The Founder's Trap
The Founder's Trap
The Founder's Trap Market Archetype Mechanical Natural
Tier
Developing
Trajectory Thumbprint

The Founder's Trap

What does this mean?

10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.

The Path Forward

The Dispersal

Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.

The Dispersal
The Dispersal
Institutional Health Scores
5-yr trend: The Founder's Trap ↑
Overall
54
Score
Governance
58
Score
Financial
50
Score
Program
60
Score

Institutional Epochs

2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Financial Era
Governance Era
Trajectory Era
Founders Trap

Historical Performance

Year Revenue Top Comp Comp % Rev Score Phase Label Outlook Details
2025 Hidden Hidden — — Unknown —
2024 Hidden Hidden — — Unknown —
2023 Hidden Hidden 2.2% 54 Fragile Recovery
2022 — — 3.0% 52 Fragile Recovery
2021 — — 7.2% 49 Fragile Recovery
2020 — — — 42 Fragile Decline Risk
2019 — — — 44 Fragile Recovery
2018 — — — 39 Fragile Stable Watch
2017 — — — 39 Fragile Decline Risk
2016 — — — 52 Fragile Recovery
2015 — — — 45 Fragile Stable Watch
2014 — — — 49 Fragile Recovery
2013 — — — 41 Fragile Stable Watch
2012 — — — 41 Fragile Recovery
2011 — — — 45 Fragile Stable Watch

Officer compensation history

Tax year 2026

Name Title Phone Email Compensation
MICHAEL IMHOF Executive Director 4.9% of Rev
JOSHUA CLOUD Treasurer 3.1% of Rev
CAMERON MORGAN Executive Director 2.2% of Rev
OWEN HUTCHINSON Artistic Director 1.8% of Rev
CHRIS JARNOT CHAIRMAN —
ANDY ARNOLD Board Member —
JOHN ARNOLD Board Member —
SAM BRONFMAN Board Member —
JEFFREY BYRNE Board Member —
SUSAN CAMPBELL Board Member —
WILL COOK Board Member —
STEVE COYER Board Member —
GREG DALY Board Member —
CARLOS GARDEA Board Member —
MARGIE GART Board Member —
JOHANNES FAESSLER Board Member —
NADIA GUERRIERO Board Member —
CARRIE BESNETTE HAUSER Board Member —
BETH HOWARD Board Member —
AL HUBBARD Board Member —
BJ HYBL Board Member —
DAVID HYDE Board Member —
CHERYL JENSEN Board Member —
ALEXIA JURSCHAK Board Member —
ANNE-MARIE KEANE Board Member —
MIKE KRUPKA Board Member —
DONNA LYNNE Board Member —
SARAH MALLOY MILLETT Board Member —
ALEJANDRA CORTS DE MILMO Board Member —
ELLEN MORITZ Board Member —
KAIA MORITZ Board Member —
BOBBY MURPHY Board Member —
DAN PENNINGTON Board Member —
JILL PLANCHER Board Member —
MOLLY KIPP Board Member —
DAVID SALVIN Board Member —
KEN SCHANZER Board Member —
ANN SMEAD Board Member —
ADI SLIFER Board Member —
KRISTIN TANG Board Member —
FRED TRESCA Board Member —
WILL VERITY Board Member —
TINA VARDAMAN Board Member —
NICK WAUGH Board Member —
GARY WOODWORTH Board Member —
KRISTY WOOLFOLK Board Member —
TINA WILSON Board Member —
JEFF LUKER Board Member —
JIM CLANCY Board Member —

