Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 22.3% | 45 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 20.8% | 45 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 36.6% | 44 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 23.9% | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 9.3% | 44 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 22.4% | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 23.8% | 45 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 27.5% | 44 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 19.4% | 41 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 14.3% | 46 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 14.8% | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 13.5% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | 22.6% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2010 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOIRA NORTH | Board Member | 11.6% of Rev | ||
| JIRINA RIBBENS | Executive Direc | 11.6% of Rev | ||
| JESSICA BETTS | Board Member | — | ||
| FRANCES BLACK | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE III | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE IV | Board Member | — | ||
| VIOLET EAGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE CLAYTON | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH BELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUG HAW | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY GAILLARD | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID MELLINS | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN NUMEROFF | Board Member | — | ||
| BETTY WASSERMAN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOIRA NORTH | Board Member | 10.8% of Rev | ||
| JIRINA RIBBENS | Executive Direc | 10.8% of Rev | ||
| JESSICA BETTS | Board Member | — | ||
| FRANCES BLACK | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE III | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE IV | Board Member | — | ||
| VIOLET EAGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE CLAYTON | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH BELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY GALLARD | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN NUMEROFF | Board Member | — | ||
| BETTY WASSERMAN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOIRA NORTH | Board Member | 10.3% of Rev | ||
| JIRINA RIBBENS | Executive Direc | — | ||
| JESSICA BETTS | Board Member | — | ||
| FRANCES BLACK | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE III | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM J CANDEE IV | Board Member | — | ||
| VIOLET EAGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MIKE CLAYTON | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH BELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY GALLARD | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN NUMEROFF | Board Member | — | ||
| BETTY WASSERMAN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 700 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 31 points above the peer median (60 vs. 29).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
Overall score has gone from 44 → 45 over 5 years (improving by 1 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.3% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
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).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 22.3% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~5 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.