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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 22.2% | 39 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 26.8% | 38 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 28.2% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 28.7% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 26.3% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 27.4% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 27.4% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 28.5% | 38 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 27.9% | 38 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 30.5% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 30.4% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sara Salsbury | Board President | 22.0% of Rev | ||
| Lauren Lee | Board Member | — | ||
| Helen Dalton | Chairman | — | ||
| Ana Hsu | Board President | — | ||
| Phil Salsbury | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kathy Brendza | Board Member | — | ||
| Michael MacAvoy | Secretary | — | ||
| Chris Della Pietra | Board Member | — | ||
| Derek Stevenson | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sara Salsbury | Board President | 21.5% of Rev | ||
| Jenny Lin | Chairman | — | ||
| Helen Dalton | Board President | — | ||
| Ana Hsu | Secretary | — | ||
| Phil Salsbury | Treasurer | — | ||
| Lauren Lee | Board Member | — | ||
| Kristin Kunzelman | Board Member | — | ||
| Kathy Brendza | Board Member | — | ||
| Michael MacAvoy | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 171 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A2.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 30 points above the peer median (60 vs. 30).
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 36 → 39 over 5 years (improving by 3 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.2% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- 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:
- 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.