Tax year 2025

Name Title Phone Email Compensation
MICHAEL IMHOF Executive Director 4.7% of Rev
JOSHUA CLOUD Treasurer 2.4% of Rev
OWEN HUTCHINSON-EXECUTIVE DIR Artistic Director 2.2% of Rev
CHRIS JARNOT CHAIRMAN —
ANDY ARNOLD Board Member —
JOHN ARNOLD Board Member —
SAM BRONFMAN Board Member —
JEFFREY BYRNE Board Member —
SUSAN CAMPBELL Board Member —
WILL COOK Board Member —
STEVE COYER Board Member —
JOHANNES FAESSLER Board Member —
CARLOS GARDEA Board Member —
MARGIE GART Board Member —
PAUL GORDON Board Member —
NADIA GUERRIERO Board Member —
CARRIE BESNETTE HAUSER Board Member —
BETH HOWARD Board Member —
AL HUBBARD Board Member —
BJ HYBL Board Member —
DAVID HYDE Board Member —
CHERYL JENSEN Board Member —
ALEXIA JURSCHAK Board Member —
ANNE-MARIE KEANE Board Member —
MIKE KRUPKA Board Member —
DONNA LYNNE Board Member —
SARAH MALLOY MILLETT Board Member —
ALEJANDRA CORTS DE MILMO Board Member —
ELLEN MORITZ Board Member —
KAIA MORITZ Board Member —
BOBBY MURPHY Board Member —
DAN PENNINGTON Board Member —
JILL PLANCHER Board Member —
CHRIS ROMER Board Member —
DAVID SALVIN Board Member —
KEN SCHANZER Board Member —
ANN SMEAD Board Member —
HAP STEIN Board Member —
KRISTIN TANG Board Member —
FRED TRESCA Board Member —
MELINA VALSECIA Board Member —
TINA VARDAMAN Board Member —
NICK WAUGH Board Member —
GARY WOODWORTH Board Member —
KRISTY WOOLFOLK Board Member —

Tax year 2023

Name Title Phone Email Compensation
MICHAEL IMHOF Executive Director 4.7% of Rev
ROBERT J FORD CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 3.1% of Rev
OWEN HUTCHINSON Executive Director 2.2% of Rev
ANN SMEAD CHAIRMAN —
ANDY ARNOLD Board Member —
JOHN ARNOLD Board Member —
CARRIE BESNETTE HAUSER Board Member —
SAM BRONFMAN Board Member —
SUSAN CAMPBELL Board Member —
CHARLENE CHEN Board Member —
WILL COOK Board Member —
STEVE COYER Board Member —
JOHANNES FAESSLER Board Member —
TIM FINCHEM Board Member —
MARGIE GART Board Member —
SHEIKA GRAMSHAMMER Board Member —
BETH HOWARD Board Member —
AL HUBBARD Board Member —
BJ HYBL Board Member —
CHRISTOPHER JARNOT Board Member —
CHERYL JENSEN Board Member —
ALEXIA JURSCHAK Board Member —
ANNE-MARIE KEANE Board Member —
MIKE KRUPKA Board Member —
SARAH MILLETT Board Member —
ELLEN MORITZ Board Member —
KAIA MORITZ Board Member —
DAN PENNINGTON Board Member —
JILL PLANCHER Board Member —
DAVID SALVIN Board Member —
KEN SCHANZER Board Member —
MIKE SHANNON Board Member —
ROD SLIFER Board Member —
HAP STEIN Board Member —
KRISTIN TANG Board Member —
FRED TRESCA Board Member —
GARY WOODWORTH Board Member —
KRISTY WOOLFOLK Board Member —
LINN BROOKS Board Member —
CARLOS GARDEA Board Member —
PAUL GORDON Board Member —
NADIA GUERRIERO Board Member —
DAVID HYDE Board Member —
ALEJANDRA CORTES DE MILMO Board Member —
CHRIS ROMER Board Member —
SUSANNA JOHNSON SHANNON Board Member —
MELINA VALSECIA Board Member —
TINA VARDAMAN Board Member —

