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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 8.6% | 39 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | — | 46 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 52 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2010 | — | — | — | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JON BERRY | Board Member | 6.9% of Rev | ||
| MARY PATERSON | Board President | — | ||
| KEVIN FOUNTAIN | Secretary | — | ||
| JENNIFER BERRY | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JON BERRY | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY PATERSON | Board President | — | ||
| KEVIN FOUNTAIN | Secretary | — | ||
| JENNIFER BERRY | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 829 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 32 points above the peer median (65 vs. 33).
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.
Overall score has gone from 33 → 51 over 5 years (improving by 18 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- All-volunteer org with no paid officers — governance signal is neutral (default 50), not absent.
- Two consecutive years of deficit spending.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- 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.