CHELSEY HENDERSON | Board Member | 0.9% of Rev | ||
| RICHARD SCOTT | Board Member | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| IMANI WULFF-COCHRANE | Board Member | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| ADRIANNA BROWN | Board Member | 0.1% of Rev | ||
| DARIELLE LEMON | Board Member | 0.1% of Rev | ||
| CHERYL DALE | Treasurer | — | ||
| DARLENE WULFF-COCHRANE | Secretary | — | ||
| LYDIA QUARLES | Board Member | — | ||
| MACKENZIE NEWBURRY | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIANA HAYMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHERYL DALE | Treasurer | — | ||
| DARLENE WULFF-COCHRANE | Board President | — | ||
| DANA PERRY | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 23 other orgs in DE with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 21 points below the peer median (15 vs. 36).
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 27 → 31 over 5 years (improving by 4 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 24.3% 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.