Tax year 2021

Name Title Phone Email Compensation
MICHAEL IMHOF Executive Director 4.3% of Rev
MICHAEL IMHOF Executive Director 3.5% of Rev
ROBERT J FORD CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 2.9% of Rev
ROBERT J FORD CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 2.4% of Rev
ANN SMEAD CHAIRMAN —
ANDY ARNOLD Board Member —
JOHN ARNOLD Board Member —
HANS BERGLUND Board Member —
SAM BRONFMAN Board Member —
SUSAN CAMPBELL Board Member —
CHARLENE CHEN Board Member —
STEVE COYER Board Member —
ANDY DALY Board Member —
RON DAVIS Board Member —
MATT DONOVAN Board Member —
BILL ESREY Board Member —
JOHANNES FAESSLER Board Member —
TIM FINCHEM Board Member —
STEVE FRIEDMAN Board Member —
MARGIE GART Board Member —
DONNA GIORDANO Board Member —
SHEIKA GRAMSHAMMER Board Member —
MICHAEL HERMAN Board Member —
BETH HOWARD Board Member —
AL HUBBARD Board Member —
BJ HYBL Board Member —
CHRISTOPHER JARNOT Board Member —
GEORGE JOHNSON Board Member —
ALEXIA JURSCHAK Board Member —
ANNE-MARIE KEANE Board Member —
SARAH MILLETT Board Member —
ELLEN MORITZ Board Member —
KAIA MORITZ Board Member —
DAN PENNINGTON Board Member —
JILL PLANCHER Board Member —
ANN SMEAD CHAIRMAN —
MICHAEL PRICE Board Member —
ANDY ARNOLD Board Member —
KEN SCHANZER Board Member —
JOHN ARNOLD Board Member —
MIKE SHANNON Board Member —
CARRIE B HAUSER Board Member —
ROD SLIFER Board Member —
SAM BRONFMAN Board Member —
HAP STEIN Board Member —
SUSAN CAMPBELL Board Member —
KRISTIN TANG Board Member —
CHARLENE CHEN Board Member —
FRED TRESCA Board Member —
WILL COOK Board Member —
MARY WEBSTER Board Member —
STEVE COYER Board Member —
BETSY WIEGERS Board Member —
ANDY DALY Board Member —
GARY WOODWORTH Board Member —
MATT DONOVAN Board Member —
KRISTY WOOLFOLK Board Member —
BILL ESREY Board Member —
JOHANNES FAESSLER Board Member —
TIM FINCHEM Board Member —
STEVE FRIEDMAN Board Member —
MARGIE GART Board Member —
DONNA GIORDANO Board Member —
SHEIKA GRAMSHAMMER Board Member —
MICHAEL HERMAN Board Member —
BETH HOWARD Board Member —
AL HUBBARD Board Member —
BJ HYBL Board Member —
CHRISTOPHER JARNOT Board Member —
ALEXIA JURSCHAK Board Member —
ANNE-MARIE KEANE Board Member —
MIKE KRUPKA Board Member —
SARAH MILLETT Board Member —
ELLEN MORITZ Board Member —
KAIA MORITZ Board Member —
DAN PENNINGTON Board Member —
JILL PLANCHER Board Member —
MICHAEL PRICE Board Member —
DAVID SALVIN Board Member —
KEN SCHANZER Board Member —
MIKE SHANNON Board Member —
ROD SLIFER Board Member —
HAP STEIN Board Member —
KRISTIN TANG Board Member —
FRED TRESCA Board Member —
GARY WOODWORTH Board Member —
KRISTY WOOLFOLK Board Member —
CHERYL JENSEN Board Member —
JEN BROWN Board Member —
JEFF LUKER Board Member —
Officer contact details, exact compensation figures, and active litigation are available to verified members.
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Score breakdown

Score breakdown

Financial resilience
50 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
58 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
60 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
54 / 100
Developing

The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →

Peer comparison

Compared to 270 other orgs in CO with NTEE prefix A6.

Most-divergent component: program score sits 28 points above the peer median (60 vs. 32).

5-year trend: The Founder's Trap

10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.

What's driving this score

What would change this score

The two changes that would most improve this score:

  1. Stabilize program expenses or grow earned-income revenue to break the consecutive-deficit pattern (~8 points to financial score).

Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.