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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 23.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 23.1% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 31.8% | 36 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 25.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 29.6% | 26 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 32.2% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 34.4% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 40.3% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 28.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 31.0% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 26.7% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 30.4% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 24.7% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL CLUFF | Executive Director | 11.6% of Rev | ||
| JERRY RAPIER | Artistic Director | 11.6% of Rev | ||
| BENJAMIN BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRIS CURLETT | Treasurer | — | ||
| LILLY HYE SOO DIXON | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN TOKUDA IRWIN | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIKA LYONS | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSE NIX | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN MELISSA SALGUERO | Board President | — | ||
| KAY SHEAN | Secretary | — | ||
| ROCIO SOTO | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL CLUFF | Executive Director | 11.8% of Rev | ||
| JERRY RAPIER | Artistic Director | 11.8% of Rev | ||
| BENJAMIN BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRIS CURLETT | Treasurer | — | ||
| LILLY HYE SOO DIXON | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIKA LYONS | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSE NIX | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN MELISSA SALGUERO | Board President | — | ||
| KAY SHEAN | Secretary | — | ||
| ROCIO SOTO | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL CLUFF | Executive Director | 11.2% of Rev | ||
| JERRY RAPIER | Artistic Director | 11.2% of Rev | ||
| CHERYL CLUFF | Executive Director | 10.7% of Rev | ||
| JERRY RAPIER | Artistic Director | 10.7% of Rev | ||
| BENJAMIN BROWN | Board President | — | ||
| REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK | FORMER PRESI | — | ||
| CHRIS CURLETT | Board Member | — | ||
| LILLY HYE SOO DIXON | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSE NIX | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN MELISSA SALGUERO | Board Member | — | ||
| KAY SHEAN | Secretary | — | ||
| PAUL TEW | Board President | — | ||
| BENJAMIN BROWN | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRIS CURLETT | Treasurer | — | ||
| LILLY HYE SOO DIXON | Board Member | — | ||
| JESSE NIX | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN MELISSA SALGUERO | Board Member | — | ||
| KAY SHEAN | Secretary | — | ||
| PAUL TEW | Board President | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERYL CLUFF | Executive Director | 9.6% of Rev | ||
| JERRY RAPIER | Artistic Director | 9.6% of Rev | ||
| BENJAMIN BROWN | Treasurer | — | ||
| REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK | Board President | — | ||
| JESSE NIX | Board Member | — | ||
| RICK POLLOCK | Board Member | — | ||
| KAY SHEAN | Secretary | — | ||
| PAUL TEW | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 81 other orgs in UT with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 28 points below the peer median (5 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 23.7% 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.