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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 14.4% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 22.4% | 25 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 13.0% | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 16.0% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 11.7% | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 16.1% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 12.8% | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 14.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 8.8% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 7.5% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 10.2% | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 9.0% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 10.6% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Lynn Smith | Artistic Director | 5.8% of Rev | ||
| Kelli Vitt | Board Member | 4.8% of Rev | ||
| Caroline Kangas | Board Member | 3.8% of Rev | ||
| Annie Williams | Board President | — | ||
| Mark Johnson | Board President | — | ||
| Adam Kuglin | Secretary | — | ||
| Paula Wilson Nitka | Treasurer | — | ||
| Elizabeth Dorn | Board Member | — | ||
| Monica Ramsey | Board Member | — | ||
| Randy Dixon | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Kangas | Board Member | 8.6% of Rev | ||
| Robin Lynn Smith | Artistic Director | 5.3% of Rev | ||
| Mark Johnson | Board Member | — | ||
| Tom Rachal | Board Member | — | ||
| Elizabeth Dorn | Board Member | — | ||
| Azadeh Zanjani | Board Member | — | ||
| Aaron Moore | Board President | — | ||
| Juan Garcia | Treasurer | — | ||
| Laura Nelson | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Kangas | Board Member | 10.5% of Rev | ||
| Robin Lynn Smith | Artistic Director | 4.9% of Rev | ||
| Laura Nelson | Board Member | — | ||
| Azadeh Zanjani | Board Member | — | ||
| Elizabeth Dorn | Board Member | — | ||
| Annie Williams | Board Member | — | ||
| Aaron Moore | Board President | — | ||
| Juan Garcia | Treasurer | — | ||
| Jenny Kirkineska | Secretary | — | ||
| Dan Morris | Board President | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 235 other orgs in WA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 31 points below the peer median (10 vs. 41).
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 14.4% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- 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:
- 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.