Governance Lag
What does this mean?
Revenue and Program Scale spike rapidly, but the Governance Score remains stagnant. The organization has outgrown its founding era but hasn't installed proper oversight.
The Path Forward
The Scaffold
Brings immediate structural maturity. It represents the necessity of outside, independent oversight to manage new scale, breaking the echo chamber of a founding 'friends and family' board.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 29.8% | 54 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 48 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 46.5% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 45.7% | 38 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 28.6% | 40 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Peterson | Artistic Director | 29.8% of Rev | ||
| Kevin Gardner | Treasurer | — | ||
| John Page | Board President | — | ||
| Jon Sywassink | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Peterson | Artistic Director | 28.5% of Rev | ||
| Kevin Gardner | Treasurer | — | ||
| John Page | Board President | — | ||
| Jon Sywassink | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carric Smolnik | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| Kevin Gardner | Treasurer | — | ||
| John Page | Board President | — | ||
| Jon Sywassink | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carric Smolnik | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| Kevin Gardner | Treasurer | — | ||
| John Page | Board President | — | ||
| Jon Sywassink | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 118 other orgs in AZ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 59 points above the peer median (90 vs. 31).
5-year trend: Governance Lag
Revenue and Program Scale spike rapidly, but the Governance Score remains stagnant. The organization has outgrown its founding era but hasn't installed proper oversight.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 29.8% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 29.8% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~16 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.