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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 6.4% | 36 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 35 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 43.3% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 30.4% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ella Eide | Executive Director | — | ||
| Sara Grondahl | Secretary | — | ||
| Daniel Grondahl | Treasurer | — | ||
| Brett Baker | Board Member | — | ||
| Moira Gallagher | Board President | — | ||
| Natasha Price | Board Member | — | ||
| Madi Masuhara | Board Member | — | ||
| Kimberly Branson | Board Member | — | ||
| Nikki Scherer | Board Member | — | ||
| Christine Cooke | Executive Director | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moira Gallagher | Board President | — | ||
| Christine Keene | Secretary | — | ||
| Timothy Fitzpatrick | Board Member | — | ||
| Nikki Scherer | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ella Ede | Board President | — | ||
| Brett Baker | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 29 other orgs in AK with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 19 points below the peer median (15 vs. 34).
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.
Overall score has gone from 30 → 36 over 5 years (improving by 6 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 6.4% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
- 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).
- 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.